September 21, 2022 by American Electric Power
John Anderson’s health problems started four years ago.
Anderson, an AEP Security project manager, had a series of traumatic events (car wreck, death of a dog) that brought him to the emergency room with stress induced cardio myopathy. Eventually he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and spent countless days in and out of hospitals. Each time, multiple liters of fluid were dumped out of his lungs.Because the heart likes it dry and the kidneys like it wet, his declining health caused a vicious cycle that put immense pressure on vital organs.
“My kidneys were on the razor’s edge,” Anderson said. “Anything could tip them over.”
When visiting his cardiologist at Riverside Hospital in Columbus, he was given a choice.
“The doctor said it’s either your heart or your kidneys and your heart is going to win,” Anderson said. “A heart replacement is a lot harder than a kidney replacement.”
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