Hello Everyone!

[Brightsky69]

 

Hi All !

My name is Joanna. My kidneys failed back in 91 from IGA. Of course I didn't find out it was IGA until a biopsy a few years ago. I was 21 when my kidneys failed and I was put in PD right when they figured out what was going on. It's a long story. I stayed on PD for awhile until I stabilized and my mom got thru testing to be my donor. My mom being my donor was a wonderful gift. My transplant has lasted just about 17 years. As we all know...transplants don't last forever. I am faced with going back onto dialysis. My creatine level at last check was 2.6 so dialysis still could be a year away...I hope.
I am not looking forward to PD again. It was rough and for me depressing. So this web site expresses exactly what I feel about Dialysis.

[kimcanada]

Welcome Brightsky, I am glad you found us... Its good to know that you aren't alone

Kim

[annabanana]

  Brightsky. What a beautiful name! You've found the perfect site. IHD has a lot of information, understanding, comfort, and humor, among other things.

[Sluff]

Welcome to ihatedialysis.com Brightsky,

Sorry that you are facing dialysis once again, but I'm glad you had 17 years that you may not otherwise had. Thanks for joining and I hope that you gain useful information and post often. If you have any questions just ask.

Sluff/Admin

[boxman55]

Welcome Brightsky, sorry to hear about your failing kidney. This site can offer you tons of support. Please stick around

Boxman, Moderator

[monrein]

   We are in similar positions except that I'll be starting hemo not PD.  It's both emotional and physical, losing a transplant like all aspects of CKD.  I'm grateful for the time it lasted but I'm also grieving the loss and I'm mad and a lot of other feelings.  This site is great because we know we're not alone in the struggle.

[bolta72]

Great you had 17 years with your kidney, sorry to hear you lost it. Best of luck and hope you can get another 17 or more years without dialysis.

[ODAT]

  Joanna!

What a blessing that your mom was a donor. My mom is too old for transplant or I'd be tested for her. My sons are 16 and 18 and am praying they stay well. Hoping that I could be a donor for them if ever needed. You just never know.

There is so much information here. Grab a snack and get comfy (ok where's the popcorn smiley? I know I just woke up but can't see him).

[NolaGail]

Welcome Brightsky 

Glad you have found this wonderful place.  There is so much support from the family here.  I am sorry to hear about your transplant, but hopefully it will be a while before you have to start dialysis again (2.6 sounds good to me; I am at 4.2 but still predialysis).

Come here often.  You will love it  .

NolaGail

[lola]

 

[willieandwinnie]

Brightsky. Your Mom is an  . So glad you found us. 

[thegrammalady]

  this is a good place to land.

[Bajanne]

Welcome to our community!  We are glad that you found us at this time of transition.  I know that you will not regret it, since this is a supportive caring and sharing family here.  We are always glad to add another family member. Feel free to post as much as you like.  There is also lots to read here.  We believe that 'knowledge is power'!  Looking forward to hearing much more from you as you take advantage of this site.  Our caring thoughts and prayers are with you. 


Bajanne, Moderator

[Romona]

 

[angellady07]

Welcome Brightsky. 

[Ang]

  all  the  way  from








EDITED:Fixed smiley tag error=kitkatz,moderator

[kidney4traci]

  from Texas ...

[paris]

   So glad you found us.  It must be very hard knowing the transplant is failing, even though you have had it for a long time------it is never long enough.  I am sorry you numbers are going up again.  Especially, since you already know how you feel on dialysis.  Hopefully we can all be of some support during your transition.   I am sure you have tons of information to share with us.  Looking forward to hearing more about you.

[Brightsky69]

 

Hello,

I wanted to update my introduction. The first one I wrote only gave the basics. This will be interesting to see if I can remember all of the details.
I had never suffered for any major illnesses as a child. The only thing I had trouble with was chronic ear infections. In high school I tried out for the field hockey team. We all had to go to the school nurse to get the usually once over before we could play on the team. The nurse told me that I was spilling protein into my urine and told me to go get it checked out by my doctor. Back then I was a military dependant hence I saw a military doctor. Nothing was done by that military doctor….he just signed my release papers and told me to go play. Thinking back I remember any time I got sick and went to see a military doctor they always noted that my blood pressure was really high. Did they ever do anything about it? No.... Here they were presented with a 10 year old kid with high blood pressure and they basically blew me off. Well….the field hockey doctor visit was when I was 17 years old and by the time I was 20 years old my kidneys were at less than 10% function. The first thing to go was my eye sight. I can remember sitting and watching TV and thinking there was something wrong with the TV. I had a little fuzzy spot in my eyesight. It got progressively worse to the point where I was considered legally blind.  I had a Retinal Thrombosis. When a flash bulb goes off in your face and you can’t see for a few seconds…that is what it was like for me all the time. By this time I was feeling like death warmed over. They finally did a blood test and found the cause of all my problems ESRD. I’ll never forget when I got the results. My doc said I was very lucky it was my eyes that went first because he was amazed (looking at my blood work) that I was able to walk around. He said given another three months left untreated and I would have died. I was promptly put on dialysis. This did not help my eyesight at all. I got seriously lucky and prednisone helped clear that up and I could see again. 
I stayed on dialysis until I got healthy. At first my father was all ready and willing to be my donor. But my step monster…I mean step mother talked him out of it at the dinner table one night. If I remember correctly she said “Why are you gonna waste a kidney on her? What if something happens to your kidneys what are you gonna do then?” Don’t let me get started on that road….I’ll save it for another post. I will say this much. That woman made a very difficult time in my life as horrible as she could possibly think to make it. I was so desperate to get away from her that I moved out of my father’s house into my own apartment one week before my transplant and went back to my apartment to recover on my own.
My mother was my donor and that was 17 years ago. Currently my creatinine is at 2.8 and I hope it stays stable for as long as possible. I've been really lucky to have had this transplant for so long. I am really grateful 





EDITED: Merged thread to original introduction - Sluff/Admin

[monrein]

That just sucks.  I'm at a loss for words.  Incompetence,  horrible luck and cruelty all at once.  So glad you Mom's kidney has served you well and that you're still hanging in there.  The people on this site are an understanding bunch, many of whom have been through so much.  Keep us all posted and updated on how things go with you.

[oleboy]

 

[lruffner]

Hi Brightsky and welcome.

Wow, you have been through it! It's bad enough going through it, but much worse when all of the support is not there. Just remember, it always comes back around, whether in this life or the next    Isn't family family just lovely??     

Your mother is definitely a saint though and you had a fantastic run!!

Everyone here will help you get through it all again, so just hang in there!

[kitkatz]

Welcome to the site!  You have been through a lot and have a lot of experience behind your years living with kidney disease.  Support is what this site is all about.


kitkatz,moderator