A Turning Point: A Kidney Diagnosis Leads to a Path Toward Healing
“Learning I had kidney disease was a big turning point,” Nobert Mike remembers.
Nobert shares that he had a hard life growing up: “I lost a lot of good people, lost a lot of good things in my life.” He, like many other people he knows living on Navajo Nation, struggled with alcohol addiction. Eventually, his experience with addiction led to health complications.
He was in the hospital for a week when test results confirmed his diagnosis, stage 3 kidney disease that had developed from undiagnosed IgA nephropathy.
IgA nephropathy, also called Berger disease, is the third leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It involves a buildup of antibodies that inflames the kidneys and leads to blood and protein in the urine, high blood pressure and other symptoms of CKD.
The diagnosis offered Nobert clarity: He wanted to get clean. He wanted to live a healthier life. He wanted to be able to take care of his daughter.
After quitting alcohol and drugs, Nobert also focused on his physical health, shedding nearly 100 pounds in a few months.
Still, Nobert’s kidney disease progressed, and ultimately, he and his nephrologist determined that he would need to start dialysis. While Nobert was familiar with hemodialysis, his doctor offered another option, peritoneal dialysis (PD). As a home modality, PD offers Nobert the ability to perform treatments at home while he sleeps without the need to travel a far distance from his home on Navajo Nation.
Learning how to do PD at home
Transitioning to home dialysis initially felt daunting.
“It seemed difficult,” Nobert says. “It seemed like I was going to have trouble, but DaVita helped me a lot with the way they ran the procedure. And they gave me a bunch of booklets. It painted a very good picture of what you had to do. So, they were pretty thorough with the information.”
Nobert has also leaned on his home nurse, Caitlin, and the rest of the DaVita care team to manage his care.
“Caitlin’s been like my guardian angel,” Nobert says. “I’ve been through a lot, and she’s helped me through a lot of painful things — mentally, physically. It hasn’t been an easy ride…but the way she’s been taking care of me… I trust her with my life.”
Benefits of PD & the path to transplant
Performing PD overnight has given Mike back his independence and eliminated the burden of long-distance medical travel.
“I can stay at home. I can fall asleep while I do my treatments,” he said. “I grew up being self-sufficient even when I was a lot younger, so I’m used to taking care of myself.”
Today, stable home treatments have positioned Mike to pursue his ultimate goal: a kidney transplant.
“Back when I was diagnosed, it felt like it was the end of the road,” Mike said. “I’m working toward it. With what kidney care provides now, five years later, I’m optimistic about my transplant. I’ve surprised myself with how far I’ve come.”
Learn More
Watch Healing in Our Own Way: Native Stories of Life and Dialysis to hear more from Nobert as well as other people navigating kidney health in rural America.