I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Introduction => Introduce Yourself => Topic started by: kitkatz on March 14, 2006, 11:41:56 PM

Title: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on March 14, 2006, 11:41:56 PM
I just found this site.  Great place!   My tale begins in 1998 in November.  I went to the emergency room for a severe, serious backache and ended up with kidney failure, double pneumonia, and heart failure.  I died, however the angels and I agreed I needed to do more things here so here I am still kicking.  I have been on dialysis for seven and a half years. Seems a century, not nearly a decade.  It sucks, sucks, sucks!  I am very pushy for my rights as a patient and often scare off new techs in the unit.  All I want from them is respect and care they would want themselves.  GRRRRR!  Nice to know there is a site to vent on.

Kitkatz
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on March 15, 2006, 12:48:08 AM
Let me continue the introduction here....
I am a 6th grade  special education school teacher.  I changed jobs when I went on dialysis from a teacher of the severely handicapped to an RSP teacher.  This job the kids do not spit, grab hair, or need diaper changing.  Been at it for seven years now at the same school. I guess they like me there.

I am known as the big mouth on the dialysis unit.   I should get along fine here.
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Sara on March 15, 2006, 06:33:59 AM
Welcome, I like you already!  ;D  My husband is the one on dialysis, but will go along with whatever flow the medical personnel push him into.  I, on the other hand, question everything, and I'm sure they hate me by now.  >:D 
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Epoman on March 15, 2006, 04:31:12 PM
Welcome to the site I'm glad you found us. You didn't mention your age? also you said: "All I want from them is respect and care they would want themselves." that is so true, I think that's what we all want. Again welcome to the site. Don't for get to tell your fellow patients about our site.

- Epoman
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Rerun on March 15, 2006, 05:45:46 PM
Kitkatz,

Just remember, you are the customer!  You are "paying" them.  You are a "tax payer." 

My best friend was a Special Ed teachers for 15 years and now is in regular ed.... first grade.  I've heard the stories! 

Anyway, welcome to the site and vent all you want!   ;)

Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: anja on March 15, 2006, 10:06:04 PM
Welcome to the board, Kit, I am rather new here but have lurked in the wings for some time.  Lots of wonderful , experienced people here-glad you're joining us!   Anja
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on March 16, 2006, 09:36:33 PM
Okay :D Been reading posts and thought I would continue the saga here.  Happy times today.  I have two children. The oldest is 20 years old, the youngest is 19.  Danielle, my oldest, is a massage therapist living in San Jose, CA. She is looking for full time work.  Anyone live in the Bay area know where a job is available??? Just being a Mom here. LOL :o  The youngest, Maria, is enrolled in the Milwaukee School of Engineering in Milwaukee, WI.  Mucklucks and snow dogs!  Yep, a native born California went to Wisconsin!  She says to not talk to her about cold! She now knows what cold is at minus 23 degrees.  BRRRR ::)  She is doing well and is happy.  That is all I wanted for my kids be happy and out of my house!  ;) 
    I am now an empty nester with my hubby of 20 years.  We have made is to 20 years and are pretty happy together.
     Dialysis is taking a toll on the sex life though.  My skin itches and I hate to be touched when I am itchy.  "Scratch scratch"!  I will start a thread on this if I get to figuring it out.
Well that is the intro on the kids.  I have three cats and a dog.
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on April 15, 2006, 10:39:40 PM
I thought I would spill some more thoughts about my life here.
I was thinking the other night that when I was a kid no one told me that the medical problems and symptoms I had were not my fault.  I must have missed that lesson.  I always blamed myself and it took a great many years to come to terms with what was done to me as a child in the medical hospitals as I grew up.
I also figured the financial hardships from the bills were my fault, too. This is lot for a little kid to carry , but I soldiered onward.
 I was incontinent for years due to low nerve control in my bladder.  I was threatend with punishment if I wet my pants or sat on furniture and wet it.  To this day I avoid sitting on nice stuff, even though I no longer have the problem. I have a memory of my grandmother making me wear my wet underwear around my neck around her house to stop me from wetting my pants.  I was teased mercilessly throughout elementary and junior high schools.  I had girls in junior high pulling up my dress to see if I wore diapers. It was a rough time. At age 12 it was solved with a Urostomy. 
The bladder refluxed into the kidneys from age 2 to 12.  Geez you would have thought I would have died after ten years of it.  I guess my spirit and soul had work to do even at a young age.

I have told you people things I have never, never told anyone in my entire life.  Maybe it is the incognito of the message board that allows for honesty.  I am now 43 years old and have learned a lot about myself and my growing up years.   I have learned about forgiveness and love. 
Sometimes I stand back and look at the world and I see the wonder of it all.
Then I plunge back into reality and just wonder what happened?

Katherine
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Rerun on April 16, 2006, 06:55:30 AM
That is what this board is about.  A place to write down your thoughts and share feelings and experiences.  It is hard as a child to be sick because you don't quite know how to tell the adults what is wrong.  It sounds like you are giving back by being a Special Ed teacher.  You have more understanding than others what they may be going through with physical problems that some of your kids live with. 

Look back only to give yourself strength to go forward!   ;)
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on February 17, 2007, 05:45:19 PM
 :bump;   I got tired of being on the fourth page!
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: thegrammalady on February 17, 2007, 05:47:59 PM
welcome and vent away
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kimcanada on February 17, 2007, 07:13:55 PM
What a great intro, its nice reading about a name that I have seen the entire time I was hiding mostly in the games room.

 :welcomesign;

Kim  :)
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: angela515 on February 17, 2007, 07:23:24 PM
 :welcomesign; LOL, I didnt get to say it when u first posted, as I wasnt here yet ;)
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: mcjane on February 17, 2007, 07:31:37 PM
You've come a looooong way baby.
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Ohio Buckeye on February 18, 2007, 08:06:27 AM
I'm glad you bumped that up Kitkatz.
Never read your intro.
It does make me feel sad how you were so mistreated.
I'm sorry you had to go through that.

Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: okarol on March 16, 2008, 08:28:48 PM
 :bump; I'll match your bump and double bump ya!  :bump;  :bump;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Sluff on March 16, 2008, 08:31:56 PM
If Victor doesn't mind I will hump you too  :oops; I meant bump.  :bump; Welcome to IHD.  :rofl; :rofl;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on March 16, 2008, 09:00:10 PM
Bad admin!  :rofl; :rofl;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: oleboy on March 17, 2008, 03:37:05 AM
 :welcomesign; to our family.








EDITED: fixed smiley tag error-kitkatz,moderator
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: annabanana on March 17, 2008, 04:19:35 AM
what a cool thing to be bumped up like that!
Gives me, a newbie, the chance to say
Welcome! Kitkatz!
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: paddbear0000 on March 17, 2008, 11:59:36 AM
If Victor doesn't mind I will hump you too  :oops; I meant bump.  :bump; Welcome to IHD.  :rofl; :rofl;

 :rofl; :rofl; :rofl; Sluff you're horrible!  >:D
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: MyssAnne on March 17, 2008, 12:03:40 PM
LOL!!

Welcome, Kitkatz, after having been on here how many years???  We'll see how long this thread can continue!!!!

 :welcomesign; :welcomesign; :welcomesign;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Bajanne on March 17, 2008, 02:30:35 PM
 :oops;  Just realized I never welcomed you to IHD!!!   Please forgive me!  :bow;  Welcome to our community!  We are so glad you decided to join us.  Please keep reading and keep posting.



Bajanne, Moderator
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: KT0930 on March 17, 2008, 06:27:19 PM
I joined sometime after you bumped it the first time, Kit.  :welcomesign; Interesting to read about you after all this time. Thanks for sharing!
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on March 18, 2008, 09:56:11 PM
Thanks to everyone who rewelcomed or welcomed me. I love it here at IHD.com.
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: paris on March 19, 2008, 11:00:03 AM
We all love you Kitkatz and are grateful for all your dedication, time and energy that you devote to making this our safe place to come to. :grouphug;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: rose1999 on March 19, 2008, 11:09:19 AM
Just read your intro Kit and I want to hug you for all the bad times you've been through  :big hug: Thanks for being here for us and for being you xx
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: willieandwinnie on March 19, 2008, 04:09:24 PM
kitkatz, How in the world did I miss your introduction? Must of been on drugs or something. Very late but just as meaningful  :welcomesign;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: pelagia on June 21, 2008, 12:59:25 PM
Today I am reading intros on and off.  I continue to be amazed by everything on this site, including you Kitkatz.  At some point I'll have to go back and do a better job on my intro as I really didn't tell anything about myself.  I know now that Epoman liked to have the basic information.  :)
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: donnia on June 21, 2008, 02:24:07 PM
Very cool to bump this thread!  You know it does give the newbies... and not so newbie but newbier than you (  ;D ) a chance to welcome you all over again!   I love reading all your posts!  You crack me up!!!!   :clap;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on June 21, 2008, 04:36:52 PM
All right who bumped me up here??  :rofl; :rofl;   :bandance; :bandance;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: monrein on June 21, 2008, 07:47:38 PM
I never read this before either Kitkatz, and I'm glad I now have.  I wet my bed till I was 12 due to a very small bladder and it was a bit tough at boarding school.  I also got my period at 9 so I was one mixed up puppy.  So I'd set off with my rubber sheet to protect the mattress and my huge boxes of Kotex pads which took up way too much space in my limited closet at school.  I got teased some but I'd just get in their faces and say ITS NOT MY FAULT so leave me alone or I'll fight you or you can be my friend, your choice.  I did well academically and that was my saving grace since I'd help people with their work so they stopped calling me a baby for the bed-wetting.

I love your attitude about not being crushed by what you went through because obviously you still had stuff to do here.  So true, and I'm so glad to have met you through IHD.  Stay cool Kitkatz. :cuddle;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: twirl on July 20, 2008, 07:37:48 AM
I am so rude
I never welcomed you to IHD  - small unimportant detail that you were a member before me-
what would it be without our Kitkatz
BORING
welcome and the next time you go on vacation
TAKE A COMPUTER
and you will never win at the world famous IHD post
keep trying
your efforts are endearing
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on July 23, 2009, 09:58:10 PM
 :bump;    I am being bad and bumping my own thread!  I am sure an admin will  :Kit n Stik;    :rofl; :rofl;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: kitkatz on July 23, 2009, 10:07:04 PM
Here is short update.

In November of 2009 I will have been on dialysis for 11 years
Nocturnal dialysis- in center MWF- eight hours at a shot
Health wise: I FEEL GOOD!
Transplant issues so no transplant.
My vacation this year: Milwaukee, WI for two weeks.
Married 24 years this November!
Hubby is doing well on his artificial leg.
I am working out three days a week in the pool at the local gym! Tonight 52 laps in the pool!
Oldest daughter will be 24 in September. Lives in San Jose. She is looking for work.
Youngest daughter is 22 and is in her last year of Biomedical Engineering classes at Milwaukee School of Engineering. (I raised a brilliant kid!)'
I have an eight year old dog- Missy and two elderly cats 11 and 16 years old- Aslan and Ming
I have been teaching for the last 21 years.  I kept teaching throughout all of my dialysis years!

I still HATE dialysis!



Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: okarol on July 27, 2009, 01:44:56 AM
 :2thumbsup; You rock Kitkatz!
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Wattle on July 27, 2009, 01:47:41 AM


 :cheer:  You are an inspiration Kit       :cuddle;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: MIbarra on July 27, 2009, 02:23:32 AM
11 years - dialysis, raising kids, and teaching! You are an inspiration!  :bow;   :clap;
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Bajanne on August 02, 2009, 08:35:21 AM
Just great reading all this again.  I am so glad that you are part of our IHD family.  :grouphug;
I love you dearly.  I still have the image of you flying downstairs in your nightgear to confront the hotel receptionist for charging me when you had already paid for my room in Las Vegas!!
My lovely Kitkatz with the big stick!!!
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: okarol on October 12, 2012, 01:35:57 AM
 :bump; :bump; :bump;
Time for an update eh Kit?
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: deniferfer on October 12, 2012, 11:19:37 AM
It was a really pleasure getting to meet you in Vegas this year and  thanks to Okarol giving you a  :bump; (at least that is what I hope that is) lol
I got to read more about you. You have over come quite a bit and are a inspiration.

What i really enjoy after meeting you is you still  really have a great sense of humor to life and I wish i got to talk with you more there.
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Jean on October 13, 2012, 01:02:20 AM
I too, am glad this thread was bumped up. A little more insight to such a great person.
Title: Re: Here I am
Post by: Chris on October 13, 2012, 05:52:15 PM
I got to sit with kitkatz and deniferters mom who talked shop (both teachers). Seemed like I mrt kitkatz before, but probably due to reading many threads and chats ;D