Second Heart

The book encompasses five fiction stories (not interrelated) with simple narration to bring awareness about the misconceptions about kidney issues among the general populace. These are partly based on factual stories through authors' experience. The book attempts a non-technical handling of a kidney dialysis procedural issue through emotive stories.

Kidney diseases, although very common, people are conscious of it the least. Statistically to say about 10 percent of the general population experience some kind of kidney failure and these are the likely ones to go into a stage where they would require artificial support, which means, dialysis to replace the functions of the kidneys. Kidneys form a vital part of our body, apart from what people are aware about production of urine and removal of waste and toxic materials from the body, they regulate blood pressure and kidneys are necessary for the production of blood and support the proper chemical balance in the body. Even though support system for kidney failure is available (that too mostly in bigger cities), the cost of care is very huge and out of reach for the common man. In spite of all the vital functions, they have not been able to find their due importance among the populace. With this book, the authors have tried to create awareness through stories. These characters are knitted through the use of the emotions and lighter narration style.