Lilly, a 14-year-old girl, and her parents received devastating news when doctors diagnosed her with end-stage kidney failure. For three months, Lilly had been showing flu-like symptoms, which her parents believed to be a common illness. Unfortunately, these symptoms were signs of something much more serious.
Living with End-Stage Kidney Failure
Currently, Lilly undergoes dialysis multiple times a week to keep her condition under control. However, doctors have warned that she might need a kidney transplant in the future to improve her chances of survival.
Lilly’s condition took a turn for the worse when she experienced severe pain. “I was kind of relieved when they said I’d be put into a coma because I was in so much pain,” Lilly shared. She was placed in a coma for three days in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Bristol Children’s Hospital to manage her pain.
What Is End-Stage Kidney Failure?
End-stage kidney failure occurs when the kidneys lose almost all of their ability to filter waste and fluids from the blood. Without this function, harmful toxins build up in the body. In this stage, dialysis or a kidney transplant is needed to stay alive.
According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of end-stage kidney disease include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, extreme tiredness, changes in urination, swelling in the legs and feet, chest pain, and high blood pressure. In Lilly’s case, some of these symptoms were masked by what her parents thought was the flu.
Causes of End-Stage Kidney Disease
Common causes of kidney failure include diabetes, high blood pressure, drug abuse, blockages in the urinary tract, and certain genetic conditions.
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