Grace eyes roved over the man seated across her. He was draped in lab coat and his stethoscope was hung over a hook by his chair.
It was easy to know his profession, but his look belied the calm tone he was speaking with.
“Let’s put a hold on the wedding.” Grace spoke letting her best friend – Amelia who was seated by her side grab her hand in an encouraging squeeze.
Those words seemed to do it for the Doctor, he jumped out of his chair and rounded the table, turning Grace shoulders to himself.
“Babe, there’s no reasonable reason as to why we should hold off on the wedding. Granted the diagnosis is not so great but we could work around it.”
A scoff escaped Grace’s mouth and she brushed his hand off her shoulders, “I guess Acute Kidney Injury is something you see people living with normally like a cold?! Or maybe like always, my life should always revolve around yours.”
“What are you talking about Grace? All I meant is that you wanting to hold off on the wedding is unreasonable. We could get married and then you’ll begin treatment.”
“Because, I shouldn’t start treatment before the wedding or what?”
“I’ll give you guys space to talk.” Amelia said giving Grace a hug before stepping out of the office, shutting the door firmly behind her.
“Don’t play good cop, bad cop with me Caleb. I may not be a doctor like you, but I am my own person!. My life doesn’t revolve around your timing.” With pain in her eyes, Grace grabbed her bag, the opened document on the table that was the spark to her agitated self.
This was unlike Grace, naturally, she was quiet, demure, graceful and even allowed family and her fiancé to step all over her, but it was allowed for anyone with such diagnosis to act out.
In the car, she allowed her best friend ‘Amelia’ hold her as she cried her eyes out.
Cried her eyes for her failing health.
Cried her eyes for her manipulative and selfish fiancé.
Cried her eyes out for the family who would blame her for her illness.
Cried that her gracefulness limited her and she couldn’t shout like she wanted.
“I messaged Tobi. She said you should come to L.A” Amelia said.
“Why Tobi?” Grace raised her eyebrows, her hand pausing while holding the tissue.
“It’s her specialty, you know?” Amelia paused and held her ringing phone up, “Speak of the devil. Should I pick up?.”
Nodding, Grace there the used tissues into the little trashcan in her car.
In a second, Tobi’s voice was heard over the phone, “Hello.”
“Hey Tobi. How are you?”
“Good. I’m so sorry. Amelia just told me that you were diagnosed with Acute Kidney Injury ?”
“Yeah. Caleb’s the one that caught it.” Grace voice was lifeless as she answered allowing Amelia to separate her twiddling thumbs.
“How are you feeling?” Tobi asked.
Grace smiled gently. This was one thing about her friends. They cared about how she was affected. Caleb cared about how he was affected by her ill-health.
“Tired, but I’m good.”
“Can you come to L.A for a while?. I’d like to run some tests. Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is divided into three and depending on the one that you have, that’s how your prognosis will be.”
“Oh, really?” Grace moved closer to the phone fully interested now. She had judged herself and thought AKI meant death. Painful death. Unavoidable death.
“There is Pre-renal which is caused by reduced blood flow to the kidneys. Intrinsic renal AKI caused by damage to the structures within the kidney such as the glomerulus and Post renal AKI caused by blockage to urine output from the kidney.
Basically one of the symptoms of AKI is when the urine output is very low compared to the intake of fluids. Nausea, Fluid retention leading to swelling.
For your test, they must have requested a urine sample, right?”
“Yes, and they took a blood sample as well.” Grace replied.
“The serum creatinine levels are also tested. Other tests include urine microscopy and urine electrolytes. Renal ultrasound can be obtained when a postrenal cause is suspected. A kidney biopsy may be obtained when intrinsic renal AKI is suspected and the cause is unclear.
Basically AKI occurs due to the kidneys inability to filter waste properly.
Prerenal acute kidney injury (AKI) is caused by factors that decrease blood flow to the kidneys, and that could be sepsis, dehydration, severe bleeding, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, liver cirrhosis, and the use of drugs like NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory drugs) or ACE inhibitors.
Intrinsic (or intrarenal) Acute Kidney Injury usually results from direct damage to kidney tissue. This may be due to conditions like glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, acute tubular necrosis, or exposure to certain antibiotics and chemotherapy medications.
Postrenal AKI occurs when the passage of urine flow outside the body is blocked, and this can result from kidney stones, bladder cancer, prostate enlargement, narrowing of the urethra, neurogenic bladder, or the use of anticholinergic drugs.
So, in all, it’s a good thing that it was caught early and it is treatable. So now tell me if you will be able to come over soon?” Tobi’s voice echoed through the phone.
“I have piled up sick days that I’ve not used. Working tirelessly without paying attention to my health must have been what got me here. I guess this is the appropriate time to use them. I’ll book a flight and let you know.” Grace replied.
“That’s great. I have to go now, but I want you to know one thing, okay?”
“What?”
“Acute Kidney Injury is completely treatable and you should be your first priority.”
“Thank you Tobi. You’re a God sent friend.” Grace replied, the hint of a smile appearing on her worn out face.
“Ahan. What about me?” Amelia interjected
“You as what?”
“Am I not a God sent friend as well?” Amelia pouted.
“It depends. Sometimes I wonder if the Devil sneaked into heaven to create you.” Tobi replied Amelia laughing at the end of her statement.
Grace allowed her head to rest on her seat, listening to her friends bicker like little children, a smile fully forming on her lips.
There was a way out.
Writer Details: Temidayo✍️
Status: Graduated from Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria🇳🇬.
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