One time labelmate to Jay-Z on Roc-A-Fella Records, hip-hop artist and Philadelphia native, Freeway, real name Leslie Edward Pridgen, was rushed to the hospital for kidney failure, and had to go undergo emergency dialysis. The member of the group State Property said he found his kidneys were failing when he didn't feel well and his doctor advised him to go the emergency room.
Anyone who knows what dialysis is, knows that it's not fun. There are different types of kidney dialysis, including:
- Hemodialysis - Blood is filtered using a dialyzer and dialysis machine.
- Peritoneal dialysis - Blood is filtered inside the body after the abdomen is filled with a special cleaning solution.
During hemodialysis, you are hooked up to a machine that takes over the kidneys' job of filtering blood. Before the first session, the doctor will need to create an entrance into one of your blood vessels so your body can be connected to the filtering machine during each visit. This is called a vascular access. It is a place on your body where blood can be removed and then returned.
As of Tuesday, September 9th, the rapper says he is doing much better.But Freeway is only 37 years old. How does all this happen?
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Here's 5 symptoms of kidney failure that often go ignored:
Symptom 1: Changes in Urination
Kidneys make urine, so when the kidneys are failing, the urine may change including frequency (You may have to get up at night to urinate more), the look (Urine may be foamy or bubbly and pale), smaller amounts have dark-colored urine, your urine may contain blood, or just have difficulty urinating.
Symptom 2: Swelling
Failing kidneys don't remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, face, and/or hands.
Symptom 3: Fatigue
Healthy kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin (a-rith'-ro-po'-uh-tin), or EPO, that tells your body to make oxygen-carrying red blood cells. As the kidneys fail, they make less EPO. With fewer red blood cells to carry oxygen, your muscles and brain tire very quickly. This is anemia, and it can be treated.
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Symptom 4: Skin Rash/Itching
Kidneys remove wastes from the bloodstream. When the kidneys fail, the build-up of wastes in your blood can cause severe itching.
Symptom 5: Metallic Taste in Mouth/Ammonia Breath
A build-up of wastes in the blood (called uremia) can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just don't feel like eating.
Freeway has provided an update for his fans on Instagram.
The Philadelphia rapper posted a photo from his hospital bed, revealing he was feeling better and would be postponing his upcoming "Free Fest" show. On Saturday morning, the rapper told fans he was receiving treatment for his diagnosis. With a warm smile, Freeway seems to be looking on the bright side of things. Family and friends have poured their support on social media.
