Muskegon Resident found strength to battles diabetes, kidney disease

By T. TAYLOR WILLIAMS

Contributing Writer

 Muskegon County – Deonna Casiano, 33, has lived with health challenges for much of her life due to diabetes. Five years ago, her doctor informed her that she would have to begin dialysis treatments.

She undergoes treatments three times per week, and is currently working towards getting a kidney transplant. In the meantime, Casiano is keenly aware of her health and tries to adhere to dietary restrictions.

But she admits she wasn’t always the ideal patient.

“At first, I was like, why me? I was depressed and I didn’t go (to treatments) like I was supposed to,” she said.  But her body paid the price – she would get sick and have to be hospitalized.

Kidneys serve as filters, removing waste from the body, and they help keep the body in balance. When a person’s kidneys are not functioning as they should, then a doctor might prescribe dialysis as an option.

“I was in denial and sometimes I felt like I didn’t need it because I felt OK. But I knew I was hurting myself when I didn’t go because I would end up in the hospital,” she said. “But I prayed about it and had to see that when I don’t do my treatments like I’m supposed to, it’s not just me that I was affecting, it was my kids and my family, too.”

Now, Casiano is a firm believer in being an advocate for her own health, and she encourages other patients to do the same.

Sometimes, dialysis patients don’t complete their full treatment time. This is something Casiano warns them not to do.

“I preach to people not to get off (the dialysis machine) early. You shouldn’t cut your treatment time, even by a few minutes, because those minutes add up. You need that time so it can clean your system” from waste and impurities, she said.

If you have seen buildings throughout Muskegon labeled Davita or Fresenius and wondered what they were, they are medical treatment centers for dialysis patients.

Each day, hundreds of Muskegon County residents receive lifesaving treatments at these facilities.

Dialysis serves somewhat as artificial kidneys. During a treatment, waste and salt are removed, and extra water is prevented from building up in the body, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Dialysis also keeps safe levels of certain chemicals in the blood, such as potassium, sodium and bicarbonate.

What can a person do to avoid or prevent kidney failure?

Seventy percent of kidney disease can be prevented. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the leading causes of kidney disease, so people with these health conditions should diligently take their medication as prescribed by their doctor.

Obesity is also a root cause of kidney disease. Eating healthy, well-balanced meals and being physically active for 2.5 hours every week can also help people avoid kidney disease.

Avoid smoking.

Ask your doctor to perform blood and urine tests to evaluate kidney function.