I know you didn't really miss me :)

stoofa

stoofa

stoofa

Soldato
Joined
4 Mar 2003
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Well I'm back after just over a week away.
I know most of you probably didn't miss me, hell I expect most people didn't even notice I was away and those that did were probably happy to not have to put up with my "hollier than thou" posts :)

Anyway, like last time I am back after a stay in hospital.
My first recent stay in hospital was due to Pneumonia & Pulmonary Embolism, I was actually lucky to fully pull through that one, it could have been very nasty.
Late last year I had a return visit - my kidney functions were taking a nose dive and I was rushed in again.
Got past that but alas I was taken in just over a week ago again as my kidneys were basically failing.

Whilst in hospital they performed a biopsy on my kidney and against all the odds they have actually found that they can treat my condition.
At this very moment I am on kidney dialysis for 3 evenings a week, but it is only temporary and I will come off it and will regain (hopefully) 60% - 75% of my kidney function.
Enough to keep me off dialysis and off the transplant list.

I've read many a bad thread about our health service but I've got nothing but massive thanks for them.
What was looking like a lifetime of dialysis followed by a transplant has now become short-term dialysis and me getting my life back.

Anyway - I'm sorry to say, I'm back.
Maybe this latest visit to hospital will mellow me out a little...but I doubt it :)
 
I go to the Haemodialysis unit once a month for student visits and I don't envy you one bit.
We've got one bloke who has been going for 40 years :eek:
Have you had a fistula put in?
 
Thanks for the replies :)

Because I'm hopefully on short-term dialysis I don't have a fistula - I've got a central line in running to my neck.
The consultant did a great job when he put it in and you can only see a couple of stitches and the start of the small plastic pipe under the skin - hardly noticeable.

The dialysis isn't actually bad, once you're hooked up the machine does all the work and you don't really feel anything (except for a warm, red pipe running over your arm and stomach).
The problem is it is so boring - at the moment I'm having a 3hr session on a Monday, Wednesday & Friday and during that 3hrs you've stuck on a bed/chair.
Does however give me a good chance to catch up on all the books I've bought and just never read.
Because I'm holding down my full time job it means that for me dialysis doesn't start util around 6:30pm and so it's nearly midnight before I get home - very tired after starting work at 9:00am.

But the doctors are confident that the three things wrong with my kidney are all treatable and I will be off dialysis.
The worst bit was the biopsy on my kidney - needle to remove some kidney and then I had to lay flat on my back and not moving for 6hrs, now that was boredom!

Through all this however I've now got a charity to support.
Unfortunately I don't have the time to devote all my life, but if I can raise money for Kidney Research I'll do so - close to my heart now.
 
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