As of November 2, 2007 I have been on hemodialysis for NINE years. Holy Smokes! I was on vacation for this anniversary. What a way to celebrate in Palm Springs! The tech I had in the center said her hubby had been on dialysis for 26 years. I was outdone! Oh well!Happy Hemo Anniversary to me!
I mark my anniversaries, too. On March 30, 2008, I will CELEBRATE my 13th year anniversary on dialysis. (Although I did have a "break" in the middle from 2000-2003 when my wife gave me one of her kidneys.) We've been counting, and, as of today, I've had 1,575 dialysis treatments. I have a goal -- If I don't get another transplant, I plan to be the man who survives the longest on dialysis. Since I started when I was 39, and if a transplant doesn't come around for me again, I'd like to be on dialysis for 61 years -- that would make me live until I'm 100. Anyone care to compete with me?
In Canada the average waiting time for a renal transplant is 8 years. Since that's the average, think of how many are on dialysis way longer than that, given the Bell curve distribution.