My name is Zerald Rodrigues.
Well it all started when I was 29 years old, I had gone in for my first medical test, they took my blood, my urine sample and then I went home thinking everything is great, The next day they called my mom and told her that I had been leaking a lot of protein and I needed to see a kidney specialist as soon as possible. So I went down to the Fr. Muller’s and talked with my doctor he had told me I needed a kidney biopsy... a needle shoved in my back taking out a chunk of my kidney, I was afraid. The test came back that I had a Kidney disease. They started me on a couple medications and one was a steroid to close the holes in my kidney, I took it as I was supposed to and I started getting depressed, I told my doctor and they said it was a side effect of the medicine.
my life was falling apart. so I stopped taking the medicine thinking they don't know what is wrong with me. Well I few months later I went into the doctors because, I could NOT control my legs they had told me my kidneys had failed and I would need to get a catheter put in my chest and start dialysis, I cried for hours I was so afraid I didn't know whether it would be better to just die or to go along with everything that was going wrong in my life.. I decided that I would try to get through after all it couldn't take long to cure it. I started dialysis February 12, 2012. It has been hell. I feel like I am different from everyone else, I can’t do the things I want to do I can’t eat what I want and I cry my self to sleep almost every night wondering why me what did I do to deserve this life.
I am currently doing dialysis while I sleep on a machine and its hard for me. my bones are getting weak and I can't take it anymore I can hardly walk.
I mean I'm 29 years old and this isn't how I wanted my life to be.
Well it all started when I was 29 years old, I had gone in for my first medical test, they took my blood, my urine sample and then I went home thinking everything is great, The next day they called my mom and told her that I had been leaking a lot of protein and I needed to see a kidney specialist as soon as possible. So I went down to the Fr. Muller’s and talked with my doctor he had told me I needed a kidney biopsy... a needle shoved in my back taking out a chunk of my kidney, I was afraid. The test came back that I had a Kidney disease. They started me on a couple medications and one was a steroid to close the holes in my kidney, I took it as I was supposed to and I started getting depressed, I told my doctor and they said it was a side effect of the medicine.
my life was falling apart. so I stopped taking the medicine thinking they don't know what is wrong with me. Well I few months later I went into the doctors because, I could NOT control my legs they had told me my kidneys had failed and I would need to get a catheter put in my chest and start dialysis, I cried for hours I was so afraid I didn't know whether it would be better to just die or to go along with everything that was going wrong in my life.. I decided that I would try to get through after all it couldn't take long to cure it. I started dialysis February 12, 2012. It has been hell. I feel like I am different from everyone else, I can’t do the things I want to do I can’t eat what I want and I cry my self to sleep almost every night wondering why me what did I do to deserve this life.
I am currently doing dialysis while I sleep on a machine and its hard for me. my bones are getting weak and I can't take it anymore I can hardly walk.
I mean I'm 29 years old and this isn't how I wanted my life to be.
I found it very hard, at first, to accept the fact that I had kidney failure and to adjust from having an extremely busy job that I loved, to doing so much less. However, I soon realised that I could never "go back" and decided to look ahead. Balancing the medication, hospital visits and blood tests have become a way of life. I am nearing dialysis and feel, for me, it's the next step to a normal life. Think positive - it's the only way.
Courtesy: Kidney Warriors Book
Who can ever say, “I expected my kidneys to fail.”
So I least expected that my life would change… say in the next few days. It started in 2012. I had lost my kidney functions completely and needed to start dialysis soon. No time to assimilate, think, wonder, plan and slowly I was moving around getting tests done and getting ready mentally to be connected to a machine to purify my blood. Dialysis. The initial shock of the disease led to lots of physical and mental adjustments leading to many financial implications.
I had been working with the Taj Hotels & Resorts Group as a Spa Therapist. It was a job that simply matched my personality. I enjoyed the job, people loved and respected me and money was coming in. Life was wonderful in an upward mode. “What next?” I often asked myself.
But overnight, everything came tumbling down. Now such happiness was a distant past; a dream-life that will go down in my history. Kidney failure had brought about many changes in my life. My attitude towards life changed seeing the harsh realities of life, the truth about life that one loses so much of one’s life just in a single stroke. Times with friends changed as now friends were people involved with kidney disease. The physical condition had changed. And yes, the financial status.
With dialysis, I had kept busy pursuing small free-lance jobs while I managed to get some benefits for dialysis. Gradually, through the time spent alone in the hospital bed, my mind kept churning out thoughts, ideas and aspirations. Apart from thinking of earning revenues, it went into what needed to be done to raise awareness.
In Kerala, there was no problem. Lots were happening. Live donor transplants were quite easily accepted. The country was seeing changes. GREEN corridors were used to reach organs fast. Cadaver transplants were happening. People will be willing to donate as many are donating blood. It is a change that will happen gradually, but we must create the awareness.
With such a determination I decided to work for the community to bring changes in lives of kidney patients.
Due to work, I moved to Mangalore.
Opportunity to work for kidney patients soon opened up as I met some nephrologists who were planning to form a Trust. I got involved with them during the formation of the Kidney Patient Association, Mangalore. I was appointed as a Joint Secretary. I became active and contributed towards planning many events related to organ donations.
Life is beyond dialysis. It’s about spreading information. There’s never turning back. Read many such inspiring Kidney warriors stories Buy today on Amazon.com "The Kidney Warriors"
Courtesy: Kidney Warriors Book
Who can ever say, “I expected my kidneys to fail.”
So I least expected that my life would change… say in the next few days. It started in 2012. I had lost my kidney functions completely and needed to start dialysis soon. No time to assimilate, think, wonder, plan and slowly I was moving around getting tests done and getting ready mentally to be connected to a machine to purify my blood. Dialysis. The initial shock of the disease led to lots of physical and mental adjustments leading to many financial implications.
I had been working with the Taj Hotels & Resorts Group as a Spa Therapist. It was a job that simply matched my personality. I enjoyed the job, people loved and respected me and money was coming in. Life was wonderful in an upward mode. “What next?” I often asked myself.
But overnight, everything came tumbling down. Now such happiness was a distant past; a dream-life that will go down in my history. Kidney failure had brought about many changes in my life. My attitude towards life changed seeing the harsh realities of life, the truth about life that one loses so much of one’s life just in a single stroke. Times with friends changed as now friends were people involved with kidney disease. The physical condition had changed. And yes, the financial status.
With dialysis, I had kept busy pursuing small free-lance jobs while I managed to get some benefits for dialysis. Gradually, through the time spent alone in the hospital bed, my mind kept churning out thoughts, ideas and aspirations. Apart from thinking of earning revenues, it went into what needed to be done to raise awareness.
In Kerala, there was no problem. Lots were happening. Live donor transplants were quite easily accepted. The country was seeing changes. GREEN corridors were used to reach organs fast. Cadaver transplants were happening. People will be willing to donate as many are donating blood. It is a change that will happen gradually, but we must create the awareness.
With such a determination I decided to work for the community to bring changes in lives of kidney patients.
Due to work, I moved to Mangalore.
Opportunity to work for kidney patients soon opened up as I met some nephrologists who were planning to form a Trust. I got involved with them during the formation of the Kidney Patient Association, Mangalore. I was appointed as a Joint Secretary. I became active and contributed towards planning many events related to organ donations.
Life is beyond dialysis. It’s about spreading information. There’s never turning back. Read many such inspiring Kidney warriors stories Buy today on Amazon.com "The Kidney Warriors"
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