Kidney failure: Thirty five-yr-old Obinna’s life in danger
.Needs N8 million to live
For 35-year-old Obinna Anokwuru, life was full of promises. The future looked bright and he had plans towards which he worked. As a graduate of Economics from Lagos State University (LASU), Obinna had huge dreams for his future.
Well, these dreams are on the verge of being cut short if urgent medical help does not come the way of Obinna who has been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. He needs N8 million for a kidney transplant to save his life.
A medical report by Renal Dialysis Centre signed by Dr. Amisu M, dated November, 2014, reads in part: “The above named male diagnosed with end stage renal disease (WSRD), secondary to Chronic Glomerulonephritis (CGN) in January, 2013 has been on maintenance haemodialysis since same date.”
His younger brother, Mr. Chukwunyere Anokwuru who has been the one taking Obinna around since his condition deteriorated visited the head office of The Sun, armed with the medical documents on his brother’s condition.
He told Sunday Sun how hard life has become for his family since Obinna came down with the ailment. Chukwunyere, who is fresh from school, explained that their father is dead and their mother, who also resides in Lagos, is a petty trader. They are from Ehime Mbano in Imo State.
There is nothing so distressing as watching a loved one suffer, you can read that much from the anguish on Chukwunyere’s face . As time goes by, life is gradually ebbing away at poor Obinna, who looked over a decade older in his present condition.
“From the last scan we did, it showed that the kidneys are now so small and whitish in colour; that is to show that they are no longer functioning. He is currently undergoing dialysis to sustain him before we can afford to carry out the kidney transplant. We are running two sessions of dialysis every week. Each session of dialysis costs us N15, 000,” Chukwunyere said.
He further explained how the ordeal started in 2012. “His condition was first noticed in November, 2012 when he was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease. At that time, his feet were swollen, he was having shortness of breath and coughing out blood. So, we took him to the hospital. After series of tests conducted on him, they found out that the kidneys were bad. They placed him on dialysis.
“He continued with the dialysis to some point when we couldn’t afford the treatment again. It was stopped due to financial constraint. Back then, his condition improved. The swollen feet receded and he could walk about. It was four months after that the condition relapsed. This time around, the tummy was so big and the feet were swollen again. Right now, he can hardly do anything by himself. He needs assistance to move from one point to the other. So, we ran around and started dialysis again. We went back to where he started the treatment at Renal Dialysis Centre at Allen Avenue, Ikeja. We started the process again and ever since then, he has been on dialysis twice weekly. He cannot even sit in a position for a while. He finds it very difficult to defecate and he does not pass out urine. He is advised not to take solid food. His meal is mainly fruits and vegetable,” the brother said.
The doctors, the young man said, have told the family that the patient needs to undergo a kidney transplant. “They said it is going to cost us N8 million, excluding the cost of a donor. They said that if none of the family members are compatible with him, he will need a donor.
“People have been coming around because his condition has really drained all the resources available to the family. So far, family members have been footing the bills. There have also been contributions from friends of the family. People have been responding.
We published account numbers for people to help us. So far, people have been donating, but we still have a long way to go. We have been reaching out to people through the social media. His story is also on facebook. Also, friends and family have also been sharing the information to see if it will go viral,” Chukwuyere explained.
He further explained that so far, they have been able to raise N2 million out of the N8 million required for the operation. “We have been able to raise up to N2 million, which is quite substantial. But we still have a long way to go to get the N8 million required for the surgery. Apart from that, we still find ourselves dipping hands into the money to do the dialysis which helps sustain him for now. We need to sustain him before we are able to carry out the transplant.”
The Anokwurus are appealing to well-meaning Nigerians to come to their rescue. “We are appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to please come to our rescue because this is such a huge burden on members of our family. I know that Nigerians are good people. We have tried to manage the situation, but it has gotten out of hand.”
Chukwunyere also appealed to the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to help save his brother’s life saying: “I don’t want my brother to die.”
“We have also tried to reach out to Imo Foundation, which is an organ of the Governor Rochas Okorocha administration. We have given them all the necessary documents on the health condition of my brother. We are still waiting for them. We are using this medium to also appeal to Governor Okorocha to please come to our aid. We know him as someone who is concerned about the suffering of the poor masses. He has been helping people and we believe that God can use him to save the life of my brother. Please, I don’t want my brother to die. The pain he is going through right now is just too much.”
The Anokwurus can be reached on 08064905987 or 07033462302. All
contributions should be paid into ANOKWURU OBINNA VICTOR GTB –
0116983382 or ECCOBANK 2951027692.
Kidney failure facts
The kidneys are organs that help filter waste products from the blood. They are also involved in regulating blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and red blood cell production in the body.
Symptoms of kidney failure are due to the build-up of waste products in the body that may cause weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, and confusion. Inability to remove potassium from the bloodstream may lead to abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death. Initially, there may be no symptoms of kidney failure.
There are numerous causes of kidney failure, and treatment of the underlying disease may be the first step in correcting the kidney abnormality.
Some causes of kidney failure are treatable and the kidney function may return to normal. Unfortunately, kidney failure may be progressive in other situations and may be irreversible.
The diagnosis of kidney failure usually is made by blood tests measuring BUN, creatinine, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR).
Treatment of the underlying cause of kidney failure may return kidney function to normal. Lifelong efforts to control blood pressure and diabetes may be the best way to prevent chronic kidney disease and its progression to kidney failure. Usually, kidney function gradually decreases over time. If the kidneys fail completely, the only treatment options available may be dialysis or transplant.
Manage diabetes, avoid kidney failure
High blood glucose levels can damage blood vessels all over the body, including the tiny blood vessels that do the kidneys’ filteration. When those tiny vessels are damaged, they can’t do the job correctly. High blood pressure can result and make the problem worse, damaging more blood vessels and speeding up the progression of kidney disease. Both kidneys are affected.
Though 20-40 percent of those with diabetes develop kidney disease, it can be slowed significantly if diagnosed early and treated.
Five principles should be followed by everyone with diabetes to help prevent and treat kidney problems: tight control of blood glucose levels (A1C less than 7 percent); tight control of blood pressure: aim for lower than 130/80; Control of lipids: LDL (“bad”) cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dl, HDL (“good”) cholesterol should be above 50 mg/dl and triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl; and no cigarette smoking.
Blood pressure-lowering drugs, such as ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), are effective in protecting the kidney from damage if you have signs of diabetic kidney disease
The earlier you know, the better
There are no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic kidney disease. Symptoms of kidney failure—fatigue, nausea and fluid retention— usually don’t occur until the late stages of kidney disease because the kidney can still adequately filter the blood even after extensive damage.
Usually the first sign that the kidneys’ filtration system is damaged is an excess amount of protein in the urine, known as microalbuminuria. This is not just an early sign of kidney disease, but a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke.
“Unlike many diseases, kidney disease often has no symptoms until it is very advanced,” says Andrew Narva, M.D., Director of the National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP).
“For this reason and others, it is important for people to not only become aware of their risk, but also to learn about the steps they can take to keep their kidneys healthier longer. An important step is to get tested.”
That testing is even more important for populations that are at higher risk for kidney disease, such as African Americans, adds Dr. Narva.
Your doctor can do very simple tests to check for kidney disease: Measure the level of serum creatinine in your blood to estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR); measure the level of protein in your urine (increased levels of protein show your kidneys are not working right) or check your blood pressure.
Your health care provider will order two simple tests to check your kidneys—a blood test to check your glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and a urine test to check for protein.
GFR—A blood test measures how much blood your kidneys filter each minute, which is known as your GFR (glomerular filtration rate). This shows how well your kidneys are working. A GFR of 60 or higher is in the normal range. A GFR below 60 may mean you have kidney disease. You can’t raise your GFR, but you can try to keep it from going lower.
Urine Protein—A urine test checks for protein in your urine, which can be a sign of kidney disease. Protein can leak into the urine when the filters in the kidneys are damaged. This test has several different names, including a check for “proteinuria,” “albuminuria,” or “microalbuminuria.” It can also be called a “urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio.”
Treating kidney disease
Kidney disease is usually a progressive disease, which means that the damage in the kidneys tends to be permanent and can’t be undone. So, it is important to identify kidney disease early before the damage is done. The good news is that kidney disease can be treated very effectively if it is diagnosed in the early stages. This is very important.
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