Mayo Clinic Connect

I have a friend who has had surgery that has removed a major part of his intestine. Life has become more difficult for him in many ways. 

I don't know why it took me so long but I suggested that he join a Mayo Clinic support group. These groups connect you with people that have undergone the same medical issues that you might be facing. You find your appropriate group, then post or read other people's posts. You get notifications like this:

I belong to several of these groups, for both my heart and cancer issues and honestly, I am still learning things about my medical conditions that the doctors may have forgotten to tell me. Believe me, there is somebody out there that has faced the same issues that you might be facing. When new people come into the conversation you are alerted and it is very helpful.

Just today I learned something big. I lost my left kidney partially in 1985 and fully 25 years later. A person who just lost his kidney mentioned that his blood pressure and fatigue skyrocketed after the procedure. Others concurred. Well, it has been ditto for me and nobody ever told me why. Not the cardiologists, nor the urologists. News to me.

I read this comment on the issue today: 

Your kidneys are directly related to your blood pressure, they release renin, which is responsible for raising your blood pressure.

I wonder why no doctor ever told me this? Better late than never, I suppose. In any case, Mayo Clinic Connect and its support groups are an invaluable tool for people with medical problems and their caregivers. I have learned a lot. It really helps you connect the dots. And you don't have to be a Mayo patient to utilize the free network. Check it out.