Harold

Harold is 42 years old, the youngest of three brothers. Their parents are no longer living. Harold also has 4 children: six-year-old twins girls, a four year old and an 18 month old. His wife died just over a year ago of malaria, so he raises his children on his own, with the help of his two brothers and sister-in-laws.

Harold has had high blood pressure for years, with fluctuating creatinine´s. His creatinine (a test to see how the kidneys are functioning) had been slowly increasing. He was admitted to our hospital twice with his whole body swollen and his lungs and abdomen full of fluid. His kidneys were not able to get rid of the excess fluids. His last admission, he had a creatinine of 6 (usually once you reach 5 you need dialysis). Luckily the diuretics worked and he was able to urinate out some of the excess water and breath easier. We sent him to Iquitos where he was hospitalized at our referral hospital. He was sent back with a creatinine of 4, on the all the right meds to keep his water balance stable.

So yesterday and today, I spent a lot of time talking to Harold and his brothers about dialysis and renal transplant. Progression of kidney disease is often inevitable. Dialysis requires that he live in Iquitos, where he has no family members who could support him. He doesn't want to live hooked up to a machine two days a week, far from his community. His brothers just make enough to scrape by, selling the fish they catch and meat they hunt to support their own kids through school. They are not in a position to support him to live in Iquitos, nor in a position to donate a kidney, being that they must travel to Lima and spend many months away from their own families who are so dependent on them.

Despite the gravity of the whole situation, Harold has a constant smile on his face and the most positive attitude. The family has an immensely strong faith in God, and finds solace knowing that He is in control. We are all hoping and praying for a miracle- an improvement in his health and the return to normal of his kidney function. As you could imagine, he wants to be back in his community with his family. Once he gets there, he will continue the medicines that his kidney doctor has prescribed and also utilize plants and other natural remedies to attempt to cure his condition. Keep Harold and his children and family in your prayers!