I opted to see a new nephrologist and our initial conversation changed everything
This blog post was originally published on Ciara Morin's blog, PKD Wellness. It's excerpted with her permission, below.
One year ago, I asked my nephrologist to refer me to someone else... and it's not at all what you're thinking.
There was never a problem. We had a good relationship. But I had more to gain.
I'm sharing this story because it was a great, healthy step to take on my journey with polycystic kidney disease, and I gained a lot just from one meeting with a new doctor.
Here's a little bit of background:
My name is Ciara ("Kee-ra") and I'm a 35-yr-old mama of 2, living with chronic kidney disease.
I had been working with the same nephrologist since my PKD diagnosis at the age of 17; his team knows all the intricate details of my family's history, and I felt like I was always in good hands.
Over the course of the pandemic, the clinic shifted to virtual appointments and it became more challenging to book time with the team. I am grateful to be healthy and in a position where I don't require regular care, but after some time, I realized how much I enjoyed check-ins and discussions around proactive healthcare.
My nephrologist was located in a large hospital, working with patients with far greater challenges than me. The appointments were usually quick (very efficient) and never left much time for chit-chat.
But you know what... I like chit-chat!
So, I wondered if maybe a community nephrologist could be a better place for me. I wanted to meet someone with interest in (and knowledge of) PKD who would have a little more time to sit with me, answer all my questions, and give a fresh perspective. So I asked my nephrologist if he could refer me out, and he made sure to send me to someone who was well-respected as a PKD specialist. I appreciated this immensely... (To continue reading this story, go to Ciara's original blog post, here.)
Ciara Morin is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN), real food advocate, PKD warrior & advocate. She has written about her PKD Journey before on our website; you can read her Voices of PKD story, here.
Ciara is also one of the presenters at our 2023 PKD Summit, speaking on the subject of being your own best advocate. Register for the PKD Summit here.