Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is often called a silent killer, a disease that can creep up without warning, leaving its victims grappling with life-altering consequences. The stories of two individuals, one a textile designer and the other a labourer, depict the devastating impact of CKD. Despite their different backgrounds, both found themselves in the same tragic situation of end-stage kidney disease, revealing the harsh realities of living with CKD and the importance of early detection and risk prediction.
Patient 1: The Textile Designer
The first patient was once a vibrant textile designer, whose days were spent creating intricate designs for rugs, carpets, and appealing apparel. However, his life took an unexpected turn when he started noticing slight discomforts. He was constantly tired, noticed back pain, and observed slight swelling in his feet. Concerned, he decided to visit a doctor for a routine checkup.
The doctor’s initial examination, which included a Complete Blood Count (CBC), revealed an abnormally high level of creatinine in his blood. This indicator of impaired kidney function, prompted the doctor to urgently refer him to a nephrologist. Within a week, the nephrologist confirmed the gravity of his condition. He was diagnosed with CKD and was advised to start dialysis immediately.
What made his case particularly tragic was the absence of recognizable symptoms before this point. The disease had been progressing unnoticed, removing any opportunity for early intervention and resulting in a diagnosis that appeared suddenly and without prior indication. He was in the late stages of CKD without having experienced significant health issues. The necessity of dialysis brought not only physical exhaustion but also overwhelming financial strain. He now pays 49,000 rupees every month for three dialysis sessions a week, a burden that has left him too tired to work and his financial future uncertain.
Early detection could have offered him a chance to better manage the disease, sparing him the crushing fatigue and the relentless financial pressure. The what-ifs linger in his mind, a reminder of the silent nature of CKD and the desperate need for better risk prediction and early intervention.
Patient 2: The Laborer’s Struggle
In contrast to the textile designer’s life, the second patient worked as a labourer in the construction business. His daily routine was physically demanding, but he worked from Monday to Friday without much trouble. He was a man who knew the value of hard work, and who found pride in the sweat and toil of his labor. Yet his life, too, took an unexpected turn when he went to a doctor for a routine checkup.
A CBC test revealed that his creatinine levels were elevated. But instead of receiving a prompt diagnosis, he was shifted from one doctor to another, each visit a new frustration, a same test incessantly prescribed, yielding the same results. Six months passed before he was finally referred to a nephrologist, who delivered the devastating news: CKD, end-stage, and an urgent need for dialysis.
As a labourer, the cost of dialysis was beyond his means. He could no longer afford to work like before, making the physical exhaustion exacerbated by the crushing financial burden. With no other options, his doctor directed him to a charitable hospital with a dialysis clinic, where the expenses were significantly reduced. Yet even with this help, he still finds himself on the edge of financial ruin, struggling to pay over 10,000 rupees per month for three weekly dialysis sessions. Diagnosed in the same late stage as the textile designer, he had no warning, no symptoms to alert him to the storm that was brewing within his own body.
He, too, is haunted by thoughts of what could have been. If only his condition had been identified earlier, perhaps in that first round of tests, how much pain and hardship could have been avoided? His story is a testament to the urgent need for better risk prediction models and earlier interventions, especially for those who may not recognise the subtle signs of kidney disease.
Both patients’ stories are a reminder of the silent devastation CKD can bring. They also show that without early detection, the disease can steal not only health but also hope, leaving behind a trail of physical, emotional, and financial wreckage. As they continue their battles, their voices join in a shared plea. For awareness, for early diagnosis, for a chance to live a life not defined by dialysis but by the dreams they once pursued.