Betrayal.

How my dad’s untimely passing began with a continuous betrayal that began years ago.

Before I continue with the theme I just posted upon, I wish to add recently learned information on my late dad’s condition that is relevant to the broader discussion of health care in the States, and perhaps elsewhere to varying degrees. There are 5 stages of kidney disease. My dad was at stage 3 at the time of his passing and treated from stage one. Recently, doctors working on implanting the valve in his arm for dialysis expressed surprise that my dad was not on the list for a donor kidney. He replied that he was under the impression that he had to be in stage 4 before he could be placed upon the list.”No.”, replied that doctor, “You can go on the list at stage one.” My dad had been being seen a one doctor since he was found to have stage 1 chronic kidney disease and never once told that he was eligible for a donor kidney for FIFTEEN YEARS.

What could possibly motivate a doctor to not tell their patient that they could be placed upon the donor list for kidney? While we cannot “know” what anyone’s motivation is or was, we can rule out possibilities and find most likely answers. While MDs in Japan are not required to retest periodically to maintain their medical licenses, they are in the US. Thus, ignorance is not a likely answer. I’ll leave it to the reader to come up with their own most likely scenarios.

While it cannot be known if my dad would have been able to receive a donated kidney within the past 15 years and thus ending the need for dialysis, it is certain that not being on the list prevented that possibility.

To too many MDs, we are nothing but income streams.