Help! Med. Info needed ASAP - Best friend in ICU w/kidney failure

just found out my best freind is in ICU, kidneys failing? failed? Her brother is on his way to the hospital, he had to use my phone to call family for details.
I'm freakin out, but trying to keep it together. I need kidney failure/ causes/ what is she going thru kind of info for her family who is also freaking out. I know I could have Googled all this, but frankly, I also need a hug.. and the cats keep running from me. Does anyone know? What are the treatments.. the odds..

I remember my Grandfather being on dialises sp?, but I was 800 miles away and 10 years ago.

This woman is my personal Hero. She has a 26 year old son, twin 16 year old sons AND twin 6 year old sons (maybe TIA could figure out the odds of that, including the almost exact 10 year spans between) Single mom, working her ass off to keep them going and this shit happens. fcking UNFAIR!!!!!


V.

now use google while you enjoy those hugs :-)

to you and your friend

(((((((((((HUG))))))))))

much more information. I am afraid you will have to wait, sorry but here is a hug :hug:.

Sometimes kidney failure happens suddenly (acute kidney failure). This is most likely to occur after complicated surgery or a severe injury, or when blood vessels leading to your kidneys become blocked.

Chronic kidney failure, on the other hand, usually develops slowly, with few signs or symptoms in the early stages. Many people with chronic kidney failure don't realize they have a problem until their kidney function has decreased to less than 25 percent of normal. High blood pressure and diabetes — a disorder that causes high blood sugar levels — are the most common causes.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=DS00280

Treatment for kidney failure varies, depending on whether the problem is acute, chronic or end-stage.

Acute kidney failure
Although not every person with acute kidney failure can regain normal kidney function, in many cases acute kidney failure is reversible.

Chronic kidney failure
Chronic kidney failure has no cure, but treatment can help control symptoms, reduce complications and slow the progress of the disease.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=9E510C36-F9F7-4E3B-A7054C1D1F942043&dsection=8

It also could be temporary. I had a reaction to Tylenol (of all things) last Dec and had limited kidney failure because of it.

I hope all is well with your friend and that it's not a lasting condition. Don't panic until you know more details.

And here. :hug:

renal failure: shades of it.

grossly diagnoses re: creatinine levels (waste products in urine assayed with lab analysis); more subtle than this of course, and you are not speaking to etiology.....heart failure and associated renal failure? primary renal failure and what etiology?

so, are they recommending dialysis? There's peritoneal dialysis which is when they load up your peritoneal cavity with fluid which 'pulls' the toxins out and there is the usual dialysis wherein you sit next to a machine while it 'cleanses' your blood.

Renal failure will not kill you.

tell me more and I will tell you what I know. 18 years of working in ICU's.

This is from her brother, who is mighty upset. He got it from a freind who got it from one of the teentwins.

She has been there since yesterday, and we don't know shit else, hence the freaking out parts. You made me realize how little we do know. I'll call the kids and find out who has talked to a doctor.


Okay, this is what I got.

"She's doing better, they don't think she's going to be in the hospital too long, but she's going to need a transplant"

So I figure, they've got the kidneys working again, but it's cronic. crap. I'll find out more in a little while, when her brother calls from the hospital.

Thanks for the expert info!

other than transplant. transplant being the superior option in cases where it is end stage. I hope it is the type that is reversible I hope she has insurance, and hopefully a relative to tissue match and donate( if she needs one). Foward my best wishes and tell her to be positive.

Diabetes and high blood pressure are the two main causes of kidney failure. Being a single mom, high blood pressure sure does appear to be a possible suspect here.

:grouphug:

I don't know much about kidney failure so I can't give you any help on the information front. I can tell you that my nenphew has been on dialysis 3 timies a week for 10 years now. Kidney transplants are done in this country on a regular basis, and a person can live just fine on only 1 kidney. I would suspect that her prognosis will be dependent on whatever caused her kidneys to fail and that information may not be immediately forthcoming.

Where is her family? Are they in the area or at a distance?

A little friendly advice for you - take a deep breath. Go cry your heart out and let your fear go with your tears. Then come back and try and get some factual information.

I'm so sorry... wish someone was there with you to hold and comfort you too at this time...

:loveya: :loveya: :hug: :hug: :grouphug: :hug: :hug: :loveya: :loveya:

I hadn't seen her for about 2 weeks, she was tired of, she worked 2nd shift and has a family to take care of, so that's not unusual. I didn't think to check her feet for swelling. ;-). She is a large woman, and I don't mean that in a bad way. 6' 4". (no joke. Her 16 year old twins are 6'6" and 6'5"). She's chunkier that when she was younger, but she teaches Karate so she's in decent shape. She's been using herbals for the last few years, vitamans, etc., trying to keep up with everything. I'm wondering if it was something she was taking.

The family is mostly scattered but the few in town are trying to get there, and scraping up funds to fly her Mom in from Vegas.

BTW - that was excellent advise - having a good cry. It helped.

:grouphug: