My long journey with kidney disease started when I was only 18 years old. At that age, I thought I was invincible. Looking back, there had been a couple of small signs that something wasn’t quite right, but I just kept on going with life— as teenagers do!

One Saturday, I went to work at my part-time job and hung out with friends that evening. By Sunday morning, I knew there was clearly something wrong. It was more than just a cold or flu. My entire body was retaining water and my face and hands were all puffed up. I went straight to the hospital.

They admitted me and within days, I was given news that no one expected: I was in acute kidney failure.    It never occurred to me that 30 years later I would still be dealing with the effects of kidney disease, but here we are. As that 18-year-old kid, I knew nothing about what it meant to live with kidney disease. I figured they would treat me, and I would get better. After a couple of weeks, it was clear that the steroid treatments I was on were having no effect. So, they started me on dialysis.

I remember, as a teenager, the day the doctor came in and told me: “We can’t reverse your kidney disease. Your options will either be a lifetime on dialysis, a kidney transplant, or even worse, you pass away.”

That was the moment I knew I needed to sit up and pay attention — this problem was not going away. Not long after that, I had my first kidney transplant. It was my father who donated his kidney to me, which was such an incredibly selfless thing for him to do. That’s the thing about kidney disease. It doesn’t just impact those living with the disease—it impacts the whole family. 

My first kidney transplant failed when I was still on the operating table. It was heartbreaking to have that happen, especially considering the sacrifice my Dad had made. It would be six long years before I would try again with a second surgery. That time, it was my cousin who donated a kidney to me, but again, the transplant failed immediately.

It turned out that the condition that had destroyed my own kidneys would also attack any new kidney put into my body. I found out then that a kidney transplant was not going to be an option for me. I would need to stay on dialysis for the rest of my life, or until research uncovers new treatments that could make a successful transplant possible.

Thanks to past research breakthroughs, I’m able to receive nocturnal hemodialysis (overnight dialysis at home while I’m sleeping). As a result, I’m able to continue with my full-time, demanding role as a Senior Manager. I can also spend quality time with my wife and our friends.  Life isn’t perfect, but I feel like I’m making the most out of the hand that I have been dealt.

Last year, I was in the hospital five different times with issues related to my condition. My parents, now in their retirement years, still put their plans on hold when I’m ill. I’ve had to tell them that they don’t have to stop everything because I’m in the hospital, but my mom’s response is that I’ll always be their son and, regardless of my age, she’ll never be able to pretend my health problems aren’t happening.

I don’t often reflect on the stress my condition has had on my parents (they’ve certainly hidden it well), but I know it’s taken a toll. There has been so much for all of us to learn and adapt to over the years.

This journey is not easy. There are often many bumps in the road, but with a good attitude and a good support system, kidney patients can find a way to live a happy and productive life. That’s the message I want to spread.