Sup Fellow Dialysis Goers...

[crickiepoo]

Hey guys (and gals), how is everyone doing? Good, I hope.

My name is Cricket (real name Elizabeth). I am 29 SWF and I live in North Carolina. I currently go to a "Duh-Vita" as it's been dubbed! lol
I first was "diagnosed" with kidney problems when I had my first seizure, when I was 15. They told me at the time that I would one day need a transplant. They never said anything about dialysis. lol I had heard of it but never REALLY knew what it was until it happened. I had been getting sick just about everyday, I couldn't eat anything or drink anything. I would often get sent home from work.

I couldn't go to the doctor because I didn't have any insurance. By luck, as a manager I was given the opportunity to get insurance through my work after months and months of feeling like crap. After I was told I could go ahead and go to the doctor, I went and he took my BP and drew labs...asked me if I was trying to kill myself because my BP was SO high. After the doc, I went home, the next day one of the managers from work was knocking at my door and they told me I had to get to the hospital, it was life or death. :/ I was put on dialysis that day. Been on for 8 years (in October).

Like many, those first couple of years just tore me down. I just about cried every time I went to treatment. Many times I wanted to skip treatment...lol And in the beginning, I did a couple times. It used to be "OMG I HAVE DIALYSIS TOMORROW!" but now, 7 years later my outlook as changed and now it's "OMG I HAVE THE DAY OFF TOMORROW!" haha

Many people are completely taken off-guard when they find out that I am sick because of how "chipper" I am. haha
Which is good, I suppose.
Alot of people ask how I'm doing, when it comes to dialysis...my response is, "Well, it's either this or death. I've dealt with it, so I'm cool" lol

So yeah, that's my story....so far.

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I found this board through TWITTER.
I apparently posted something about dialysis in one of my tweets, and the "automatic word association" twitter thingie noticed it and sent me a msg about this board's twitter.
I am glad I found it though!
I found so many topics yesterday, viewing the board, that I wanted to reply to but I hadn't been approved yet..now I gotta go figure out which ones they were. haha

Feel free to contact me if you wanna chit-chat! 

[dialysismomma]

 
I am glad you found us. I am new to IHD as well. good luck

[peleroja]

Welcome to the group, Cricket.  Lots of good information and friends here.  Have you considered PD?  I've been on it 7 years and I think it's much better than hemo.  I hook up to my cycler every night and have my days free.  I think it's kinder and gentler on the system.  Hope you come on back and post often.

[galvo]

G'day Cricket and  . I'm glad you've joined us.

[crickiepoo]

Welcome to the group, Cricket.  Lots of good information and friends here.  Have you considered PD?  I've been on it 7 years and I think it's much better than hemo.  I hook up to my cycler every night and have my days free.  I think it's kinder and gentler on the system.  Hope you come on back and post often.

Yes, and no. LOL
I don't have a car and I live out in the country...the only time i really ever get to get out of the house is to go to tx.
And I don't know about the pd, I get up at least 3 times during the night to go to the bathroom :/ lol
Plus I have the 3 dogs that sleep in my room/bed.

Everyone at dialysis always asks me about Home Hemo...because other than hooking myself up, I basically do everything myself. lol
Come in, weight, take BP, set machine, stick myself....etc etc..But I give same reasons..haha

Thanks everyone that replied! I will try to be active! Since I just discovered the board, I might forget about it ever so often. haha

[RichardMEL]

G'day Cricket - interesting nickname there - I presume named for the lil chirpy insect rather than the sporting game popular in my part of the world! I also liked that you used the word "chipper" - that's also a very english expression I would think!

Anyway glad you are with us. Not sad you've had to do D for 8 years.. that is a VERY long time - are you not on the transplant list, or not able to for some reason?

it's good you've been able to turn things around attitude wise and find the positives out of your situation - that's how I try and focus on it, and it generally works rather than focusing on the bad stuff.

Hope to see more from you - you won't forget us we're just so awesome!!! 

 

RichardMEL, Moderator

[monrein]

 

[Rerun]

Hi Cricket, and welcome to IHD.  You will love it here.  Lots of young people.  I'm not one of them, but hey I can still give advice according to my experiences.

                               

Hope to here lots from you!         

Rerun, Moderator

[Poppylicious]

  Cricket!

Eight years?  Goodness! You seem so positive about it (sink or swim, eh?); I can only hope that my Blokey (husband) will find some of your positivity one day (he's been on dialysis for just over a year and seems to focus on the negative, which can be exhausting)!

 

[billybags]

Hi crickiepoo, love the name. What took you so long to find us? Feel free to ask question there is always some one on here that will give you a straight answer.   

[Riki]

Hi Cricket!  I just kind of refound this place after 4 years.. *G*

I love how people say you've got a great attitude.. I hear that a lot as well, but for me, it's mostly just surface.  I keep a happy face on so no one will worry.  But, when someone does say to me that I've got a great attitude, I do speak the truth when I tell them, "what else are you going to do?"  They usually agree, and it's true.  There's no real point to dwelling on the crappy stuff, even though we all do.  We can get pissed, and curse whatever higher power we happen to believe in, but it won't make a lick of difference.  We do what we have to, to stay on this side of the soil, We have good days, when we don't need the mask, and our bad days when we do, but that's when we come here, throw the mask in the corner and blow off steam on the internets. *LOL*

wow, I got off on a tangent there.. *G*  What I was trying to say there, is that I hope you have a better attitude about things than I do, since mine tends to be the fake, say what they want to hear kind, but not always

[RichardMEL]

Yeah Riki I am just like that with the attitude thing - I realised a long time ago that curling up in  corner and being angry or down about my situation won't do anything to help, and probably just make things worse - so I always do my best to look on the positive side and make the most of what I've got. When I started dialysis a nurse told me something I've never forgotten - basically that a positive attitude can influence your outcome more than you realise - psychosomatic influence and all that... so I focus on my goals and the good stuff - what I can do rather than what I can't. Not always easy, but I think it's the best way to look at things.

I have a friend, not with kidney failure, but trying to deal with a bunch of difficult issues, and it seems to me she's more negative than positive, and she calls me up and tells me about her latest setbacks and this and that - and it's funny because I listen to her talk and I can *see* the way her negative outlook is affecting what happens. I have bite my lip at times to not try and show her how that is happening, because she's NOT in the right place to hear that stuff (and plus it's much easier said than done to just pick up the way you look at things - I totally know that).. and nobody wants to hear some wanker say "oh just look on the positive side!".. but I do sometimes explain what works for me but try very hard to not say it in a condescending or rude way to try and make her feel like I'm saying she's doing it all wrong or something - that's not what friendship is about.

[Bajanne]

Welcome to our community, Cricket!  We have lots of you here where I live - both the little insecty thing, as well as the great game!  I am so glad that you found us.  That was a really interesting intro.   Our founder Epoman loved that kiind.
This is just the place for you to be - the place for information, support, and even fun!  You will soon find that this is a genuine family   caring and sharing.  Just keep reading and keep posting so we can know how you are doing.





 Bajanne, Moderator