On June 11, 2007 around 10:30 am my brother and I were in adjacent operating rooms. He was giving me the gift of life: one of his kidneys.
Two years have certainly flown by quite quickly - many changes, yet life still remains as mysterious and confusing as ever. Having a functioning kidney has allowed me much more freedom to LIVE, but I'm still figuring out my place in the world... then again, aren't we all?
I hesitate often to speak/blog about how I'm doing, because it seems that just when I say all things are good, I take a little step backwards.
"It" comes back - "It" is the fact that I have a life-long chronic illness that manifests itself in different ways, depending on how "It" feels. No, "It" doesn't simply go away, no matter how much I wish it would.
I'm still dealing with ongoing chronic pain/fatigue - and "It" is something no one can figure out.
I can hardly believe it's been 15 months since my kidney transplant. Wow, has time flown!
Have you been wondering about me and about the health of my transplanted kidney? Wondering what I've been up to and what I'm planning for my 'normal' future? Read on...
Not often do two major parts of my life (international adoption and kidney disease) cross paths, but this news article out of Canada speaks to my heart (and kidney) in more than one way.
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.
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 - right next to my kidney!)
Traveling post-transplant has been... interesting. I keep expecting there to be somewhere I'm supposed to be (dialysis) or something I'm supposed to be doing (watching my fluid intake).
The change in climate (from hot/humid to hot/desert) is interesting, too. I feel as if I'm having a really hard time keep hydrated, something I never anticipated having trouble with post-transplant. I keep reminding myself "DRINK MORE WATER!" but even that feels strange!
Today is my "Kidneyversary!" (the one-year anniversary of my kidney transplant)...
In celebration, my nephrologist's office called and gave me the results of my bloodwork from last Friday - Creatinine .9 with a Tac (Prograf) level of 6.7. Awesome!!!
(((HUGS))) to my bro (and his kidney) that continues to produce the most wonderful pee on planet earth on an hourly basis. I wouldn't be here like I am without him.
My good friend Judy mentioned in one of her posts recently that it seems many bloggers are taking a break from writing - all for a variety of reasons. She suggested that maybe we all need a NoBloPoMo (a No Blog Posting Month)...
... I might just have one right about now.
It's not that I don't want to blog or that I don't have things to say/express/share, it's more about the timing, or the lack of time I'm going to have for to blogging in the upcoming month.
