I'm going to try blogging the PKD Challenge this year. Why not? My blog could definitely use a reset!
The Day 1 Challenge is to post this video explaining what PKD is all about. Check it out:
I have PKD. If you watched the video, you probably guessed correctly that I have the more common type, ADPKD. It's the one that you have a 50% chance of inheriting from a parent who has it. The graphic on the video that shows a family tree looks much like mine. My grandfather had PKD. Before that, we don't know, but the original Grandpa Charleye passed his PKD to both of his sons. His kidneys failed when he was 42 and he passed away just after his 43rd bitthday. Dad was 18 and Uncle Ken was 16 when they lost their dad; none of my generation ever met him.
Dad found out he had PKD just a few years later, during a physical shortly after he had joined the Air Force. He was told he didn't have many years left and given an honorable discharge. Uncle Ken had high blood pressure but wasn't diagnosed until much later. Both of them also experienced kidney failure at age 42-43. Both did time with dialysis, both had successful transplants, and both eventually passed away due to their effed up kidneys. 💔 Wrights...we don't all just look alike.
In my generation, I'm the oldest by nine years. I was diagnosed at age 21, six weeks after my son Jordan was born. As a brand new single mom, it hit me pretty hard. I was terrified of leaving my baby with no mom, but had my family history to remind me that I could fight PKD and thrive. Dad's other two kids seem to have missed it, thankfully. Years later we learned Uncle Ken's only son, my only cousin, has it too. And heartbreakingly, when he was 17 we learned that I had passed it down to my only son.
Right now the worst we deal with is high blood pressure. It's a common side effect of PKD, and often an early signal. Despite a 20+ year undercurrent of worry, I sailed past 43 with flying colors, and my cousin turns 40 this year (!) with working kidneys, too. So far, so good. I'm starting to feel the pain that can come, my kidneys are double normal size and have "innumerable" cysts (according to the ultrasound tech), and my levels aren't great any more, but the kidneys still work and I'm grateful for that. I've worked hard for many years to keep them as healthy as possible (see: vegetarian), and I think it has definitely paid off. Now to convince Jordan to lay off the Dr. Pepper!
