By Deron Johnson
Choosing
a Partner
with Kidney
Disease
Let’s not sugarcoat it. Kidney disease is not fun.
There are approximately 739,000 Americans currently dealing
with end stage renal disease, according to the U.S. Renal Data
System. Factor in countless family members and other loved
ones who are affected by the disease, and you soon realize
you are not alone in the fight.
For every victim of this horrible disease, there are almost
always at least one or two primary caregivers. I am not
talking about the wonderful doctors, nurses, and other health
professionals. Their expertise and caring ways are unmatched.
I am referring to the lay person caregiver; usually a spouse,
a parent, or other family member. I know a little bit about
this because I am one of them. If you are reading this as a
caregiver of a loved one with kidney disease and hoping to
18
get all the answers to every question you might have, you are
going to be disappointed.
But, I will tell you this. As daunting as this is, it can be very
rewarding. My wife, Kim, was born with focal segmental
glomerulosclerosis – FSGS. That is a mouthful, I know. So, we
are going to keep the technical terms to a minimum. Just know
this – through no fault of her own, she was dealt bad cards
and born with kidney disease. Sometimes kidney disease is
known as the “hidden disease” and, for Kim, kidney failure
was not diagnosed until age nine.
She struggled gaining weight and was sick often during her
childhood, but she still managed to live a normal life, that is,
until her kidneys began to completely shut down. By age 16, it
was time for dialysis. Her brother, Kurt, stepped up and, while
not a perfect match, was a good enough match to donate one
of his kidneys. After a few years, however, Kim’s body began