19/03/2026
I am Fatima Iqbal, a young woman from Pakistan, whose life changed in ways I never imagined at the age of 23.
Before my diagnosis, my struggles seemed ordinary. Like many young women, I was concerned about my weight. I followed different diet plans and took medications from local doctors and hakeems, hoping to find a solution. I never knew that behind this struggle, something far more serious was silently developing within me.
There was no pain. No clear warning.
Only signs I didn’t understand at the time—extreme weakness, severe constipation, and even blood in stools. These symptoms came and went, but I never imagined they could be connected to kidney failure. Until one day, everything changed.
I was admitted to the hospital, and suddenly, my life had a name for what I was going through: renal failure.
The shock was overwhelming. How could this happen without pain? Without warning?
💉 Life on Dialysis
The next three years of my life were defined by a machine.
Dialysis was no longer just a treatment—it became survival. At first, I went twice a week, then three times. My days revolved around hospital visits, needles, and the exhausting cycle of trying to feel normal again.
Life felt dependent. Not just on machines—but on time, schedules, and physical limits.
The fatigue was unbearable. It wasn’t just tiredness; it was a deep, constant exhaustion that affected every part of my life.
💔 A Body That Couldn’t Heal
As if dialysis was not enough, my body began to break down in other ways.
Due to complications, my bones became extremely weak. I suffered fractures in my hips and femur. What followed was one of the hardest phases of my life—three months in the hospital, and nearly a year confined to bed.
Healing was slow. Pain was constant. And patience became my only option.
Kidney failure doesn’t just affect one organ—it changes your entire body.
❤️ Strength in Family
In the middle of all this, one thing kept me standing—my family.
Their support became my strength. When my body gave up, they held me together. When I felt emotionally drained, they reminded me that I was not alone.
Because the truth is, the battle is not just physical.
It is deeply emotional.
There were moments of fear, helplessness, and silent tears. The financial burden added another layer of stress, but the emotional exhaustion was the hardest to carry.
🌱 Finding Purpose in Pain
But somewhere, in the middle of dialysis sessions and hospital corridors, something changed.
I started noticing the people around me—other patients fighting their own battles. I began offering support, sharing words, listening to their pain.
And in doing that, I found a purpose.
What started as small conversations at a dialysis center turned into something much bigger—@ The kidney lounge foundation
A platform born from pain, but built on hope.
Today, it stands as a source of awareness, support, and strength for many patients like me.
🌍 A New Life, A New Perspective
After three years on dialysis, I finally received a kidney transplant.
Life became better—but not easy.
Transplant is not the end of the journey; it is a new chapter. There are still challenges, medications, fears, and responsibilities. But there is also hope.
A chance to live—not just survive.
✨ My Message
Kidney disease is often silent.
It doesn’t always come with pain or obvious symptoms. And that is why awareness is so important.
If my story can help even one person understand their body better, seek help earlier, or support someone going through this journey—then my struggle has meaning.
To every patient fighting this battle:
You are stronger than you think.
And to everyone else:
Take care of your health—before your body is forced to ask for it.
💙
