A guy who was partially paralyzed as a result of his “record-breaking” kidneys had life-saving surgery to have them removed.
Warren Higgs, 52, of Windsor, England, had polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which caused his kidneys to expand to the size of 45 kilograms, according to Berkshire Live.
He was mostly immobile and in chronic agony as a result of the illness, and he was also paralyzed along one side as a result of three strokes.
His kidneys had grown so big that they were about to collapse his heart, lungs, and stomach, necessitating surgery.
It is uncertain when he will get his new kidney but it is thought it will be in the new year.
Despite the fact that he is currently on dialysis, he has returned to the gym in order to get fit enough to return to his hobby of triathlons.
He told BerkshireLive that the kidneys he had removed weighed 45 kilos and that the huge, swollen belly he used to have has now almost vanished.
The next step is another procedure to insert a replacement kidney, which Warren hopes will take place in the new year.
Warren originally stated that his left kidney was 42cm by 27cm and his right kidney measured 49cm by 28cm.
Warren said that his physicians told him that the size of his heaviest kidney had established a new record “in every single way you measure it.”
Now that he’s on the mend, he’s finding one element very difficult.
He said: “The operation went well and I’m slowly recovering.
“I was told there was a 50/50 chance I could die as a result of the operation, but it was successful and I’m now recovering.
“I’m going back to the gym now too, which is great.
“What I am struggling with is having to do dialysis. I find it totally exhausting – it leaves me wiped out.
“I’d warn anyone facing the same situation to think hard about it and to not take the fact you’re going to be doing dialysis most days lightly – it is hard.
“I’m feeling much better, I’m still trying to lose weight after the operation.
“I go to the gym when I can, sometimes before I do the dialysis. It’s hard because I don’t know when a kidney will be available.
“There was one, but the doctors said it was too soon after the operation for me to be ready for it.
“Now, it’s looking like the new year. My ultimate aim is to do a triathlon.
“I used to do them when I was younger and I’d love to get back to it.
“Being paralysed down one side is going to make it difficult, but I’m really keen to get back to normal as much as I can.”
