PKD Life - Fall 2020 - Cover3

"PKD has had
a devastating
impact on my
family and has
on
fueled my passi
to
to do all I can
ot
help families n
have to endure
d
what myself an
e
av
my family h
been through."

BREATHE

valenkeefer *

Following
thly

day was mon
valenkeefer To d med day! Here's a

an
transplant labs of me filling my daily
time-lapse video the next two weeks.
for
pill containers
rtant
s is a very impo
Taking our med success of our
e
necessity for th all of my meds in my
ep
transplants. I ke awer. I remember
r dr
bottom dresse nt our dining room
pla
uis was
post-liver trans
artment in St. Lo
table at our ap ne containers. It is
ici
filled with med now organized and
e
nice that they ar don't see all of them
I
so
ay
aw
ed
ck
s posttu
basis. When I wa
on a day-to-day and very sick leading
nt
kidney transpla nsplant, I was taking
up to my liver tra thankful to now be
30 pills a day. I'm day. I fill two weeks of
a
down to 17 pills e. After filling the 14
tim
meds ahead of I then go through all of
s,
daily container any need reordered
if
my meds to see month order
e
through my thre doing this for almost
en
program. I've be the gift of life!
to
18 years thanks

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My
PKD Story

with PKD
was diagnosed
ars old.
ye
when I was 10
a
ci
ri
diat an for
I was at my pe
sure
es
pr
d
oo
bl
my
checkup, and
ly
was immediate
was 160/140. I
asound, and it
sent for an ultr
ere
my kidneys w
showed both of
cysts.
polluted with
a year in
I spent almost
n
he I was 18,
the hospital w
ere
my kidneys w
when both of
use the cysts
removed beca
on
bleeding. I was
would not stop
ed
iv
ankfully rece
dialysis and th
lant when I was
a kidney transp
a
ago, I received
19. Two years
due to PKD.
liver transplant

I

A PATIENT
I HAVE BEEN
D and
advocate for PK
since 2004.
n
tio
na
organ do
South Central
I founded the
the PKD
PA Chapter of
ve organized
Foundation, ha
ising events,
several fundra
ed raise over
and have help
PKD research.
$1 million for
tten several
I have also wri
posts at
hundred blog
atme.com.
pkdwillnotbe

R
VALEN KEEFE
nia
Auburn, Califor
r
@valenkeefe
om
r.c
fe
ee
nk
le
va

MY ADVICE
lness
resilience/wel
Make mental
ng
ki
more than ta
a priority. It is
g
on time, gettin
e
in
ic
your med
ctor
do
ur
yo
to
g
in
go
labs done, and
tlets to
ou
e
iv
. Find posit
appointments
y ways.
th
al
he
in
ss
ily stre
escape the da
nature,
in
g
walks, soakin
ding
I love going on
en
sp
d
an
,
sunroom
relaxing in our
t.
ca
sband and our
time with my hu
te
u're passiona
yo
t
Discover wha
work.
cy
ca
vo
ad
y
it is m
I've
about. For me,
in
pa
e to all of the
on
It gives purpos
as
re
e
th
is
it
I believe
endured, and
.
ve
ha
I
at
th
all
I have survived
ound
t system. Surr
or
pp
su
a
nd
Fi
who
le
op
pe
positive
yourself with
me of
So
g.
rin
du
en
re
get what you'
e met
s are people I'v
my best friend
.
ts
or
eff
cy
voca
through my ad

*

F I N D R E S O U R C E S N E A R Y O U AT P K D C U R E .O R G / C H A P T E R S

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9/23/20 9:31 AM
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PKD Life - Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PKD Life - Fall 2020
