Gene L. of Vandalia, Missouri knew something was wrong with his body, and it had nothing to do with his high blood pressure or diabetes. This was something different. During regular appointments with his primary care providers he mentioned that he was having problems urinating. After being advised to drink more water as a possible solution, Gene was drinking so much water that the increased pressure on his bladder made him extremely uncomfortable, yet he was still unable to urinate. Two weeks passed with still no relief, and Gene became depressed and listless, convinced that his kidneys were shutting down. He truly believed he was dying. His wife Cathy shares, “It was so hard to watch, he was actually making funeral arrangements. He was so sad, he wasn’t eating or sleeping, it was awful.”
Finally Gene’s daughter Sarah took matters into her own hands, refusing to believe that her father was dying. She called the office of Dr. Karol Rosner, nephrologist with Hannibal Regional Medical Group. After explaining her father’s situation, Sarah was told to bring Gene in the following morning.
That appointment was life-changing for Gene, and for his family. Dr. Rosner explained to Gene that he had protein in his urine, indicating a problem creating urine. So consuming all that water was not only not helping the problem, it was making his discomfort worse. When Gene left the office that day, he was a totally different person. “Dr. Rosner gave me hope. The patience and care he showed me, the way he explained things to me so that I could understand it all - he really was incredible! He saved my life.” Dr. Rosner prescribed a medication for Gene, and almost immediately it brought the relief he needed. With the nearly three liters of fluid built up finally gone, Gene felt like a new man. He was able to sleep, eat and resume regular activities. “Soon he was even more active than he’d been in years!” says Cathy.
“Don’t wait,” Gene advises. “You know your own self better than anyone, and I wish I’d have spoken up sooner and gone to see Dr. Rosner before it got that bad.” Dr. Rosner specializes in the care of kidneys, and sees patients in the Hannibal, Shelbina, and Bowling Green locations of Hannibal Regional Medical Group. For more information or to make an appointment, call (573) 629-3500.