Stories can steady us in ways medicine can’t. Whether someone is learning about chronic kidney disease, living through dialysis, adjusting to a transplant, or supporting a loved one, the right book can offer clarity, comfort, or a sense of companionship. This page gathers titles that illuminate different parts of the kidney journey, from science made human to memoirs that echo real fears and real hope, creating a small library of guidance for anyone touched by kidney disease.
Second Chance: My Experience with kidney failure
by Calvin C Whitfield (Author), Diana Dixon (Contributor)
Second Chance is the story of my experience with kidney failure, including the challenges of preparing for a kidney transplant, while managing the chronic health disease of high blood pressure and diabetes. After the devastating diagnosis of kidney failure, the evaluation process and diagnostic tests for placement on the kidney transplant waiting list were stressful and demanding. Equally disconcerting was the realization of the severe shortage of kidney organ donors throughout the healthcare system. Finally, my journey with kidney failure concluded following the life-saving kidney transplant surgery and recovery process, which allowed me a second chance to live a healthier life with purpose.
The Body’s Keepers: A Social History of Kidney Failure and Its Treatments
by Paul L. Kimmel M.D.
The kidney is an extraordinary organ – in many ways the regulator, the metronome, the keeper of the human body’s delicate equilibrium. On a given day, minute by minute, it purifies the body of toxins it encounters from diet, climate, activity, and injury. It allows us to be and to move in the world. And yet most of us know so very little about these extraordinary vessels nestled in our bodies – and indeed millions of us only really learn about them when they stop working. Nearly a million Americans every year have end stage kidney disease, about 37 million have some form of chronic kidney disease. And it is an incredibly common universe of challenge and ailment that, until relatively recently, would simply kill those afflicted with it.
Every Patient Tells a Story: Medical Mysteries and the Art of Diagnosis
by Lisa Sanders
“The experience of being ill can be like waking up in a foreign country. Life, as you formerly knew it, is on hold while you travel through this other world as unknown as it is unexpected. When I see patients in the hospital or in my office who are suddenly, surprisingly ill, what they really want to know is, ‘What is wrong with me?’ They want a road map that will help them manage their new surroundings. The ability to give this unnerving and unfamiliar place a name, to know it—on some level—restores a measure of control, independent of whether or not that diagnosis comes attached to a cure. Because, even today, a diagnosis is frequently all a good doctor has to offer.”
LEARN the FACTS ABOUT KIDNEY DISEASE: A Self-Help Guide to Better Kidney Health With Proven Therapies
by STEVEN ROSANSKY M.D.
This book written for the average reader, offers useful information for patients with very mild CKD to those patients who need to plan for dialysis or kidney transplant. It offers scientifically proven ways to slow progression of CKD, including a chapter on a Smart Diet for all CKD patients. This diet not only can slow CKD progression but can also help patients to live longer and better. It offers the best treatments for the medical problems that can come with a diagnosis of CKD. For most patients this book will alleviate concerns about having CKD and for some patients with advanced CKD it offers an approach that can delay the start of dialysis for many months or even years in some cases. It explains why low and very low protein diets, promoted by many kidney books for patients, is usually not beneficial and may even be harmful. It provides the latest recommendations for treatment of CKD that comes from international kidney doctor organizations. The book is organized in a way that provides information for all patients with CKD in the first part of the book and has information in later chapters for patients whose CKD has progressed. For those patients who want to get the “meat” of the book, the final chapter provides a summary of all the book’s material. Some patients may want to start here and read the full chapters at their leisure. The book is referenced with current kidney disease publications. It explains situations where kidney disease is reversible and ways to prevent reversible declines in kidney function. It dispels many myths about CKD treatment that have no benefit and, in some cases, may be dangerous. For patients who are wondering about whether dialysis is in their future, the book offers several ways to predict if dialysis is very likely or very unlikely in a CKD patient’s future. It lays out pros and cons of the various options for patients who are considering a kidney transplant or dialysis and explains why getting a kidney transplant before dialysis is ever started or choosing home peritoneal dialysis are the two best options for most CKD patients who require a kidney replacement therapy.
Gifting Kidneys: The Master Guide to Living Kidney Donation (August 21, 2023)
by Tami Winchell (Author), Laura Perin (Author)
In a world where the critical demand for life-saving kidney transplants far outweighs the supply of kidneys from deceased donors, the need for living kidney donors has never been greater. That’s why living kidney donors created this guide—to demystify this extraordinary gift and help more people receive the gift of life by encouraging healthy individuals to consider if organ donation is right for them.
Kidney Disease Survival Guide: An Illustrated Manual for All
by Dr. Mohammad Tinawi (Author)
This book is designed as an accessible, introductory text to nephrology—the study of kidney disease. It presents all major areas of kidney function and kidney disorders in clear, straightforward language, making it a practical resource for anyone interested in understanding kidney health. The content is suitable for a wide audience, including primary care physicians, medical students, nurses, nursing students, medical assistants, and other allied health professionals. Non‑medical readers seeking a deeper understanding of kidney disease may also find it valuable.
The book includes 70 concise chapters covering the full spectrum of kidney-related topics: kidney anatomy and function, evaluation of kidney disease, electrolyte and acid–base disorders, glomerular diseases, chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, kidney transplantation, and hypertension. Most chapters are only a few pages long and include illustrations to reinforce key concepts.
Thriving with Kidney Disease: A Practical Guide to Taking Care of Your Kidneys and Yourself (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)
by Walter A. Hunt (Author), Ronald D. Perrone (Foreword)
Kidney disease occurs when your kidneys are damaged and no longer function as well as they should. In the past, it was fatal, but thanks to new treatments, including dialysis and transplantation, people can live long and healthy lives. This book provides everything you need to know to help you cope with your kidney disease and maximize your health. Walter A. Hunt, a medical researcher who had kidney disease and received a kidney transplant, walks you through what science says about how you can take care of your kidneys, including what foods to avoid and what treatment options may be best for you. Also included are recommendations to help you sleep and feel better along with overall health advice.
Staying Healthy with Kidney Disease: A Complete Guide for Patients (1st ed. 2022 Edition)
by Stephen Z. Fadem (Editor)
Patients with kidney disease often find it difficult to understand and undertake the lifestyle changes that will help them stay as healthy as possible. This book offers patients information and guidance on how to stay healthy with kidney disease in a clear, comprehensive, and encouraging way. The first section explains the basics of the disease and how it interacts with other common health issues, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and aging. The second section breaks down the changes a patient can make to their exercise, treatment, and diet to maximize their kidney function, including helpful tips and healthy recipes.
Written by top nephrologists with experience writing for non-specialists, this easy-to-read guide will help kidney disease patients and caregivers manage the illness and keep patients healthy.
Understanding Living Kidney Donation: The Best Treatment for Kidney Disease (February 18, 2025)
by Glenna Frey (Author), Amanda Frey (Foreword), Dr. Joshua Augustine (Foreword)
Understanding Living Kidney Donation: The Best Treatment for Kidney Disease is a clear, compassionate guide that explains the entire donation process from start to finish.
This book will help you:
Learn the benefits, risks, and realities of living kidney donation
Understand the donor evaluation, surgery, and recovery journey
Gain confidence in making an informed decision—for yourself or a loved one
What You Must Know About Dialysis: Ten Secrets to Surviving and Thriving on Dialysis (September 20, 2012)
by Rich Snyder DO (Author)
Dialysis can be a life-saving technique for the individual whose kidneys are unable to remove toxic waste and excess water from the blood. But over time, the process can become both physically debilitating and psychologically difficult. To address these issues, kidney specialist Dr. Rich Snyder has written a complete guide to dialysis. This book not only provides answers to common questions about the process, but also offers practical advice and strategies, as well as complementary options that can help you deal successfully with the many aspects of your treatment plan. The book begins with an introduction to dialysis—what it is, how it works, and what types are available. It then goes on to discuss the importance of blood tests, common medications and their complications, and associated disorders. Crucial information is included on natural supplements, lifestyle changes, nutrition, and effective coping tactics. For most people, dialysis is an unplanned and uncharted journey. In this book, Dr. Snyder lights the path ahead by combining compassion with rock-solid information that can make a real difference in your health.
Kidneys (Hello, Body!) (August 1, 2022)
by Joyce Markovics (Author)
How much do young readers know about their kidneys? From getting rid of waste and making urine, it’s time to explore kidney basics and more. Kidneys presents incredible facts and stories about how kidneys work–and what happens when they don’t! Includes table of contents, glossary of keywords, index, author biography, sidebars, and health tips.