The "Happy Anniversary! Living Without Kidneys", edition.

Jackson 5, "Never Can Say Goodbye".  This is pleasant song to start the week. One of the few songs I learned to play on the piano that was not classical. And this arrangement is nice. I like how the flute weaves through the song. And the brothers harmonize nicely behind Michael.  Well. 2 years ago today I was in ICU. Apparently fighting for my life. Rushed to the hospital the afternoon of November 2, 2012 because I couldn't breathe...pulmonary edema. Wishing that on no one ever.  I have no memory of anything that happened after I got to ICU.  Maybe around 5PM?  I'll have to check with Brian.  November 3, 2012 was. Saturday. I woke up feeling better.   I don't remember a catheter was inserted in my groin...not to be confused with a Foley catheter for urine, although I had one of those, too.  Two catheters between my legs!!  Woot. Not. Lol. And I had a hemodialysis treatment. I don't remember any of that!!!  I had an additional treatment later that day. And I did feel so much better.

George S Clintoton, "Atomic Dog".  Monday morning party over here!  So it's been 2 years since I started treatment. And I know this. I do remember how awful I felt before dialysis. If your kidneys fail, you start dying. Your body can't get rid of waste and toxins. And fluid starts to accumulate in your body.  It could be in your ankles, your face. For me it was my lungs. Ugh. Anyway. My point is dialysis saved my life.  

Heatwave,  "The Groove Line".  So after 2 years I think I've learned to live pretty ok with kidney failure. Like many of you ..or not...I had no clue of what kidney failure was or what it did to the body. I absolutely had no idea how vital having healthy kidneys are.  Once your kidneys are gone that's it. There is no cure. None. Only treatments. A kidney transplant is not a cure. All it is, is using the kidney of someone else. Granted it's the optimal treatment (most of the time), but it is not a cure. All I can do is select the treatment that is best for me. I've repeated before that for people who don't have kidney disease, the kidneys work constantly..24/7. My artificial kidney 3.5 hours a day...3 days a week. I have watch my intake of fluids and foods for even dialysis to work. Other treatments include peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis and nocturnal dialysis. Heh. This is the it's time I've brought up nocturnal. I'll explain another day. 

Ernesto Lecuona, "Malagueña".   My point is I'm not doing too bad. I get that I have many limitations, but there is still quite a bit I can do. And I do a lot!  On average people last 5 years on dialysis. So theoretically I have 3 years to go. Well that's average. I have too many things to do and 3 years is just not enough time. Or in the words of Sweet Brown, "ain't nobody got time for that". :-D  I had to listen Malguena again. I can't believe that I played that song on the piano. Well yeah I can. At the time I knew I kicked much ass when i played.  It used all 88 keys on the piano. I had to move and almost stand up. Lol   Just don't ask me to play it now. That was one of my recital pieces when I was a senior in high school.  And as well as I played, my cousin was even better!!! I've digressed. 

 Dr. Dre,  "Let Me Ride"   So the volume on my headphones are on really loud and when this started I needed to lower it. Why is the volume so high?  The yelling lady came in early..with no sedation. There's a constant , "TAKE ME OFF", "STOP", "I WANT GET OFF", "TAKE ME HOME" and other things I can't make out. She's really loud. LOUD. LOUD.  The music can temper her for the most part. I can still herar her. The patients are not happy. First shift patients want their naps. And it's not happening because she's yelling for the entirety of her treatment. *sigh*. I'm thinking that the clinic needs to really address this.  Eh. One of the downsides of incenter dialysis. I've digressed again. 

Anyway. 2 years. I'm doing pretty good. Actually a lot of days I'm doing great. I'm working out.  I've started the process of reactivating my sorority membership out here. Our painting classes start this week. I'm thinking about starting a line dance class to learn the many versions of the hustle which I've never gotten...clumsy me. :-)  So I'm kinda looking at this as the anniversary of getting my life back. The months preceding dialysis I was dying.  BD and AD. After dialysis (AD) is a good thing!!

Signing off with Parliament, "Up For the Down Stroke". Let's party here. It's never to late to jam with Parliament. Chair dancing as I end the blog!!  Have a great day!!!