The My Kidney Blog site has been updated -

~ Upgraded to Drupal 6.4.

~ Installed the new releases of the Comment Notify, Comment Closer and Akismet modules.

• Note to fellow MyKidney Bloggers: You will now start receiving emails whenever someone leaves comments on your posts!
• Note to Everyone: The Comment Closer module will auto-close commenting on posts older than one month. If you read an archived post and have something to say, the My Kidney Bloggers would love to receive a contact email.
• Note to Spammers: Akismet will eat you.

~ My Kidney Blog has been added to AllTop.com under the Health category. When you've got a moment, take a peek at AllTop's site and check out the new sidebar button. Good job, everyone!

Hemodialysis patients plagued by insomnia

Adjustments in hemodialysis, avoiding daytime naps may improve sleep.
08/06/2008 - Article Source

NEW YORK--Patients with kidney disease treated with hemodialysis have problems sleeping that can't be explained by advanced age or chronic health conditions, according to new research.

A baby dying from kidney failure was saved when her doctor designed and built her a dialysis machine from scratch in his garage.

Story Link

Well, it's been 3 months since my transplant, and everything is going well.

Being that my hemoglobin has not hit 10 since before surgery, my Transplant Nephrologist started me on Procrit, and I had my first dose last week. I'm on 10,000 units weekly (had my 2nd dose today), and, of course, this dose will be adjusted based on my labs. I have labs tomorrow, but I don't expect a huge jump in my hemoglobin just yet.

So, back again after a rather lengthy absence. What can I say? Nothing worth writing about was going on.

So, lets start with a follow up to the schedules post, shall we?

I got a new tattoo, yesterday. The Chinese symbols mean 'new life' or 'to start life anew'. It really couldn't be more perfect (or in a more perfect spot on my body!)

Recently, there was a very interesting "thread" on the Yahoo kidney_transplants group having to do with writing to the donor family. Of course, this pertains to organ recipients that have received a cadaveric donation. But first, a little background.

Schedules.
Official or unofficial, everyone has one and lives by one. The dialysis department is no different. So, why is there always a select group of people who feel the need to make sure that their personal schedule fraks with everyone else`s as much as possible?

Last evening, I was just reading an article online titled Positive Thinking Is Prescription For The Heart. There was a quote that got me thinking about how people approach illness:

Cyanide and Happiness is a campy little online comic that I love. It's bitter and sarcastic, abut darkly funny all at the same time. Today's comic: a dark look at transplant.