This is a Guest Blog Post submitted by Denny Adams.
I have been diabetic for 27 years. In 2011, during routine blood work, it was discovered that my kidney function was 39%. As bad as that sounds, doctors don’t even look at your kidney function unless it’s below 60%, and many people live their whole lives with that reduced function and without incident. At that time my diet was adjusted to reduce the sodium amounts daily. My function remained at 39% until June of 2013 when it dropped to 24%. At this point planning began to prepare for future possibilities of dialysis and transplant options. My girlfriend and I attended classes and got crash courses on all things kidney related. Without her to ensure that I followed my diet restrictions and staying on top of all the appointments, I’m sure I wouldn’t be as positive or even as little healthy as I am. She has been a lifesaver.
Just 2 months later, my kidney function dropped to 14%, technically this is when dialysis begins. During this time, my body started to retain fluid as my kidneys couldn’t clear the waste materials properly. This caused my body to be sluggish and without much energy. My legs felt like they were full of mud. The whole idea is to avoid dialysis, so enduring these symptoms was vital to long term health.
September 2013, I started going to Hershey Medical Center to complete all my extensive testing to be put on the transplant list. Tom, my brother, graciously offered one of his kidneys if he was a match for me. He’s been a true hero in being so selfless to offer without a second of hesitation. Tom and I completed our testing and matching to clear us for transplant. Hershey Medical Center reported that the only way I could have a closer match is if I had an identical twin. This was wonderful news to say the least! Our transplant was scheduled for March 18th, 2014 barring any last minute illnesses.
“My brother Tom has been a true hero in being so selfless to offer to donate a kidney without a second of hesitation.” — Denny Adams
It had been a tough seven months, learning a lot, completing testing, and feeling helpless as my body broke down. On January 18th, 2014, when I knew that transplant was probably two months away I opted to start dialysis before I got so bad that I couldn’t work anymore. Doctors and nurses praised the fact that I opted into dialysis myself before getting too sick where it would be harder for me to feel better. After starting dialysis I felt so much better. Going to work and going about my life as normal as possible allowed me to stay as positive as possible.
On March 18, 2014, a successful kidney transplant happened. My hero brother, Tom Adams donated life to me. It’s now 3 years later and everyone is doing great, so blessed to have so many doctors, nurses, hospital staff, family and friends support us throughout the process.