September 08, 2006

Vanity

I don’t want to be twenty, but to be fifty or even fifty five, that was before my [AD]Polycystic Kidney Disease, began to shape my body. The kidney’s cysts became much larger, and I was beginning to be asked if I was pregnant. Now they are huge, from under my chest to below my navel, they are not as large as these, yet. No, they don’t remove your kidneys when you have a transplant. They put the transplant in the lower left or right of your abdomen. I can’t wear skirts or certain styles of dresses, I truly love clothes and shopping. I miss the thrill of finding the markdown, markdown. I have to buy what fits and sometime my middle outgrows what fits way too soon.

I was filling out one of those profiles for an online match and it asked you for a description of your body type. There is no type to describe me. Out of shape is an understatement. To keep my kidney, I had to take massive doses of Prednisone and I blew up. Gained a lot of weight and water, then when I lost the weight, 50 lbs., nothing snapped back. I’m still losing weight and my belly’s more prominent. I can work off some of the fat, and I might try to have my kidneys removed. The catch is the surgery. At this point it would be just for vanity. Would it be any worst than a tummy tuck? Since the last surgery is still fresh in my mind, I am not anxious to find out, but I still want my fifty-ish body back.

If I seem edgy about that "little" bug, it’s because with a compromised immune system, it could become very serious.

Update: October 16, 2007 The image of those kidneys are not of any person that I am related to. This is not the original web page they were linked to. I linked to the photo of that person's father kidneys. I thought I had to make it more clear than my post has, since I have gotten so much traffic from this image. Thanks for visiting.

7 comments:

ThirtyWhat said...

I'm just now leaving this comment ... a year after you wrote the post ... so I apologize.

I've got PKD too ... and even though my function is only down to 50%, my stomach is still bigger because of the enlarged kidneys. I recently lost 30 pounds and was upset that EVERYTHING got smaller ... but I still wore the same size jeans because my BELLY didn't shrink. The nephrologist siad this was normal ... and that about broke my heart.

In any case ... when, and if, the day comes, I think I'm gonna have to BEG them to take the old ones out. There's no way I want to walk around looking nine months preganant ... I already look about five. haha :)

I hope you're still feeling good!

Anonymous said...

I am leaving this comment on October 1, 2007 and I am sorry that it took me so long to read your article. You are very lucky to be alive. I feel sorry for the vanity side of the issue, but at least you are alive. Polycystic kidneys run in my family and it has taken most of my loved ones so far. My mom passed away when I was only 19 and all of her sisters and brothers have since passed on. So, forget how you look and just be happy to be alive. God Bless You Sweetie. Penny

Hathor said...

Penny,
I am so sorry that your mother and so much of her family has died. The disease does effect each person differently, though. It runs in my family too, some have not been symtomatic at all, even having the disease and some having to go on dialysis late in life and four transplants. I am saying this, because if you are not being monitored, you should be. You have a 50/50 chance of having the disease and if so, it may not manifest the same as it did with your mother.

I did have the kidneys removed this year. The doctor thought it wise because they had gotten so big, about 20 lbs. I had some very bad hemorrhaging the previous year and at the stage my kidneys were, there was a possibility of them becoming cancerous. After they were removed it seemed like I cold breathe better, especially climbing stairs.

At my age I value quality of life, being concerned about my looks has to do with that. At the time I wrote this I was hoping that I would be able to get a new and exciting job, perhaps meeting someone as a possible partner(been alone a long time) and have the resources to get more out of life, since I have a second chance. I had put effort into finishng college. If you read some more of my Personal stuff. Maybe you will understand.

Thanks for the concern.

Anonymous said...

I am a 48 year old male,I was 16 years old when I found out I had PKD. On June 18th I had a kidney transplant. On september 22nd.,I had my 2 PKD kidneys taken out laparoscopic surgery.My wife was the donor.WOW hey. I'm in my 5th month and I just
had a biopsy. They found some rejection,they say it's common at 5 months,so they are giving me 500 mg. of steroids once a day for 3 days and then I'll be taken pills after that. The story is I had high blood pressure, my ankles were swollen, my kidneys were so big they were pushing on my stomach and lungs. hard time breathing . fatigued all the time.Because all the trouble, they took mine out.So they can take them out . Now no swelling in my feet,blood pressure is great and I have so much energy. You don't know how bad you feel until you feel better.So hopefully things will work out for me. I had 18% kidney function. So GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND IF YOU PKD'S ARE BOTHERING YOU THEY CAN TAKE THEM OUT... I had my surgeries at BAYSTATE MEDICIAL CENTER,SPRIGFIELD,MA. Good Luck and GOD BLESS YOU....

Anonymous said...

I also lost my father at 53 yrs old and my brother at 53 too. It does run in the family too. PKD in my case is genetic on my fathers side...deuce

Hathor said...

Anonymous,
Unfortunately the removal didn't effect my blood pressure and where they removed the kidneys, an incision below my navel, created a hernia. I had that repaired this year. My muscle tissue was somewhat weak from the immunosuppresant drugs and I think due my age too. Check out the comment above you.

Glad to hear that you are doing well.

Anonymous said...

Why this malediction don't get the porn industry. I want to see bad things happens to bad people in this life. I suffered lots in my personal life, yet the nothing nothing can replace the pleasure of health. Wow God is amazing God know how we are and how we should live our daily lives. Shame on the human kind now adays we are very bad. Thx