Since the Last Time....

Well, I know it’s been about a week or two since I posted my last post. I have just been relaxing trying to get my mind together. Going through what I am going through can sometime play with your head and make you doubt yourself all together and that’s where I was. I will say that I feel good and here I am, back. But off the bad, how are you! Well, in April I applied to four different hospitals to get on the list to get a Kidney Transplant. Well, last week I was denied from one of them. Everything was good except my weight. They explained in my denial letter I have to be 179 pounds in order to receive a kidney, which means I will have to lose about 35 pounds to get to that weight to even be considered to be eligible to get on their list. At first, I was upset, discouraged and was very close to saying “forget all of this kidney crap”. But I was reminded that I inspire many people and people who are older than me and even more successful than me admire how far I’ve come. People are watching me and I just don’t quit. That’s not my usual self. I thought back and I was 179 pounds two years ago! So if I did it then, why can’t I do it now!? I was then motivated and started walking again. Back then, I walked two miles four days a week and I dropped down to that slim 179 pounds, which is a size 12 for me. I will do this and I can because I have faith in myself. I’m not big on eating so that part is fine. I am excited for that weight loss so I can fit back in all my good clothes!

Many don’t understand the type of dialysis treatment I do. I am on Manual Peritoneal Dialysis as I call it or Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD). This means I do the treatments all by myself—with gravity of course, throughout the day. First off, Peritoneal dialysis is where fluid is added to the peritoneum--a membrane that surrounds all the organs pretty much—and all salts and excess fluid is absorbed in the peritoneum and is removed from the body once I drain myself through my catheter that is placed in my lower left side of my abdomen. I drain first; removing the dialysis fluid before I fill with new clean dialysis fluid. Yes, there is a tube that in fact pretty much hangs out of my stomach. I usually tape the hanging tube to my side because if not, it could in fact get in my way and it’s ANNOYING! Well in July, I will be starting the machine! I am so excited! It is Automated Peritoneal Dialysis (APD) which is where a machine runs at night—draining and filling the liquid for me. I will only have to do that once when I go to bed; unlike doing it 4 times a day like I am doing now.
 
My legs have been starting to hurt again but my doctor prescribed me a medication called Lyrica and boy it does wonders. Lyrica is usually used for those that have seizures and to treat fibromyalgia. It is also used to treat chronic nerve pain (neuropathy), which is why I use the drug. The pains in my legs are in fact a nerve pain and not just leg pain. The pain feels like someone has hit my knee and like a cymbal it ripples throughout my entire leg.
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Life for me has sure been a journey. However, with all my problems, I’m still thankful. Be grateful for things today because you never know when something may happen to you and change your life forever.