The medical world tends to simplify the explanation of eGFR to patients as “percent function,” though 100 percent function of normal kidneys in a young person can be closer to 125 milliliters per minute, so a more accurate and easier-to-understand explanation would be that we start out with about half a cup, or 25 teaspoons, of blood flowing through our kidneys’ filters every minute. Now in all fairness, few nephrologists would begin a conversation about kidney replacement options before the patient’s kidney function-their estimated glomerular filtration rate or eGFR, how fast the kidneys filter the blood-had fallen to 25 milliliters per minute, and the patient cannot be placed on the kidney transplant waiting list until kidney function reaches 20. Shaped by Vanessa's remarkable experiences as a doctor, a woman of color, a mother, and a kidney donor, Hundreds of Interlaced Fingers is a love story, an exposé, and a clarion call for us all to consider the dualities of both loving and letting go.“Robert had been under the care of a nephrologist for years prior to reaching end-stage kidney disease but didn’t hear about kidney transplant as an option until months after starting dialysis. Motivated by Robert's experience and her newfound knowledge, Vanessa became a nephrologist-a kidney doctor-and discovered far more about the realities of the specialty. This life-affirming experience forged a bond that would become a pillar of Vanessa and Robert's marriage-and the beginning of her new career. Despite their being early in their relationship, she volunteered one of her own kidneys-and discovered that she was a match. Although Vanessa was a primary care doctor, she developed a deeper understanding of the difficulties Robert faced with dialysis and in finding a donor. Robert suffered from end-stage kidney disease, which required him to endure years of debilitating dialysis to stay alive, at least until his failed organ could be replaced by a kidney transplant. When Vanessa fell in love with Robert, she had no idea that the relationship would thoroughly transform her life. A young, hopeful doctor's memoir-an unforgettable love story and an informative journey into the world of medicine and kidney transplantation that ultimately asks: What does it mean to let go of something that you love, even if it is life itself?

Hundreds of interlaced fingers