Hello from Austin, Texas

[kidley]

I'm on hemodialysis at a Fresenius facility in central Austin.  I started on February 20th with about 8% kidney function.  This bio may sound like a bad country song, but I am really a positive, funny person.  My grandfather died when my mother was 4 and she has a history of kidney infections, but I had never heard of any hereditary disease until my blood pressure got really high and I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease about 10 years ago.  Two years ago I had a serious infection and during my month long hospital stay, I got a fistula.  Since then my husband left, I had to retire early from my teaching job, my daughter finished UT and took a job in Houston, and I had to sell my house and move in with my parents to save money for medical expenses.  I live on their ranch about 90 miles from Austin.  Yes, there are dialysis centers closer, but they didn't have enough staff to take a new patient.  I love my doctor and all the techs at my center so I drive an hour and a half each way 3 times a week.  Things are going pretty well except for the time I went to the UPS story after my treatment and passed out on the counter.  They called EMS and everything, but it was just low blood pressure and the 90 degree afternoon heat.  How embarrassing!  The worst part of all this for me is the confinement.  I was a high school drama teacher and debate coach.  I too students to tournaments from Harvard to Stanford and worked 90 hours a week sometimes until I just got sooooo tired all the time.  But it does give me the time to read books and watch DVDs like a fiend!  I am on a transplant list because I don't want a live donor.  If I had little kids at home I might have taken a kidney from a stranger on the street (with our without permission)  But now I just don't want to worry about someone going through a really nasty surgery and being left with only one kidney.  Besides, my faith in God tells me that all things work for the good...eventually.

[monrein]

Hi Kidley.  I'm new here too and will be starting dialysis again soon.  I'm so sorry to hear your story and it does sound like a bad country song but I completely know what you mean about being funny and positive even though the plain facts of what you've been through might make that seem impossible.  Welcome here and I hope we'll all weather these storms together.

[okarol]

  It sounds like a GOOD country song lots of emotion and drama and pain - what every country song needs!
I am glad you joined us, there are lots of other folks here that will give you support and good info.
Welcome!


okarol/admin

[mysty]

 

Oh not all country songs are bad!..

Some just have a little more flavoring..and from what I can see..
being positive and having a sense of humor gets one thru the day.

 
mysty

[twirl]

OMG you could be my sister   I am in Conroe or really the Woodlands  I have PKD and I had to give up my teaching job where I taught
junior high and taught twirling classes, my husband teaches at a rival junior high and that was so much fun
but here is where the country music starts, my son is taking a football scholarship to A&M , we are Texas fans....my two daughters have PKD and Allen might but we are not sure...he is the Aggie
( only joking about the country music part), I have real problems with this disease and it is depressing and I feel like crap
you live in a beautiful place and I'd like it if my parents were still here
it is 5:12 am here , oh and in Austin too,I need to leave in the next 3 minutes to go to dialysis and I so do not want to go.
I would throw a temper tantrum but no one is up to see it........
play trivia and guilty or innocent ----it is fun
and look up two websites Boxman posted------both will give you a laugh
our son is a Bubba /and the red neck on dialysis is fun....add something to it             so long, off to needle hell    twirl

[petey]

Welcome to IHD !  My husband Marvin (he's the patient) and I always try to stay positive about this dialysis stuff he's dealing with (13 years now -- he's home hemo), too.  We, too, believe that God will work things out for us in the long run if we just hang on, wait, and keep a happy spirit.  This is a great place to come for info, help, support, encouragement, and friendship.  There are some really terrific people on this site!  I'm glad you're here with us now.

[boxman55]

Welcome to IHD. Keep your spirits up and if you need to rant this is your place to do it...

Boxman,Moderator

[Sluff]

Welcome to ihatedialysis.com kidley,

Great introduction, I'm glad you found us, it's great to have you here. There is a lot of information contained here at IHD. That's what makes this site so great, the many combined years of experience just can not be found anywhere else. So read all you can and post often. Ask questions  if you need to.

Sluff/Admin

[willieandwinnie]

kidley. Great introduction and so glad you found us. Sit back and read some of the older posts, they have great information in them. We are a wonderful group of folks and you'll feel like family before you know it. Keep posting. 

[MyssAnne]

Welcome, Kidley!!!!   

You're right, it sounds like a country song! We should ask someone to do that for us....Martina, perhaps?  Alan Jackson? Oh my
gosh. I am sooo in love with him and that smile!!!

OOOO!!! I know!!! Who's the group that does the emo country songs? The guy with the high voice? Cute, and chubby? 
Darn, my memory is bad today. No alcohol excuse either!!!

[kidney4traci]

  From Houston!  If you travel down to meet your daughter give me a holler!!!

[rose1999]

  this is a great site, glad you found it.

[NolaGail]

  Kidley--

Our country songs could be different verses to the same song.  My husband of 24 years has emotionally left already, and we are in the process of making it official.  Oh, well.

Glad you found IHD.  I haven't been here long, but I have learned so much already and the people are so great and supportive.

NolaGail

[Ohio Buckeye]

  kidley to the IHD Family!

[Laurie]

  I'm also from Texas. Glad you found this site.

[kellyt]

   Kidley!  I'm in San Antonio.  If you ever want to meet up I'd love it!  My husband and I are self-employed, so I could meet you pretty much any day.  I've been trying to get a Texas group together for a while, so anyone near can meet us as well!  We can meet in San Marcos.  Lunch would be wonderful!  I'm 40-years-old and predialysis, but on the list and testing donors.   

[Lori1851]

Hello Glad you found this forum!!!
Lori/Indiana

[Ang]

 

[annabanana]

     We're all about country songs here! 

[Bajanne]

Country songs with a little tropical flavour!

Welcome to our community!  That was a great intro.  We are glad  you have decided to join our family.  That is what this site really is.  Hang around a little and you will see it is not just hype.  This is a caring and sharing community.  So please read, read, read, and post, post, post.  Looking forward to hearing much more from you.  Hope you get to meet up with some of the IHD family. 


Bajanne, Moderator

[kitkatz]

I am sorry it has taken me so long to welcome you. SO welcome!
Come on in and st a spell. Join a discussion or two or three.
Or go to the off-topic area and forget about ESRD and dialysis for a bit.



kitkatz,moderator