PSPINC CEO Kenichi Uchikura's Blog

 The Road to Kidney Transplant and an Unexpected Diagnosis  

 

In my previous accounts, I shared how I was diagnosed with diabetes, which later progressed to anemia and eventually led to declining kidney function. As my kidney function continued to deteriorate, I was finally placed on the kidney transplant list. Of course, before being listed, I had to go through numerous tests and procedures.  

 

During one of these pre-transplant evaluations, doctors discovered a shadow on my liver.  

 

This shadow had apparently been forming over many years and was about the size of a tennis ball. Additionally, my gallbladder was in poor condition, and I was advised to have it removed. Without giving it much thought, I asked, "Since I’m having surgery, can you also remove the shadow on my liver?" The doctors approved, and I was scheduled for liver and gallbladder surgery.  

 

 A Much Bigger Surgery Than Expected  

 

Honestly, I didn't think liver issues were closely related to chronic illnesses like diabetes or kidney failure. On the day of the surgery, I was admitted to the hospital alone due to COVID-19 restrictions. I believed it would be a relatively simple procedure.  

 

However, when I woke up, I felt tubes coming out of my abdomen, pain all over my body, and heard a nurse say, "The big surgery is over."  

 

"Big surgery? How long did it take?" I asked.  
"A little over five hours," they replied.  

 

I was stunned.  

 

Aside from a tonsillectomy when I was 20, I had never been hospitalized before. This was an entirely new and overwhelming experience. Back in my hospital room, I had tubes connected to my body from multiple places, and I was even given a pain relief button. The pain in my abdomen was excruciating.  

 

 A Shocking Cancer Diagnosis  

 

The next day, the doctors shared the results of the liver biopsy.  
"It was cancer."  

 

I was told there had been a tennis ball-sized tumor in my liver. My first thought was,  
"How long do I have left to live...?"  

 

What kind of treatment would I need? Chemotherapy? Radiation therapy? My mind was filled with anxiety.  

 

But then, the doctor reassured me:  

 

"The cancer was completely isolated within your liver, and there was no metastasis. Therefore, no further treatment is necessary."  

 

Hearing that I didn't need treatment should have been a relief, yet I couldn't help but wonder, "Have they given up on me?" Still, I was grateful to be alive.  

 

 Sudden Knee Pain… and a Gout Diagnosis  

 

Three days after the surgery, I began experiencing excruciating pain in my left knee. It was so severe that I couldn’t move at all.  

 

I had undergone a ligament surgery on my left knee in the past, so I initially thought it might be related. However, the pain was unbearable. After being discharged from the hospital, I was rushed to the emergency room due to severe pain, where I was diagnosed with gout.  

 

"Why am I getting gout now? I’ve never even thought about it before!"  

 

It turned out that after the surgery, my failing kidneys were unable to properly remove toxins like uric acid from my body. These toxins accumulated in my knees and elbows, leading to gout.  

 

 The Beginning of Dialysis  

 

After receiving treatment for gout, I underwent dialysis for the first time.  

 

My kidneys were already in poor condition, but I never imagined I would have to start dialysis while still hospitalized. Even after my gout treatment ended, I was informed that I would need regular dialysis sessions. I was scheduled to undergo dialysis twice a week at the Northwest Kidney Center.  

 

And just like that, my dialysis life began.  

 

 A Downward Spiral of Chronic Illnesses  

 

At this point, I had gone through diabetes, anemia, kidney failure, cancer, and dialysis—my health was steadily declining in the worst possible direction. And yet, I had no idea what I could do about it.  

 

On top of that, because of my cancer diagnosis, I was informed that I would be removed from the kidney transplant list for at least two years.  

 

From now on, I would have to continue my life on dialysis while undergoing liver cancer screenings every three months.  

 

This routine is expected to continue until January 2025.