Welcome to Unfiltered – A Kidney Chronicle!
This blog came to be not long after my diagnosis of IgA Nephropathy, a form of Chronic Kidney Disease and is designed with several goals in mind:
- Describe my journey with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and what I’m experiencing in terms of progress and setbacks along the way.
- Help raise awareness of Kidney Disease in general and specifically protein spilling diseases that fall under the umbrella of Nephrotic Syndrome. This includes my disease of IgA Nephropathy (a.k.a IgAN or Berger’s Disease) as well as other diseases such as Minimal Change Disease, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and Membranous Nephropathy among others. For some people visiting this site, this will be the first time you have even heard of these diseases. They, along with Kidney Disease in general aren’t very well publicized,even though CKD is one of the leading causes of death among diseases.
- Point out the resources that are out there for Kidney Disease patients, whether it be at a national level or within the New England region.
- Help establish a regional community among New England based patients to share experiences, information, and support especially for those who may be otherwise isolated and struggling.
Below are links to the story of my diagnosis and experiences so far since the summer of 2019 when I was first diagnosed with stage 4 CKD. This series will grow as I encounter significant changes to my condition and as I eventually approach kidney failure. Future articles will also cover my experiences as I get more involved with the kidney health community and the different volunteer opportunities that are available.
This site, much like the field of kidney health is a work in progress. Whether you are also a patient with kidney disease, a loved one of a patient, or really anyone who is impacted by this illness, I invite you to participate in the the conversations here whether that be in the comments section, our Facebook page, or our online forum. See our Community page for more details.
Please note as you will see in my standard disclaimer that will be posted throughout many of my posts, I am a patient and not a medical professional in any capacity. Please always check with your doctor and medical team when considering any form of treatments.
Best Wishes,
Chris
