Contrary to what my username would suggest, I am female. Ralph was a nickname my husband used, I will not go into all of that. I have been on dialysis since October 12, 1903, after a particularly tough bout of bacterial pneumonia that turned into sepsis. Kidneys were the only organs that did not regain their function. To begin with my doctors thought my kidneys would regain their function, they have not so I guess this is my future. I am 62 now and do have social security and medicare, it was pretty tough to accept that to begin with however. I have always worked and had intended to continue for several more years. I do have some other health issues that make working not possible now. I do hemodialysis 3 hours x 3 days, and consider myself fortunate in a way because I have no food restrictions in fact I must make an effort to eat enough Kt foods. Fluid is my only problem and I love my diet dr pepper, I do have to watch that , not the phosphorus just the amount of fluid.