By Elaine Porterfield
Special To The Medium
Juanita Dance’s family has a proud history of living to a ripe old age. Her great uncle lived to 101 and her mother to 96, to name a few. But her family also has another, more troubling health legacy: high blood pressure.
When Dance developed the problem years ago, she was vigilant in caring for herself. She made sure to see her doctors regularly and took medication to help keep her blood pressure down.
Finally, about eight years ago, however, she developed chronic kidney disease. It was most likely an unwelcome complication of her blood pressure problem, though no one knows for sure. As it often does, kidney disease led to permanent kidney failure.
“When they found out my kidneys were going out, well, that was when I started dialyzing at the Northwest Kidney Centers clinic on 15th Avenue (at Cherry),” says Dance, who is now 81. “I go there three times a week. It’s great there: the nurses are really great – all the people who work there are. They really take care of you there.”
Dance is one of the more than 10 percent of American adults with chronic kidney disease. As an African American, her risk was 3.5 times as high as for Caucasians. That’s partly because African Americans are more likely to have diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, all common causes of kidney disease.
Dance is happy to tell her story in advance of Northwest Kidney Centers’ Breakfast of Hope. The breakfast will raise money to support transplant services and charity care. She hopes she can educate others about kidney disease and persuade them to talk to their doctors about it. Screening tests are easy, inexpensive and important for people at increased risk.
The damage from kidney disease worsens over time, but its progression can be slowed or stopped if people are diagnosed early and take steps to incorporate healthier habits. If kidney disease progresses to chronic kidney failure, it’s irreversible. Then survival is possible only with a kidney transplant or regular dialysis treatments like Dance gets, where a machine cleanses the blood of body waste and extra fluid.
Her quality of life is good, even with dialysis, Dance is quick to say. She lives by herself downtown, and treasures her independence. For a time, she suffered life-threatening heart problems, but dedication to exercise helped turn the situation around.
“I go to the YMCA,” she says. “It’s really important to exercise. It helps you kind of deal with everything. It gives you the energy that you need. Sometimes dialysis takes all your energy. I work out on the exercise bike, and it really does me good. I go about five miles each time.”
Dance also does weight work for her arms, to keep her upper body strong. All of it has meant better health.
Recently, “the doctor called me and told me my heart is normal,” she says. “When he called and told me that, I almost shouted on the phone. That was great news. Now I only go to the heart doctor every six months.”
Dance emphasizes the need for African Americans to monitor their health.
“It’s important to take care of it,” she says. “Make sure you check your blood pressure regularly and keep your bloodpressure down, especially if high blood pressure runs in your family like it does in mine. A lot of folks have high blood pressure.”
Talk with your doctor and get tested if you are at risk for kidney disease:
• If you have diabetes or high blood pressure
• If you have a relative with kidney disease
• If you are overweight
• If you’re over age 60
• If you are of African, Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American or Hispanic descent, populations at higher risk for developing chronic kidney disease.
The tests for kidney disease are simple and inexpensive: a blood test, urinalysis and blood pressure measurement.
Northwest Kidney Centers’ website offers information about kidney disease, diagnosis, treatment, classes and recipes for easy and delicious dishes. Visit www.nwkidney.org.
