My first week on Dialysis has come and gone. I can honestly say that it is a relief to be at this point. Previously it was just a waiting game, waiting for insurance, waiting for surgery, waiting for dialysis to begin. I am still waiting... waiting for transplant... which I am told can be a 3-5 year wait in the state of Washington for a non-living donor (a person that has passed away and signed their donor card or agreed to donation). However its a different sort of wait and in the mean time there will eventually be some relief from the symptoms of ESRD as the toxins are continually pulled out of my body via dialysis. I must say though that Dialysis is not a cure, it does help to remove toxins from the body but it does NOT prevent the kidneys from further damage.
Since my name was just sent in for referral I have a potentially long road ahead. In order to be officially on the list I have to meet with a transplant team and go through various tests prior to being approved for transplant. The process is the same for everyone but the results depend on the overall health of the individual.
I think it is important to spread the word regarding kidney failure and the need for living donors. When I was leaving the Northwest Kidney Center PD unit today I saw a boy about 10 yrs old who looked very sick. Children are not allowed in the PD unit... unless they are kidney patients. My heart really went out to him and I will probably never know his story, but spreading the word about the need for kidney donation may help save a life.
Please consider being a donor whether it be for someone you know or a complete stranger.
Give the gift of life!
No comments:
Post a Comment