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About Carmen
My Story
During the year of 2005 my body was going through some changes. Changes that I couldn’t describe to anyone. I would wake up each morning feeling different. One day I decided to go to the doctor for a checkup. My doctor at that time was located in Conshohocken, PA told me I have high blood pressure and I will be on medication for the rest of my life. I looked at her like she was crazy. I felt sad and didn’t want to face reality. I started taking the medication but things still weren’t right.
My Doctor
My doctor did blood work and notice my creatinine level was a little high. She referred me to a nephrologist. At that time I was 41 years young and the nephrologist told me when I get 50 years young I would be on dialysis. I was very upset. I left the doctor’s office crying. I called my mom crying. My mom calmed me down and we prayed over the phone.
Well the doctor was right. I started my operation in February, 2015 and treatment started in March 2015. As we all know my body didn’t take the treatments well. I had my ups and downs. After having an operation and they inserted a tube in my stomach, the fluid went haywire and the fluid ended in my lungs. I had to have my lungs drained 3 times, lost 80 pounds and had a tube inserted in my heart. This had to be done so I can continue dialysis. I was on the transplant list for 11 years and was on Dialysis for 5 years.
My 2nd Chance
On May 2, 2020 at 4:34 PM University of PENN Transplant Department called and said (put phone on speaker so everyone can hear the message). If they only knew I was ready 15 phone calls ago!!
On May 3, 2020 at 5:45 AM, I was on my way to surgery. Operation was a success. A normal hospital stay is 5 to 7 days and the operation time is 5-8 hours. I was discharged in 3 days and my operation time was 2 hours and 57 minutes. God is good all the time! He is so good that one of my kidneys that wasn’t working started working again. As you may or may not know, when getting a transplant, they do not remove the non-working kidneys, they just put the new kidney in. So anyone who had or will be having a kidney transplant will have 3 kidneys.
Staying Healthy to prevent kidney disease Expo 2022
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Get the facts on kidney disease
1 in 3
More Than 100,000
More Than 100,000
1 in 3 American Adults is at risk for Kidney Disease.
Diet and Exercise can improve overall well-being and help manage blood pressure.
More Than 100,000
More Than 100,000
More Than 100,000
More than 100,000 people in the us are waiting for a Kidney Transplant
Know Your Kidneys
More Than 100,000
Know Your Kidneys
Two Bean-Shaper Organs- Each The Size of a Fist
Regulates Blood Pressure, Activates Vitamin D for Healthy Bones, Direct Production of Red Blood Cells
More Than 350,000
More Than 350,000
Know Your Kidneys
More Than 350,000 Americans Undergo Dialysis Treatment Annually.
Know Your Kidneys
More Than 350,000
Know Your Kidneys
Filters 120-150 Quarts Of Blood Daily, Remove Waste Products From The Body, Balance the Body's Fluids
2 Simple Test
More Than 350,000
Know Your Kidneys
Blood Test- Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)
Urine Test- Albuminuria To Creatinine Ratio (ACR)
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