Brian’s Story

Site created on February 6, 2021


I was diagnosed with the dominant form of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) when I was 16 years old.  We decided I should get tested after my father was diagnosed.  PKD is a genetic disease that is passed directly form parent to child.  For this reason it tends to run in families and is one of the most common genetics diseases in the world.  Despite this, I have found that very few people have heard of it. I created this page so that I could keep my family and friends updated as I enter end stage renal failure, but also so I can share my story to raise awarenes for the disease.

Thank you for visiting.


(My first several journal entries are updates I've posted on Facebook over the years)

Newest Update

Journal entry by Brian Petersen

It's been awhile since I posted anything, because overall things have been stable.  There are time when I don't feel well, but all my labs have stayed about the same. Then things happened this week.

On Monday, I received a phone call from the transplant center that I was on back-up for a kidney from a deceased donor.  It seemed unlikely to work out as multiple people in front of me would have to be found to not be a good match. This morning, Wednesday, I received a call that the list had moved and there was a "high likelihood" that a kidney could be offered to me.  I immediately left work, showered, packed a bag and waited for the follow up call.  In the end it wasn't the call I was hoping for and the kidney went to the person right above me.  While overall disappointing, I never expected to get a call this soon, so I can't be too upset.  I'm optimistic that my time will come sooner than later.
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