LAFAYETTE, La. — March is Kidney Disease Awareness Month. The CDC says about 15 percent of adults in the United States have chronic kidney disease. And for one man here in our community he is wanting to educated others on getting screened and being aware.
When you see a picture of Pesh Patel, he looks like an ordinary successful guy traveling the world and living life but that changed back in 2017.
“Shock overwhelmed didn’t know what to think," he says.
During one of his international trips in Australia, Patel felt off.
“To walk a few city blocks I had to stop because I couldn’t breathe,” he remembers.
Patel was admitted into the ICU where he was told news that would change his life.
“Within two hours I had two blood transfusions and I’m in ICU a few hours later. I’m diagnosed with End of Stage Renal Disease, and found out I needed transplant. It was only two percent functioning,” said Patel.
He received a kidney transplant on August 7th, 2018 waiting after 15 months on dialysis.
“There was definitely symptoms when I look back on it," he says. "I was always thinking in my head that I was fine and it would get better itself and I never got checked out on early on when symptoms started developing."
Now after going through his experience, Patel created “A Kidney Life”. A weekly newsletter that gives information on chronic kidney disease, and is a resource to those with similar diagnoses so they don't have to feel so alone when they hear the hard news.
“Just to process that, first of all being alone in a different country in an ICU. I'm like what what is this? Just taking time to process what’s going on. While I was in the ICU, I realize that somehow I had an epiphany giving back and helping out was my purpose," said Patel.
Patel tells KATC going through this journey is tough but it's not going to stop him from pushing.
“I'm gonna be better then this, this disease will not represent who I am. I am still me this is just something that happened to me and taking that approach, it has been helpful," Patel says.
Patel will also be launching a podcast, “Talk Kidney To Me” that will promote health, wellness, and all things so those listening take care one of the boys most important organs.
To find out more about A Kidney Life, click here.
