Duane Cabe
By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Share
Del.icio.us
At the age of 42, Duane Cabe was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, a progressive disease in which the kidneys begin to fail. For Cabe, CKD was the result of years of poor diet, heavy drinking and partying coupled with type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes happens to be the No. 1 cause of CKD, followed by high blood pressure. The best way to prevent CKD is to keep blood sugar and blood pressure in check, something Cabe didn’t do.
“My doctor warned me about (CKD) years and years ago, and it’s plain stupidity that I never listened to him,” he says.“I used to have outrageous blood sugar numbers. The range considered ‘good’ is between 80 and 120; my numbers were over the thousands! My body never really told my mind I was having a problem until my body screamed it, but by then it was too late.”
After getting over the initial fear of his diagnosis, Cabe, now 46, traded his bad habits for some good ones. He volunteers two days a week with Castle Medical Center and lends his knowledge and jolly spirit to local support groups.
Cabe, who rides a 2001 Harley-Davidson special edition Dyna, also known as a Night Train (pictured above), also finds ways to give back when he receives dialysis treatment three days a week at the Fresenius Medical Care Ko’olau Dialysis center.
“I do a lot of lei-making and crocheting,” he says. “People trip out about that! It’s good fun!”
All joking aside, Cabe stresses the importance of knowing the facts and signs of CKD before it reaches the stage he is in, where dialysis or transplant is the only option.
“I can’t just do dialysis and then on my days that I don’t do nothing,” Cabe says. “Now I’m an advocate for my doctor. If he has people who have the same problem and they’re destined to have (dialysis), I tell him send them my way. You’ve got the staff, you’ve got your doctors, but as a patient sometimes it’s better to just get it from somebody who’s going through it.”
Those wishing to learn more about CKD and dialysis treatments can call 239-3400 or visit ultracare-dialysis.com.
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS Comments (0) |
Most Recent Comment(s):
