January 2017
On Monday morning after the flag-raising ceremony at our university, my close friend told me that I lost weight and I should see my doctor. I promised to do so once we were done with our out-of-town workshop which I managed as the director for planning.
I had my regular blood tests and when my cardiologist saw the results, he advised me to see a nephrologist because my creatinine was above the normal range and there was protein (++++) in my urine.
February 2017
My new doctor requested a kidney and urinary bladder (KUB) ultrasound. The test revealed smaller than average-sized kidneys with diffuse parenchymal disease. Also, my creatinine, BUN, and uric acid values were all high. I was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease secondary to hypertension and nephrosclerosis, and advised to observe a low-protein, -salt, and -fat diet and refrain from engaging in strenuous exercises.
Why CKD? I had been hypertensive for the past 10 years and though I was careful with what I ate and my lifestyle, I was poor when it came to water intake. Since then, my crea and BUN kept slowly increasing and my labs and follow-up checkups became more frequent.
First Quarter 2020
It was sometime in this period when I noticed the "CKD secondary to hypertension Stage 4" indicated in my lab request form. I couldn't believe it because my nephrologist had never mentioned it to me.
Third Quarter of 2020
From Stage 4, it progressed to Stage 5. There was no turning back. It means the end stage of my CKD and I became a candidate for dialysis. My doctor advised me to have my arteriovenous (AV) fistula (a surgical connection made between an artery and a vein) ready.
November 26, 2020
I didn't want to undergo emergency dialysis by IJ catheter so I had my AV fistula prepared by a vascular surgeon at the Tagaytay Medical Center. It would take at least one and a half months before it could be used for hemodialysis.
