This rugby-playing Hamilton dad is fit and healthy – he just has a few extra organs
When Milan Nordstrom was born, proud dad Brigham ensured his little princess had the essentials 10 toes and 10 tiny fingers. But when the doting dad recently discovered his own body housed an astounding medical marvel, he wondered if nine-month-old Milan shared the same fate.
After being admitted to hospital for a kidney infection and having a series of CT scans, doctors found that Brigham (28) had five kidneys, as opposed to the normal two. The discovery sent a wave of excitement throughout the hospital.
“The doctors had never come across this before. I was the talk of the ward. overnight I became ‘the kidney man’,” laughs Brigham.
But at first, it was far from a laughing matter for the rugby player and Leianne (26), his wife of four years. Two months ago, Brigham started noticing that something seemed seriously wrong with his body.
“I was feverish and had aching joints, especially around the groin area, and I was having a lot of trouble sleeping.”
It was unusual for the keen fitness fan who’d always had good health and rarely needed to go to the doctor to suddenly become so ill. The Hamilton law student was admitted to Waikato Hospital and was being treated for a kidney infection when doctors found he had one duplex kidney and one triplex kidney. This means that, instead of having one tube, called the ureter, joining each kidney to the bladder, Brigham had three tubes on the right and two on the left, with each tube housing a small kidney.
Brigham and Leianne feared the worst when they were told about his medical anomaly. They weren’t sure how Brigham having five kidneys would affect the rest of their lives.
“Because I play rugby, when I heard there could be issues with my kidneys, I automatically thought of Jonah Lomu and all the kidney problems he has been through,” he says, while nursing little Milan on his lap. “Now that I have a daughter and we’re starting a family, I was concerned about what this would mean for us.”
Seeing her husband so vulnerable was difficult for Leianne to watch. “I hated seeing my husband so ill; he’s normally so strong and active. I was worried for him and for our family,” says Leianne.
Internationally, reports of people with four kidneys have made headline news. These include a Serbian man, a Chinese girl, a Latvian man and two brothers in Europe. But so far Brigham’s situation is the only five-kidney marvel ever documented.
Doctors say that Brigham’s additional organs were a contributing factor in his developing a kidney infection but were not the main cause, as only one of the five kidneys was infected. However, since the infection has been successfully treated, medical experts have told the loving couple that Brigham’s three extra kidneys should not affect his health.
It’s a situation Brigham’s family certainly didn’t imagine when he first fell ill. Initially, the family discussed the possibility of an organ transplant, because with acute kidney disorders, this can be something that becomes necessary.
“oy family was talking amongst themselves, saying if I needed a kidney then one of them would give me one. But after the doctors made their discovery, I was able to tell them that I actually have five kidneys, which is more than enough!”
Brigham says this light-hearted approach to the situation helped him get through the ordeal, adding with a chuckle that one of his brothers has such a big appetite, they are sure he must have three stomachs! The family also jokes that Brigham could earn a quick buck by selling one or two of his spare kidneys on Tradeoe. But despite his extra organs, doctors say that Brigham should not become a kidney donor.
“The kidneys share the same nerve supply so it’s not as straightforward as removing extra ones,” explains Leianne. “Doctors say they shouldn’t tamper too much with the nerves around that area so it’s best for Brigham’s health for his kidneys to stay as they are.”
While Brigham now has to drink more water than usual, he should be able to lead a normal healthy and active lifestyle, thanks to regular check-ups. With his long-term prognosis looking so rosy, Brigham and Leianne can continue with their plan of having more children.
“I’ve always wanted my own seven-a-side rugby team,” Brigham laughs.
Leianne says the last few months have brought them even closer as a couple. “Before, we thought we were pretty bulletproof, but when something like this creeps up on you, it makes you far more aware of what’s important in life.
“I’ve always valued and treasured my husband but now I value him just that little bit more.”
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