I Need a kidney: Now what: Life Lessons From A Two-Time Kidney Transplant Recipient

Linda A. Nelson’s doctor wasn’t overly concerned when her blood work revealed elevated creatine levels—most often such results are caused by mild dehydration. Linda, however, was worried. High creatine levels were a sign of possible kidney failure, and her father had been one of the first dialysis patients in the country. Subsequent tests revealed what Linda feared. She had inherited her father’s rare genetic kidney disease. Her kidneys would gradually weaken and eventually fail. A kidney transplant was her only hope of survival. I Need a Kidney: Now What? is Linda’s deeply personal and inspiring story. With raw honesty she describes the emotions she underwent throughout her journey, the taxing effects of her medication, and the impact her illness had on her family and her faith. She describes the kindness of friends, the loyalty of family, and new programs for transplant recipients from the patient’s point of view. By journey’s end, Linda would endure not one but two kidney transplants. She would finally learn the name of the genetic disorder afflicting her and discover she’d passed the disease on to her own daughter. She also discovered strength, love, and a faith in God she’d never experienced before.