A year on....................

[familyfirst]

Happy new year all.............

Just wanted to share a bit of an update, as I know I found other people posts/stories so helpful.

My partner has now been on HD for just over a year and I can honestly say its only the last few weeks where we both now feel human again! Starting HD was very difficult with all the usual problems of dry weights, BP drops, high heart rate and most of all dealing with the emotional changes. Both my partner and I really struggled and I in particular was a crying wreck, feeling guilty, no motivation, stressed beyond belief, feeling alone and just generally like I had been stuck in a world I knew nothing about. I threw myself into full on carer mode, into my local KPA and anything to take my mind of the fact I was a mess.......obviously it caught up with me eventually and I was unable to function but thanks to an amazing GP and my work for providing me with a fantastic counsellor I actually feel great again. It took a while for me to see that I just had to accept the changes in my life and roll with it, I feel like I have my life back and me and my partner are now even closer than we were before....and our beautiful little girl (born days after my partner started HD) is growing/learning/laughing and keeping us happy! Other than wishing my partner didn't have CKD I wouldn't change a single thing about our life.....I love it.

I hope anyone who is in the place I was finds some comfort in knowing things will get better, please ask for help from where you can and remember you are important too xxxx

[cassandra]

What a lovely post, and Have a great and (from the beginning) Happy 2016,


   


Love, Cas

[Hootie]

Congratulations on the milestone and handling the movement to HHD in a positive way.

We are at also the one year point in doing HHD on January 6th. We have had our ups and down with learning how to stick, trials and tribulations with BP, Veinous pressures, a broken leg with surgery with resulting hospital time for surgery and rehab, fistula grams and insertion of stent for Veinous side....all through it both the patient and caregiver have worked to make it work for both parties.

I agree with what others have said that the battle is won with a good attitude by both patient and caregiver...yes it does take time and effort but it works.

Hopefully, both of these stories will help those of you that are just getting started in the process. 

This is a great place to learn and get support from others. 

[SooMK]

So happy you made it through a tough time. May 2016 be a wonderful year.

[Michael Murphy]

Congratulations the first period of Dialysis really sucks I am glad you made it thru and maintained your sanity, supportive partners make a difficult transition easier and the old adage "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" it seem tomapply to relationships and life.

[PrimeTimer]

Congratulations on your 1-year anniversary! Thanks for sharing the update...brightens our day! Any time someone on dialysis and their loved ones make it over another hurdle (in this case, acceptance) offers us hope. Our first day "home" was 2 days after Christmas -two years ago. Still have ups and downs but just this morning I was thinking about "acceptance" and then read your post. Makes me feel we can only go "up" from here. It does get easier. I no longer keep a journal of every incident or alarm we get. Again, thanks for sharing and congrats!