At 49 years old, Indianapolis resident James Coleman received some shocking news that so many African-Americans receive each year; he was diagnosed with the most progressive stage of kidney failure — end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the permanent inability of a kidney to remove excess bodily fluid, minerals and wastes.
More than 472,000 Americans suffer from kidney failure and of those, according to The National Kidney Foundation, African-Americans are four times more likely than Caucasians to develop ESRD.
This silent killer is aggressively affecting the Black community and Coleman’s initial diagnosis came as a complete shock.
“When I got the first diagnosis that my kidney had failed I was in great shape. I weighed 225 pounds, I was physical and I rode a bike for 25 miles every week. I didn’t believe something was wrong with me,” Coleman said.
And like so many others, many don’t. However, though his health appeared to be intact he left one factor unchecked, for more than six years after physicians informed him he had high blood pressure — the second leading cause for kidney failure in African-Americans.
“When I got it under control I stopped taking my meds, and I stopped having my blood pressure checked,” Coleman said. “That’s what killed my kidneys.”
Initially in denial, Coleman soon snapped out of it when he was rushed to the hospital less than a week after his diagnosis where he stayed in an intensive care unit for a month. Coleman immediately began his hemodialysis treatment, a method used by 90 percent of ESRD dialysis patients. Often leaving him like so many others fatigued, dizzy, washed-out and tired after four-hour treatments three days a week. Coleman received a proposition to participate in a study for NxStage System One — a home dialysis machine.
“James was one of nine patients who signed up for the study. In June 2005 the FDA approved the machine for home use,” said Cathy Cox, training nurse for the home dialysis unit at Clarian Health Hospital.
This breakthrough study has become monumental in the assistance of aiding ESRD patients by allowing them other options with positive results. Clarian Health was the first site to train patients on the home portable device.
Darlene Brooks, Coleman’s significant other and trained NxStage partner, says, “He has gotten a lot better since he has been on this machine. He went from taking 10 medications a day to one. He hasn’t had any problems; I’m just here in case I’m needed, which is a requirement for this machine.”
After four years of success on the portable home dialysis system, Coleman is now able to enjoy the life he once was accustomed to. Typically not allotted to patients that are restricted to the confinements of in-clinic visits and strict diets. NxStage helps the kidney to work more like its functioning organ, increases the kidneys overall health and allows patients to have dialysis from the comfort of their home.
“Right now we have 60 patients on home dialysis, which is something that is not possible in a center. The pay off is the patients are happy, motivated, they feel better and it has put them back in the main stream of their lives,” Cox said.
It is estimated that by 2015 more than 700,000 Americans will have ESRD and more than 84,000 will die each year, but with more options available to those with ESRD dialysis doesn’t have to be a life altering experience that drastically changes a patient’s lifestyle for the worse.
“When we look at patients with kidney disease nationwide, the mortality rate is 25 percent, and it’s an unacceptable rate, said Michael Kraus, medical director of the home dialysis staff at Clarian Health. “It’s a quality life I don’t find acceptable to me, so I don’t think it’s acceptable to my patients.”
With James’ experience he hopes to raise awareness within the African-American community about kidney failure and this treatment option that has helped him in his success of living with ESRD.
“I thought I was going to die. I thought I didn’t have long to live. But I got out of that after I realized everything would be better with this new machine. I just urge the Black community to get checked,” Coleman said.
