PSPINC CEO Kenichi Uchikura's Blog

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Yesterday, I shared my story about being diagnosed with diabetes. Today, I’d like to talk about what happened next.

 

It had been quite some time since I was diagnosed with diabetes, and I believed I was managing it fairly well. However, one day while playing golf, I suddenly became short of breath. I felt dizzy and unsteady. At first, I thought maybe I hadn't eaten enough, but in reality, I was experiencing anemia.

 

Diabetes causing anemia? I had never heard of such a thing. I went to the hospital, but they couldn’t determine the cause. Eventually, they referred me to a nephrologist. That’s how I ended up visiting the BelleVue Kidney Center in Bellevue, where I met Dr. Phil King. He diagnosed my symptoms as early-stage anemia caused by kidney disease.

 

To manage the anemia, I started receiving injections of medication, similar to how I had been managing my diabetes. However, it was also at this point that I was told my kidney function was declining. From then on, I had to undergo monthly blood tests and kidney function assessments. By that time, my kidneys were probably functioning at less than 35% of their full capacity.

 

At one of my checkups, the doctor told me, “If this continues, you will eventually need dialysis.”

 

Seriously? That had never even crossed my mind. At that point, I didn’t fully understand what dialysis entailed. But one thing was clear—I didn’t want it. The idea of spending hours at the hospital for treatment was something I wanted to avoid at all costs.

 

So, I continued managing my condition by “tricking” my kidneys while relying on anemia medication. However, it goes without saying that I could no longer live as energetically as before. My kidney function gradually declined to the point where dialysis became inevitable.

 

Now, I’m beginning to accept the reality that I will eventually need dialysis.