Kidney dialysis patient uses art to help her battle her disease

Kathy Bulzomi makes collages for her friends

By Cynthia Flash

Born with only one kidney and diagnosed with kidney disease in her teens, Kathy Bulzomi of Lake City has greeted a lifetime of challenging health issues with a wicked sense of humor.

In the past 33 years, she has repeatedly experienced chronic kidney failure – a life-threatening condition. Bulzomi received a kidney transplant three times, with blood-cleansing dialysis treatments three days a week at Northwest Kidney Centers each time her kidney failed again.

She has persevered through all the treatments, including drug side effects to her mental health and her ability to walk.

Now mobile again with a walker, she makes jewelry and collages, exercises, and keeps track of her growing nieces and nephews.

Bulzomi is a prime example of someone living with chronic kidney disease, a growing health problem that affects one in seven adult Americans. March is National Kidney Month.

Creating collages helps Kathy Bulzomi
combat her illnesses

There are some things you can do to keep your kidneys at their healthiest:

1. Know if you're at higher risk. Your risk is greater if you have diabetes or high blood pressure, are related to someone with kidney disease, are African American, Native American, Hispanic, Asian or Pacific Islander, are obese, or over age 60.
2. If you are at risk, get tested. Your doctor can check easily and inexpensively. It takes a blood sample, urine sample and blood pressure check
3. Keep your blood pressure at the target your doctor sets. If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar. Manage your cholesterol.
4. Avoid regular use of over-the-counter pain medications.
5. Improve your diet and, in particular, cut back on preserved and processed foods which are full of salt, an enemy of healthy kidneys.
6. Get more active. Lifestyle changes can keep you healthy, and if you have kidney damage, good health habits can keep it from getting worse.

“Keep asking until you understand,” Bulzomi advises. “Second opinions are always a good thing. And don’t assume the doctors know everything. Do your own research, and learn as much as you can.”

More information is on Northwest Kidney Centers’ website. The nonprofit dialysis provider also offers free classes for people with kidney disease to help them plan and prepare for future treatment.

[Cynthia Flash owns Flash Media Services. Northwest Kidney Centers is the chosen provider of dialysis for 80 percent of the people in King County who need the treatment.]