Hello

[Marckie]

I'm had one kidney most of my life and had a benign cyst removed from it in 2011, which left me with about two-thirds  of a kidney.  I've been doing well at Stage three-four until October of 2017 when everything "crashed", and nobody knows why.

So I am preparing for dialysis and working with a transplant team to see if I qualify for a transplant.  I'm nervous (DUH!) and hope to be able to talk with others who 'have been there', 'are there', or about to 'be there'. 

My fistula surgery is the 18th of this month, and I may have to have a graft, since I have only one possible vein.....Everything is pretty surreal right now. 
Hoping I can make some new friends here....     

[Michael Murphy]

It’s good to get your fistula early.  Some people’s kidney function seems to hang on for months or years pass the time the doctors predicted they would have to start dialysis.  I went two years after my nephrologist said it was time.  I did not want to start till I showed a symtom and I  absolutely enjoyed those two years of freedom.  So prepare for the worse and hope for the best.  Dialysis sucks but it sucks less tan dead.  Good Luck welcome learn what you can. The fear of dialysis was worse than dialysis itself.
 

[Paul]

 

Hello Marckie, welcome to the board. I'll second everything Michael said, I was hanging on long after the doctor said Dialysis was imminent, it was only a blasted bone virus that finally kicked me over the edge, otherwise I'd probably still be awaiting the start of dialysis today. I'll also second Michael's comment "Dialysis sucks but it sucks less than dead."

[cassandra]

Welcome to the site Marckie


   


Good luck with the surgery, Cas

[Charlie B53]

Welcome to our IHD 'Family'.

Fear of the unknown has to be the worst.  When I was told that Dialysis was in my near future I started Googling and reading everything I could find.  This place, and Kidney School helped me a lot.  Learning more about myself and what was happening took away so much of the unknowns, it really helped ease my transition into this.  It is different, but it is definitely do-able.

http://kidneyschool.org/

[kickingandscreaming]

Have you considered doing PD (peritoneal dialysis) instead of Hemo?  I'm on my 2nd year of it and it's not too bad.  Is that a possibility at your clinic?

[kristina]

Hello Marckie and welcolme to IHD.
I do hope your fistula surgery on the 18th went well? How are you doing now?
Best wishes from Kristina.

[Simon Dog]

Be sure to explore all your treatment options, and don't get steered into in-center hemo unless that is the best one for you.