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Prepared Witness Testimony The House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Assessing Initiatives to Increase Organ Donations
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Mr. Reginald Augustus
Hello, my name is Reginald Augustus and I am here today to tell you about how my life been dealing with kidney failure while waiting for a kidney transplant. In May of 1999, during a routine physical, my doctor told me my kidney's were not functioning properly.On that day my life changed forever. As time went on I began to not feel well. My bloodpressure began to elevate, I felt shortness of breath, and I would feel nauseous often. By the time I went back to the doctor in March of 2001, I needed to be put on emergency dialysis, given 2 blood transfusions, and I had to spend 5 days in the hospital. Since March of 2001, I've been on kidney dialysis. I had to change a lot of things such as my diet. I now have to watch certain foods and fluids that are high in potassium which couldcause a heart attack, high phosphorous foods which could eventually thin my bones and make them brittle. I also have to watch my fluid intake, since my body no longer gets ridof this fluid which can cause problems by getting into my lungs which has happened and around my heart which can lead to other problems. I also have to go 3 times a week forkidney dialysis where I get stuck with 2 large needles into my arm where a surgery was performed called a fistula where an artery and a vein are connected to make the vein largeenough to handle your blood being sucked out and pumped through a filter (dialyzer) thatcleans my blood and take's out excess fluid. Not only is this process inconvenient, lasting about 4 hours per treatment, but it leaves me feeling worn out afterwards. Manydialysis patients such as myself, cramp badly from the fluids being taken off. We also have to deal with our blood pressure dropping and the stripping out of our bodies not justtoxins, but minerals and vitamins are bodies need. The process of dialysis effects one's body in a negative way. Long periods of time on dialysis will shorten a person's life. Other than dialysis, going about my day to day activities, I don't feel the same as I use to. I get tired faster as the toxins in my body don't have anywhere to go. They build up and kill red blood cells. At the dialysis center, I get epogen medication to help produce red red blood cells which my kidney's once did for me. I also get a medication called Zemplar, to help control my phosphorous and calcium levels and my parathyroid. I've met many people at the dialysis center. Some who have been on dialysis a short time andsome a very long time. The ones who have been on for several years look different than the newer ones. Years of dialysis and kidney failure have darkened there skin and made them weak and sickly looking. My uncle spent 20 plus years on dialysis before dying in his early 40's. I watched his body deteriorate, his bones become brittle, and was basically a hunched over shell of a man at the end. For many, work is not an option. Many work part time or not at all because of dialysis. Everyday more and more people go on dialysis and the need is greater than ever for organ donation. Currently, I believethe national average wait is over 3 ½ years and it's even longer for African-Americans.I've been on the waiting list for 2 years but many I know have been waiting more than twice as long as me. The need for organs is great and we need to increase there availability. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Reginald A. Augustus
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