Stacy Without An E - A Dialysis/Transplant Veteran

[Stacy Without An E]

Hello everyone, my name is Stacy Without An E and it was by chance that I discovered this site.  I have been blogging for the last two years and one of my fellow bloggers left this site in my comments.  Since I have been dealing with kidney disease for the last 25 years, I will try to introduce myself concisely in the next few sentences.

I was diagnosed with glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the glomerular tissue) at the age of 11 and began numerous commutes from my home in Stockton, CA. to UCSF.  On one of the early trips, my Mom sat me down at the Denny's in Pleasanton and explained exactly what was happenning to me.  I remember that day vividly, like a bad dream that's overstayed it's welcome.

I had a graft surgically added to my upper left arm and underwent Dialysis three times total.

It was hell, especially for a young, fragile kid barely in this teens.

They waited as long as they could to allow me to go through puberty and gain some height, but I ended up with my first kidney transplant when I was 13 from my Mom, and it was a huge success.

Never had a rejection episode until 12 years later when I was in my mid 20's.  I had moved back in with my parents (which I don't recommend to anyone) because I was so sick and started five months of agonizing Dialysis.

In January of 1996, my baby sister donated a kidney to me.  I still remember when they wheeled us together into the pre-op room before we went into surgery.  I glanced over to find my sister, crying and scared.

That memory also haunts me to this day.

The 2nd transplant was also a huge success, lasting until May of 2004, about 8 years.

I have been one of you, a fellow Dialysis patient, since that time.

It has been less than pleasant.

I have a ten year old fistula that has been cleaned by angiogram three times in the last two years.

Like many of you, I have pain issues as well.  I use lidocaine, because the 16 gauge needles are incredibly painful.

I still work full time at a radio station in Santa Rosa, CA. and also have a part time job in addition to cover the medical costs.

And as we all know, Dialysis is like a part time job that everyone wants to be fired from.

When people ask what Dialysis is like, I tell them to take two ball point pens and stick them into a blazing fire.  Then ram them both into their arm for three hours.

That's what I go through three times a week, three hours at a time.

I feel for every single one of you, because I'm there now and I see no end in sight.  I just passed two years on the kidney transplant list, but since my blood type is O-, it will be another three to four of this hellish place until I'm free.

Dialysis.  Two needles.  One machine.  No compassion.

Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself.

Stacy Without An E
http://stacywithoutane.blogspot.com/

[Rerun]

Hi Stacey (OOPS Sorry!)   

Welcome to the site!  You sound like you have had wonderful transplant success.  There is a thread just for transplant stories.  We welcome your experiences.  I'm going to read your blog this weekend.  This site is a place to vent your frustrations and maybe save your family or the dog.  We all hate dialysis realizing we need it to live.  I just got on the transplant list myself but my PRA is 93 because I had my first transplant for 17 years before it gave up on me.  So, my chances are about like a snowman's in July in Stockton!   

I look forward to your posts!   

[Epoman]

Hello Stacy,

Welcome to the site. Thank you for taking the time to mention us on your site. I love it when I see things like that. (Members see below for a screenshot of Stacys site). I look forward to reading all of your posts and be sure to take the time to answer some members questions they may have, since you are a veteren at this. I hope you find this site to be very informative as well as a place to come and let off some steam. Well once again thank you for the mention on your site and welcome.

- Epoman
Owner/Admin

P.S. Everyone be sure to checkout Stacys site at http://stacywithoutane.blogspot.com/

Also members be sure to let the picture below load. Check it out. 

[kevno]

Hi Stacy,

There are a lot of long term renal patients on this site, I started when I was 6 years old in 1972, Started dialysis 1977 at the age of 10 years, transplant Late 1980 sort of lasted till May 26th 1988, on dialysis since then. The short story.

Even so I have still learnt a lot from other renal patients experiences. On this site. I can not find any other site like this for renal patients Epoman has done a really great site, that lets the patients give good advise. Plus you can rant all you want, and have a joke (But be careful of Rerun, I have seen the other side of her )

Kevno

[Naggy6]

  welcome stacy without an E

Intresting story, I have delt with this since I was 23 and I thought that was young. I can't imagine what it was like to have to deal with it as such a young age.