93) Sick & Tired of ESRD

January 20, 2007
Saturday

El Milagro: Jo the Nurse called me to come in at 1 today. The place was back to full swing and I settled in to watch the Longhorns Men’s basketball team lose to Villanova… terrible game all around. Then I was able to catch the US Soccer team beat Denmark 3-1 so that was a pick-me-up. Landon Donovan finally scored after a 1 1/2 year scoreless streak! That made me think, “you just have to play on and find other parts of the game that you can feel good about until the fates or your skill brings an opportunity to score. And maybe you try to score many times before you succeed but if you stay immersed in the process rather than focusing on the end result, then you can still feel good about your participation.”

Even though I get sick and tired of this dialysis business every several days, I recognize (“I understand…” as Bush would say) that this is the process of functioning in my world; described as “End Stage Renal Disease” or ESRD on the medical charts. Although the outcome is scoring a new kidney, preferably from a live person, I can’t put all my focus on that score. I have to continue to stay with the present, continue to play the game, and find ways to explore and embellish the process. One of the ways is to continue to document this whole thing here on my blog (informing you, the reader about a slice of life you may not be aware of). Another is to become a patient representative with DaVita (I have begun the process on this). Another is to continue my correspondence with Lloyd Doggett about the need of people with ESRD and PKD. And, of course, as with any process, learning more about all the facets of it is a continuing endeavor.

According to the people at the Transplant Center, my process of going without scoring will be approximately another three years and as that time passes the dialysis ultimately wears heavily on my system. Three years is the guesstimate of how long it’ll take to get a cadaver kidney. If I am fortunate enough to find a live donor* (Blood Type A or O) out there in lurkdom (those who read but don’t comment on blogs) then the wait would be less. That’s the solution that I would wish for… so, readers, think about becoming donors!

My new bumper sticker that the Transplant Center folks say will attract donors reads:
Say “YES” to Organ Donation
RECYCLE YOURSELF

Notes: In at 74.9 and out at 72.1 Kgs.
More about live donors at "Help Save A Life" online at http://www.unos.org/helpSaveALife/promoteOrganDonation/