When hearing the words polycystic kidney disease, it is easy to think that we endure a disease that only affects our kidneys. However, PKD is far more than that. We can face issues like aneurysms, diverticulitis and high blood pressure, to name a few. Living with...

Dear PKD, It’s hard to believe it has been 23 years since we met. You arrived in a fierce and unforgettable manner. I went from having no clue who you were to having an alarming blood pressure reading of 160/140 mm Hg as a 10-year-old, and then being diagnosed with...

PKD makes us endure so much physically that it can take a toll on us emotionally. Our emotions can keep us stagnant, propel us forward or hold us back. Sometimes we don’t have full control over our health, but we may have some control over our emotional wellbeing....

Being a patient is no easy feat, and I believe the same applies to the person caring for a patient. I’ve been dealing with health issues since I was a little girl, so being a patient is second nature to me. I’ve had to be a caregiver only once, for my husband,...

Life has taught me how adaptable we are to change and how fun change can be. Today marks six years since Noah and I arrived in Auburn, Calif. following our month-long cross-country move from Pennsylvania to California. I couldn’t be happier or prouder of our...

I’ve learned a lot from living with PKD since the age of 10. PKD and the health issues I’ve endured have taught me all facets of strength, emotionally and physically. I believe what we go through in our youth has a large impact on our future. We learn and grow from...