Tornado Damage 3/29/2007 in Holly, CO, originally uploaded by Krissi B..
Please visit my Flickr page to see new pictures from the Holly, CO tornado. My aunt sent this set of pictures to me this morning so they're brand new.
I find it quite amusing that I keep getting letters from BlueCross/BlueShield of Florida asking me to become their customer and get one of their new "individual" health insurance plans. I laugh at the very thought of the hours and hours of time I would spend on the phone with them, only to be told I'm not insurable because of kidney failure and a whole host of other reasons.
Junk mail is apparently not only unsolicited but also sent by stupid people. You would think that somewhere on my "public health record" it might mention my kidneys don't function, therefore removing me from their offers list. Riiiiiight, like that will ever happen!
The letter starts with:
"You look terrific! You're fit. You take care of yourself. But, let's face it, not matter how great you are about maintaining your healthy lifestyle, accidents do happen. Now, Blue can help make sure you are covered!"
Yeah, right. Why wouldn't they tell me that four years ago (before my kidneys failed) when I actually WANTED to be insured by them?
ARGH!
I know this isn't related to kidneys, but it is very close to my heart (and home, literally):
This just happened last night in my home town of Holly, Colroado ... where I grew up, went to school and still know (or know of) most of the 900 residents of the town.
AP News: "A tornado as wide as two football fields carved a destructive path through the small eastern Colorado town of Holly, killing one person and injuring at least eight, authorities said." (link)
Coloradoan Link
Red Cross Responds
Local (Colorado Springs, CO) 5/30 News
KOAA news video
Denver Post
The Denver Channel news video
CNN
New York Times
Fox News
YouTube video of the same storm in the Oklahoma panhandle.
If you can, please donate to the Red Cross Holly Tornado Response Fund, or call the Red Cross Pikes Peak Chapter @ (719) 632-3563
(please reference the Holly Tornado Response Fund).
As of March 14th I'm on "THE LIST"!!! Everything went perfectly with the transplant board and I'm good to go for the next year (i.e. as long as my transplant is within the next year I won't need any re-testing or review of my case) The Living Donor Coordinator will be contacting my brother by sometime this week to set up his final testing, physical and so-forth. When that's completed we will schedule the transplant. iyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
I also talked to my "surrogate mommy" Mary, who lives in California - she asked if she could come out to help take care of me after the surgery. I'm soooooooo glad she will be coming - just knowing she'll be here makes me feel a lot less anxious about the whole thing.
How does one prepare for a transplant, anyway? All I keep thinking about is how good it will be not to have dialysis and to maybe have a somewhat 'normal' life. I keep wondering how long it will take me to recover - I know each person is different, but I'm hoping for a speedy recovery and an even faster return to 'normal'. Do you realize I don't really know what 'normal' is? I've had this kidney thing for more than half my life... I wonder if I'll have to learn how to pee again? I don't want to laugh at a silly joke and then pee all over myself 'cause I don't remember what peeing feels like. I'm also worried about having a big scar on my abdomen - a small price to pay for the outcome, yes, but a scar nonetheless. Other than that, I'm looking forward to being able to drink as much iced tea as I want and eat Popsicles until I'm sick of them.
Tomorrow (March 14, 2007) my case will be presented to the transplant board. Cross your fingers that everything will go OK and that I will be approved for a transplant! If everything goes as planned and I'm approved, my brother will be coming out soon to complete his living donor evaluation. After that we can schedule the transplant.
Oooh, anxiety, here I come! Oooh, gallons of Starbucks Iced Tea, here I come! Oooh a multitude of immunosuppressants, here I come! NEW KIDNEY HERE I COME!
It occurs to me that as of late I've been doing a lot of complaining. Bleh - its my blog, right? Regardless, I should be talking about the good things in my life (my family, my son, my upcoming transplant, to name a few) even on the days I don't feel like it. I think I need an attitude adjustment...
All this negativity here leads to the inevidable emails and notes from friends and fellow bloggers telling me to "cheer up" and "stay positive". Easier said than done, isn't it?
To remind myself that I should have a better attitude, I we
nt back and read Self Confidence [and the teenage] Dialysis Patient, an article that I wrote for the AAKP RenaLife magazine in September 2005. If you haven't read it, please do (I'd be honored)
So, yes, my motto is still "you make your own happiness"... I guess I'd better get to it!
I had an awful treatment yesterday, just AWFUL. I was throwing up and feeling horrible and I'm not even certain why. Lately I just don't "feel good" (not just at treatments but the rest of the time, as well)... I know I'm anemic so that has something to do with it, I'm sure. Otherwise, what? My fluid gains have been pretty high but really not higher than I've had in the past (without troubles) Its almost like my body just doesn't like dialysis anymore... or something. Maybe its my attitude that doesn't like dialysis since I think I'm closer to a transplant. I've been coming off treatments early far too often for my own good... I can't cope when I feel bad. How many times have I thrown up at a treatment, lately? Like four since Christmas. Before that I hadn't gotten sick in a year, maybe?
Its frustrating feeling this way. I don't feel like doing anything other than sleeping. I feel like a miserable mess. My vice (that delicious sweet thing called Mountain Dew) is getting the better of me on a lot of days - and here's a picture to prove it:
