Sunday, December 18, 2011

Hi all, and Happy Holidays! Saturday's treatment went very well, my blood flow was at 400 for the entire 3 hr. 15 min. treatment session, but let me get back to the beginning of the morning of the treatment. I came in at 6:00 AM, and did the usual weigh, and then preceeded to my regular assigned chair. I am feeling so much better in the last few days, i came in with a smile on my face, and greeted varies fellow pts, as well as techs and nurses, but i can't understand for the life of me, why some of the techs and nurses at our unit, seem to be in a sort of funky mood, (so to speak), that when i would say good morning to him or her, it is though, they are struggling with just saying those two delightful words to me, i feel that most of us patients, do come in from time to time, not feeling our best, but we still have the kind consideration to say good morning to those varies techs and/or nurses. Now don't get me wrong, there are some that say good morning to me first, and that truly pleases me, and makes it so much easier to endure the hours of treatment, with much peace of mind. I am aware that some may come into the unit, with some personal issues that they may have experience that morning prior to entering the unit, but why bring your problems or issues to the unit, and take it out on your dialysis pts., what you should be taking into consideration is the fact, that without us dialysis pts, you wouldn't have a secure job (especially with the economy the way it is these days), they really need to get a clue, and wakeup and smell the coffee, and try their best to show some kindness to their fellow dialysis pts., well so much for that. As you usual, i am not put on, at a decent time, still waiting with other dialysis pts. as well, especially this being Saturday, and i had plan on doing some much needed christmas shopping (with my college daughter) after hemo treatment, that i had been putting off and avoiding all these weeks (lol). Now, because of this late put on, i have to go shopping a little later on, and have to put up with all the chaos, with parking, as well as waiting in these long lines at the register, they should have a line, just for people that are disabled or handicapped, right! and that of course, could be very long as well, as i notice that trying to find handicapped parking, is very difficult in itself. All the handicapped spaces are usually taken as well. I was forced to park, almost outside of the Mall parking lot, ain't that something, that i am sure, many of you out there, are coping with during this holiday season, right! Well, it is all good. I never dreamed possible, that i would become so exhausted and fatigue, just shopping, there was a time, even being on dialysis, that i could shop until i drop, and maybe that is because i am in my mid 50's and still on dialysis, so maybe that should be taken into consideration. I just took a moment here and there, and sat and rest for about 15 minutes at a time. At times, it was very difficult to find somewhere to sit, and i noticed there were even children sitting, like they are so tired from shopping, i even was forced to sat on the corner of a shoe display in Macy's, and people were just looking at me, some look at me with pity, and some just observed me with confusement (especially with that big bandage showing throught my blouse) that in itself, makes me look like i am ill and in pain, and i just continued to chill and rest, until my energy returned somewhat. and i was able to continue on with my christmas shopping. My daughter was a big help in holding my purse and the packages, because for some reason, just holding my purse, (which is enormous - lol), would exhauste me somewhat, go figure! I even observed some patrons in wheelchairs, so i thought to myself, (i should be ashamed of myself, i do have leg capability, right!), let me muscle up the energy, to continue with this shopping, however, i did do some of my shopping online, but it is very beneficial if i would frequent the actual stores, such as Macy's, JC Penneys, and Sears, because if you go into the store, they have so many clearance items, with as much as 50% off, and then when you go to the register, they even inform you of an additional discount of as much as 20% more or even if you by one item, you get a second item for free, ( just love holiday shopping), ain't that something!, so yes, dialysis pts. muscle up the strength to take a trip to the mall, and indulge in these benefits for your gift shopping, OK. I want to thank my friend, Alton Milton, (who is a transplant recipient), on sharing those you tube vidoe on facebook, that truly take me back down to memory lane, (i even think about the time for a moment, when i wasn't on dialysis, when i first heard these varies tunes, not a care in the world about my health). He always brightens my day, sharing these varies videos, just keep them coming my friend, i look forward to what he will surprise me with next. Much love to him, and all the best to Alton and his family this holiday season. Now, if any of my followers, have touchscreen tablets, such as any ereaders, ipad, ipod, kindle, nook, any electronic way of downloading books to their mechanism, my 2nd book - My Twenty Year Journey with PKD in the Dialysis World - is available on ebook, very easy simple reading, and i have tried my best to share the meaning of varies technical words, used throughout my book. You can purchase it at xlibris.com, (my publisher), barnes & nobles, and you can also google my name and title of my books, where varies bookstores and outlets, that have discounted my books, as well as my 2nd book on ebook. I have shared so much in my 2nd book, as a briefer, (my pre-dialysis days, which have improved so much since my diagnose of ESRD back in 1990), a great deal is shared about those very important minerals and how important it is to keep them in normal range, so that you can maintain good health on dialysis, and most importantly i have shared ways of how to keep those minerals in normal range, with the diet as well as your medication regiment. I also share my first transplant experience (though the medication has changed somewhat, the scenarios that surround the post transplant protocol, hasn't changed much), i also share an array of renal friendly recipes as a bonus, in the cookbook section of my book, with very important nutritional facts, to help you to better understand this very complex renal diet, which has a stigma of restriction attached to it, that i know and experience all too well all these years. I even share my extensive experience with both hemo as well as PD, and the advantages and disadvantages of both of these forms of dialysis treatment. I also share my transition from hemo to PD, and why! and also my transition back to hemo from PD, which couldn't be avoided, and why i had to return. Also my development of congestive heart failure, during my ten year run with hemo, and mainly why it occur, and most importantly ways of preventing it from happening to you, or preventing it from re occuring with some fellow dialysis pts. There is so much that i have packed into this 2nd book, that i am sure you can benefit from my many years of dialysis experience and of course, the knowledge, that i have achieved all these years. Downloading my book, is a more inexpensive way of owning my book, that could potentially become your dialysis bible (so to speak), you can refer to it, from time to time, if you experience some of the varies health issues that i have coped with all these years, and i hope in my heart, that my books, could potentially be beneficial to so many out there faced with dialysis for their continued survival. I don't protest to know everything there is to know about the renal/dialysis life, but i am here to say i have experience and learned a great deal living the dialysis life this way for so long so far. 22 years and still going strong, need i say more! Well that is it for my blogging today, until my next blog, i wish all my followers all the best, and Merry Christmas, and with much happiness, good health and prosperity for the upcoming New Year. And please chime in, with your thoughts, concerns and similar experiences on my blog, i do look forward to receiving all your thoughts, concerns and experiences. Get tested for possible early diagnose of CKD, if you haven't been tested, (especially those with a history of diabetes and/or high blood pressure (two of the main causes of CKD), early diagnose can be so beneficial, to so many out there, because i can't stress it enough - preventive measures can be taken in prolonging CKD, and even reverse the progression in some cases. People the awareness needs to continue to be spread in a very serious way, about CKD. We need some media attention, (that we are not getting enough of), Help us get our voices heard from the renal/dialysis communities in the USA and all over the world for that matter. Sending much love and concern from the bay area. Glo