We have kidney horror stories in our family and our luck maybe running thin.

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Que Riñones!

I wish I could take better care of my kidneys. We have kidney horror stories in our family and our luck maybe running thin.

I have suffered from kidney stones since I was 12. I have had nephritic colic “episodes” every year ever since I was diagnosed. Urologists have restricted my diet to anything but foods that contain calcium, but calcium rich foods, like cheese, are the cheapest here and I am just trusting my body and liters of water a day to self-regulate my kidneys production of calcium oxalate stones.

I have expelled several kidney stones with and without pain for years. I had one surgically removed (Laser lithotripsy) about twenty years ago, and I was about to have a more invasive surgery (the doctor gave me four days to expel it or else. The damn stones go painfully out on the very fourth day) some twelve years ago.

Every time I have one of my “episodes”, my family reminds me of the horror stories we have.

One of my uncles, on my mother side, lost one of his kidneys thanks to an outrageous medical misdiagnosis that put him in an OR for an alleged appendix surgery. After they opened him like a fish, they realized that the appendix was ok. The kidney was the problem. It had been the problem for quite a while and it looked so bad, they had to remove it. So, they just turned him over and opened him again on the side. He looked like Frankenstein’s monster after that.

My uncle has lived with one kidney for over 30 years now.

My older sister also lost one of her kidneys under similar circumstances. Medical neglect, lack of resources for a timely treatment, among other factors turned her into the second member of the family with that missing part.

One of my brothers was about to become the third one. His case, curiously, was even more farfetched. He had some stomach problems that were diagnosed as kidney problems. The doctors in that hospital determined that they needed to extract the kidney. My elder brother, who was accompanying my sick brother heard of a certain mafia operating in that hospital that specialized in stealing organs that they later sold for handsome prices.

He stole my brother from the hospital and took him home. The hospital threatened to press charges, etc. but he ignored the warnings and trusted his guts. It was a great thing he did that. There was nothing wrong with my brother’s kidneys. He recovered from whatever he had shortly after he escaped the potential mutilation.

I can’t take any chances with this family history. I must take better care of my kidneys.

Thanks for your reading

This was my entry to @mariannewest and @latino.romano’s 5 Minute Freewrite: Friday Prompt: KIDNEY. You can see the details here.

Make sure you visit the Freewrite House!!!