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By
Diane Forrest, RN
My husband was injured on the job with an injury that
left him paralyzed. Because he had no
feeling below his chest, he was not aware of when he needed to use the
bathroom, and was forced to wear catheters.
He was able to wear a condom catheter, instead of an indwelling
catheter. Indwelling catheter use for
long periods of time can cause infections.
Of course wearing a condom catheter can also cause infections because
the bladder is not fully emptying. On
his last trip to the hospital, his doctor informed me that he had kidney
failure. I was shocked, confused, and
could only think about was dialysis. He
was transferred to another hospital in the state a few days later. After running blood tests, it was discovered
that he did not have kidney failure, and there was no need to worry.
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The kidneys are very important in the mechanics of our
bodies. They filter the blood, around
180 liters a day, then return the cleaned blood and dispose of the waste,
through urine. The kidneys also regulate
blood pressure and the acid base balance in our bodies, and they secrete
hormones. Kidney failure is very
serious. Several conditions can cause
kidney failure. They include:
- Hypervolemia, which is a major blood loss;
- Dehydration;
- Poor intake of fluids;
- Medications, such as diuretics;
- Obstruction to the blood flow to the kidneys;
- Sepsis;
- Diabetes;
- Poorly controlled hyper-tensions; and
- Tumors.
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Kidney failure can sometimes be treated with medication,
depending on the underlying cause. Most
kidney failure patients must be treated with dialysis and eventually even a
transplant.
Today is World Kidney day. The purpose of this day is to learn about
your kidneys, how they function and how to keep them healthy. Take this quiz while you sip on a large glass
of water, to see how much you know about the kidneys http://www.medicinenet.com/kidney_disease_quiz/quiz.htm
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For more information on how you can help, visit this
site: http://www.worldkidneyday.org/
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