Finally an update!

No News is Good News is how the saying goes. However, no news in this case means nothing has changed. Until this week that is. 'Kevin' the kidney sadly has never worked properly and remains 'lazy'. So the decision has been made to put me back on the transplant list. My consultant contacted me earlier …

Kevin is having a sulk

Kevin the kidney is having a sulk.So far refusing to work in my bulk.Kevin the kidney remaining asleep.For over nine weeks now, he's made not a peep.Kevin the kidney is having a sulk. Kevin the kidney refuses to work.All kidney-like functions he chooses to shirk.Kevin quite frankly, a complete waste of space.Choosing for now not …

750 ml

Time moves on and I still wait for a kidney transplant. Meanwhile I continue to dialyse three times each week ( four hours every Monday, Wednesday and Friday). My health remains good but I do get tired. A lot has happened since my last post. Sadly Mum died in early February and much of the …

Monday, Wednesday, Friday Nights

The routine is well embedded. It doesn’t matter if it’s the holidays or if I’m off work (through illness or other reasons) as I am today. Every Monday , Wednesday and Friday I leave home at 4:30pm to arrive here at 5pm for four hours of dialysis. prior to departure about an hour before, I …

Steroid Nights

It’s just after 3am and I’m wide awake. It’s the Steroid effect!

Bed Blocking

Sadly all has come to naught. They had the kidney, the tests were good but they had no beds. At 6:30pm the surgeon came to see me. She was extremely frustrated. After hours of negotiations and fighting for a bed they had one. However, the patient who was due to be discharged had developed complications. …

Getting Off Of The Couch

About ten years ago I was running 5K on a regular basis. I had started as part of a plan to reduce my weight and lost over 5 stone over a nine month period. I was regularly running Park Run and my fastest run was just over 27 mins. By early 2013 I was running …

Cutting The Lawn

It’s a small thing - probably something that most of you have done already this year. Certainly the lawn needed a good trim. However, for me it is a sign of a return to normality. Since last summer I really have not had the energy to contemplate much in the way of housework let alone …

Matter of Routine

I have settled into the routine. Each Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening I get dropped off at 6pm for a 4 hour session of dialysis. At a time which varies but is usually between 10:30pm and 11:30pm I get picked up and go home to sleep. Those of you who are mathematically minded will notice …

Infection

I have been admitted to MKUH following a bout of gastroenteritis which left me feeling very unwell. It possibly started on Monday when my Tesier Line became very sore. The first symptoms came Wednesday when during dialysis I suddenly became extremely cold and started shivering uncontrollably. This lasted quite a while and led to body …

It was all going so smoothly and then…

I have got into a routine. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I head off to MKUH at about 5:30pm for dialysis. Generally I am on from about 6:30pm until 10:30pm. The exception is Monday where generally I am on fom 7:00pm to 11:00pm. During my 4 hours dialysis I will listen to music or watch …

Reaping the Benefits

I am beginning to see the benefits of regular dialysis. With the Tesier Line Fitted and the pain subsiding the dialysis sessions have gone well. I have yet to do a 4 hour session- yesterday’s session was shorter as they had had issues with other patients which meant I started an hour later. It wasn’t …

The Longest Night

Today is the winter solstice. The shortest day of the year in terms of daylight. So conversely the longest period of night. My insomnia continues to be an issue and so for all but 18 minutes of last night I lay awake. You can imagine this ongoing sleep deprivation is shattering. I have three dialysis …

Day 10

Today is the last day of Covid isolation. I return to work tomorrow morning. Thankfully I’m feeling a lot better. For me Covid has been similar to a heavy cold as far a symptoms. I am left with a heavy cough and blocked nose but little else. During the past 10 days the biggest issue …

Washed Out

A reflection on the past few days