Kaze

I'm a nineteen year old loser with three kidneys who was born on August 16th, 1996. I was born with posterior urethral valves which basically means the little flap in your stringy things (ureters) that go from your kidneys to your bladder was busted so urine could go both ways and it ended up giving me this fabulous gift I call renal failure. I was put on dialysis when I was 14 years old in November of 2011. As a prerequisite to UNOS activation, I was told I needed to lose weight. After nearly three years of nothingness, I finally got sick enough (sad, right?) to lose 25 pounds and was activated on the list. I received a deceased donor kidney on June 8th, 2013. I celebrated three years post-op a few weeks ago.

Knowing my weight has always been a inhibiting factor in both my social and medical life, I decided to research weight loss surgery back while I was still on dialysis. I continually suggested it to my pediatric doctors but they didn't want to listen. Skip to 2015 and I finally convinced my doctor, who was endlessly harping on me about my weight, to give his blessing to search for a program. I found Saint Luke's after my doctor failed to direct me to Kansas University which sees their bariatric program defunct. 

The process took almost a year. While on my medically supervised diet, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (wow, just imagine if I got surgery when I suggested it years ago!) and that was the tipping stone that finally influenced several of my other doctors (endocrine, hepatic [after an elevated liver enzyme was a minor concern], and others) and shortly thereafter, my nephrologist, to jump on board with the idea as reluctantly as my nephrologist did.

I am now less than a week from my surgery and I am excited and nervous about this new life I will lead. I want to be a healthier, happier me. I want to enjoy working, enjoy my body and have more energy. I just finished training to be a certified Phlebotomist, am currently planning my first novel (did I mention I'm a quasi writer?) and am anxiously awaiting cheaper multivitamins and protein powder, haha.

My main concerns going into surgery given my unique transplant circumstances was fluid goals (I need 140oz of water ideally) and taking my transplant immunosuppressants. Dr. John Price (after having switched from his colleague Dr. Michael Arroyo given my 'high risk' classification) reassured me that clear fluids and decent amounts of medicines are still capable after surgery, albeit the first few months I might need to split them up as it heals.

Outside of weight loss surgery, I am an aspiring writer and a ASCP certified phlebotomist waiting for a job. I intend to write my first book, "Losing Charity", about the complications of organ transplant and the familial aspect it brings to the table. Furthermore, my educational goals include a Bachelors in Science/Biology with a Clinical Laboratory Sciences emphasis in order to sit for the ASCP Medical Laboratory Scientist/Medical Technologist board certification exam to become a practicing MLS/MT.