As a photojournalist for a daily newspaper, John Martin was used to telling stories for a living. His portfolio includes coverage of college football games, floods in Iowa and the 2000 presidential election. But for one of his latest projects, he would have to learn how to step from behind the camera to the front of it.

The project involved the creation of a web site that would chronicle John's life as he began to experience kidney failure. From his initial diagnosis to his current recovery from a transplant operation, photographers were always present. John then reviewed each of the photographs and posted them on the site as his treatment progressed. He wanted to tell his story over the Internet through pictures.

"My main objective was to create a visionary journey through the process of kidney failure, dialysis and transplantation," John said. "I wanted to give patients some idea of what is going to happen to them."

John wanted to use the web site to appeal to other patients experiencing kidney failure. He searched the Internet and found several web sites authored by kidney patients but none that chronicled the process step by step. John decided soon after that he would use his story-telling skills to do just that.

The web site is divided into several chapters, which take visitors through each step as John experienced them, including diagnosis, dialysis and transplantation. Each chapter includes several pictures, which John uses to entertain as well as educate. The captions under the photographs explain what John is doing and often include some background information on each procedure.

John's friends and fellow staff photographers at the newspaper took the photographs. Several photos were taken during the operation and illustrate exactly what is involved during a transplant procedure. John has posted a warning on the site to caution viewers about the graphic nature of some of the photographs.

John's story began at the age of 7 when he was diagnosed with a rare disorder known as Alport's Syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure. In 1998, at the age of 26, John's doctor told him that his blood pressure was very high.

Further tests indicated his kidneys were functioning at only 15 percent. Around this time, John came up with the idea for a web site to document what was happening to him.

In September of 1999, John began the transplant process after talking with his doctor. John went through a series of tests and was screened for various diseases. Four family members were determined to be eligible donors, but John's father turned out to be the best match.

Several weeks before the operation was scheduled, John began feeling tired all the time. His creatinine was gradually rising and he reluctantly began to consider dialysis as an option. After receiving assurances from his doctor that he would feel better after dialysis, he decided to try it.

Doctors felt John would be best served with a permanent catheter placed in his chest. The catheter did not give him much trouble, but he did have to learn how to bathe himself without getting it wet. John also adjusted well to the dialysis treatment. With the exception of occasional bouts with nausea, he experienced no problems.

During his time in the dialysis chair, he socialized, played board games and watched television. He also contemplated what he was experiencing and what was to come.

"Another big reason I created the site was it gave me something to do. For a long time, I felt I didn't have a sense of control. It helped me look at the process in a different way," John explained.

As the date of the operation came closer, John started to think about it more often. He had been focusing most of his attention on telling the story over the web site. To John, the operation seemed more like a "business trip." But once the day of the operation arrived on March 31, reality began to sink in.

"The defining moment was when I saw my dad getting wheeled down into the operation room," John said.

The operation was successful and after a few days in the hospital, John and his father were released. John has spent the past few months recovering and is doing well. He posts news of his recovery on the web site from time to time.

"I update it whenever something happens, but since the transplant there hasn't really been a whole lot. I've had two small operations and that's about it," John said.

For now, John is staying active and continuing his recovery from the operation. And recently he has returned to work full-time, where he can concentrate on telling stories again...from behind the camera.

John's web site (www.johnfmartin.net) includes his e-mail address, and he welcomes any feedback or comments about the web site.

John F. Martin works for The Gazette as a photojournalist in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

This article originally appeared aakpRENALIFE, Vol. 16, No. 1, July 2000.

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