Kidney Health Australia - 21st September 2014



Hey everyone,

My next awareness look is for Kidney Health Australia.
On the 14th September 2014 was the Big Red Kidney Walk,
I couldn't attend, but I thought why not do a makeup look for it anyway.

My boyfriend, Mathew, was told in October 2013 that he has a kidney disease called IgA Nephropathy. What the hell is that you ask?!
Well, from what I know, and correct me if I'm wrong, when you eat red meat, it produces a waste product called Urea, people who have kidney disease, the urea builds up in the kidneys wearing down the filters. The filters do not recover, you can just maintain them. To do this, you have to change your diet, lose weight, and keep your blood pressure within normal range.

It was a little tough when he first found out he had kidney disease,
he weighed 153kg at the time and works 6 days a week, had never been to a gym and we ate whatever was in the house (still living with my parents)
As soon as we found out, I told Mum that we have to eat our meals separate from them (Mum & Dad), because they eat a lot of pre-packaged foods and that was no good. He was put on blood pressure medication and since then it has come down.

We started eating salad for dinners and if we chose to have meat we would have a smaller portion. We were doing well with our diet and we were walking 3-4 times a week. Then the weight loss stopped.  But we've gotten back on track and have both started working out a few times a week with a PT..

Mathew now weighs 132kg, he is doing so well and I'm extremely proud of how far he has come. His next appointment with the Nephrologist (kidney doctor) is on the 8th October 2014 so fingers crossed all goes well.

Now you may be wondering how he found out he had kidney disease in the first place.
Well....

Mat was told a couple of years ago that he had high blood pressure, he took his medication, but as he is a male... and a Taurus... he's quite stubborn.
He stopped taking the meds and assumed he was fine.
A few months after he stopped he started getting a sore neck and shoulders, then the headaches came and sore eyes.
Me, being a big worrier told him to go straight to the doctors, but as if he'd listen to me lol...

A few months went by, then one day he got really dizzy while at work so I went and picked him up and brought him home, he slept all afternoon. The next morning he got up and I took him to work, he rang me at 8am and said he was dizzy again, so I came and got him and brought him home, I told him to go to the doctors but again he said no.
I went to university, when I got home he was hurled over in the bathroom vomiting into our vanity sink. That was enough, I told him to get in the car, and I took him straight to emergency. The nurse took his blood pressure and it was 208/123 (woah).. She said it was high enough for him to have a stroke, after a few hours he got a bed up on the ward and the next day, after a few tests including urine tests, they came to the conclusion that he had kidney disease.

so yes, this is our story and the beginning of our journey, I will update you all at a later date.

 As a tribute to Mathew and all of the other sufferers of Kidney Disease and IgA Nephropathy out there I did a makeup look inspired by Kidney Health Australia.



 

If you would like to donate to Kidney Health Australia, please click the image below;