The Beginning ...

Imagine my surprise in early 2000 when – following my return from an exploratory missionary trip to Uganda, East Africa under the auspices of the Episcopal Church – in the course of a “routine” physical examination my physician informed me that I was suffering from chronic kidney failure. How could this be I wondered. After all, I felt just fine. I had no physical symptoms. In addition, since the removal of my left kidney six years earlier (kidney cancer), that surgeon had assured me that my remaining kidney was functioning adequately.

I was promptly referred to a nephrologist and – after a series of metabolic tests – I learned that the kidney filters toxic impurities (creatine) from our system. When the kidney begins to fail, creatine appears in the bloodstream.

Simply stated, as the creatine increases, the effective clearance of the kidney declines. The rate of decline varies from person to person and cannot be pre-determined. Once the kidney function declines to a given point (perhaps 15 to 20%), the patient begins to feel ill and treatment – either dialysis or a kidney transplant must be considered. Another option - no treatment - will result in death from total kidney failure.

Thus began my journey of living with and coping with chronic renal failure.

In the years that followed, I was closely monitored by my physician at Washington Hospital Center and my creatine level was usually in the range of 3.0. Imagine my fear when, upon examination by my physician in Savannah, my creatine level jumped to 4.8 and then in the fall of 2006 to 5.0! My meds were increased, I began to exercise a bit more, lost a few pounds and over the past year, it's been in the range of 4.2.

Meanwhile, in December, 2006, following intensive medical evaluations and consideration of which transplant center(s) were best for me, I was approved as a potential kidney transplant recipient by both the Mayo Clinic,(Jacksonville, FL) - with an estimated three to four year year waiting list - and the Medical College of GA in Augusta - with an estimated two to three year waiting list.