Dax was diagnosed with kidney disease when he was just 12 years old. None of the treatments he received were able to put the disease into remission. He was told that someday he may have to go on dialysis, but neither he nor his doctors imagined that time would come so quickly.
“I found out that my kidneys were in Stage 4 chronic kidney disease while I was attending Southern Utah University in 2009. I had no idea that I would have to start dialysis in January of 2010. Things got very bad quickly. I had my fistula placed in preparation about 3 weeks before I actually had to start dialysis. The doctors thought I would make it until my fistula was fully developed, unfortunately they were wrong. I know people who have had Nephrotic Syndrome their whole lives and have never even talked about going on dialysis, so it was a big shock to me when I understood that I HAD to do this,” says Dax.
Dax goes to dialysis 3 times each week and it takes about 3 ½ hours each time. Because Dax lives in a rural area, he has a 2 hour drive to get to his dialysis center. Dealing with kidney disease, dialysis and the wait for a transplant has made him very aware of the importance of his family. “I love spending time with my family. They mean the world to me, and I couldn't be getting through this time in my life without them. I have come to realize that it's family that matters most in this life,” he said.
Dax will be on dialysis until he gets a kidney transplant. He hopes he will then be able to get back to a more normal life for someone his age, including continuing his college education.
