Kidney Wings My Journey

Friday, March 15, 2013

Tests

I am sitting here at Valley getting a 4 hour test done on my small intestine and having to drink a crap load of barium... Yuk

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Hello all,
It's been awhile since I really wrote on my blog. I was going through some things but I am getting better. I have found a new outlet for a lot of my emotions... Painting! And I love it painting gives me a way out, a place to go, where nothing matters but the art. I have even creating my own little shop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Emotionalbirst. I should have done this on dialysis but I was always
So tired but I suggest just a little a day to help with a break from the real world. Check out the
Website and I hope it makes you feel the same emotions as me or even better!

Friday, February 15, 2013

2/15/13

Lost...

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Surgeon who carried out the first successfull kidney transplant

Nobel winner and organ transplant pioneer Joseph Murray dies at 93

Nobel Prize winner Joseph Murray, 71, smiles after learning that he had received the honor for medicine along with another American, in this file picture taken on Oct. 8, 1990.

By Mary Slosson

updated 11/27/2012 1:28:17 AM ET

(Reuters) - Dr. Joseph Murray, the surgeon who carried out the first successful kidney transplant and later won a Nobel Prize for his work in medicine and physiology, died on Monday in Boston at the age of 93.

Murray died after suffering a stroke last Thursday, Brigham and Women's Hospital spokesman Tom Langford said.
Murray and his team completed the first human organ transplant in 1954, taking a kidney from one identical twin and giving it to his twin brother, opening a new field in medicine, the hospital said.
"The world is a better place because of all Dr. Murray has given. His legacy will forever endure in our hearts and in every patient who has received the gift of life through transplantation," hospital president Dr. Elizabeth Nabel said in a statement.
Later in his career, Murray continued to search for ways of suppressing a patient's immune response to prevent it from rejecting foreign tissue, eventually becoming a co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1990.
"Difficulties are opportunities. This is a quote that sits atop my father's desk at home. It reflects the unwavering optimism of a great man who was generous, curious, and always humble," his son Rick said in a statement.
Murray began a career in medicine on graduating from Harvard Medical School in the 1940s, and developed an interest in transplanting tissue while working with service personnel injured in World War Two, according to the Britannica Online Encyclopedia.
He completed his surgical training at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and later returned to join the staff and serve as chief of plastic surgery.
With broad interests beyond medicine, Murray said in a brief autobiography for the Nobel Prize organization that he and his extended family had been "blessed in our lives beyond my wildest dreams."
"My only wish would be to have 10 more lives to live on this planet. If that were possible, I'd spend one lifetime each in embryology, genetics, physics, astronomy and geology," he said.
"The other lifetimes would be as a pianist, backwoodsman, tennis player, or writer for the National Geographic."
More than 600,000 people worldwide have received transplants since Murray's innovation, the hospital said.
(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Nurse put kidney for patient transplant in trash

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48800305/ns/health-health_care/#.UDuhVNaPV2A<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48800305/ns/health-health_care/

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Goodbye Alison

I lost a very wonderful friend that I met through my blog. Alison was waitng for a kidney pancreas transplant. I am sorry I am just at a loss right now this is the first person I have known with reanal failure and to have lost and I don't understand it. I just know I want everyone to take a minute and just think about Alison. I know she is in a better place and I know she isn't feeling anymore pain. I am one of MANY people who will miss her and I will never forget our friendship she kept me fighting right along with her.

http://yourlifemoments.ca/images/moments/2012/4/NUANN138671.jpg

HANN, Alison Jane - (1957-2012) - Alison passed away peacefully at the North Bay Regional Health Centre on Saturday April 7, 2012 at the age of 54 years. Beloved wife of Frank Hann. Loving mother of Sara, Suzanne, Laura and Kennedy. Also survived by her mother Yvonne Langille. Predeceased by her father Bill Langille. Alison leaves a legacy of love, courage, hope and faith, she will be sadly missed. A celebration of her life will be held on Friday April 13th at Christ Anglican Church at 11 am. Donations to the Kidney Foundation in memory of Alison will be gratefully acknowledged by her family. Funeral arrangements entrusted to HILLSIDE FUNERAL SERVICES, 362 Airport Rd. Online condolences can be made at www.hillsidefuneral.ca 11219772

Saturday, April 14, 2012

April 13th-1 year anniversary

Well yesterday was my 1 year post transplant. Wow, I can't believe it's been a year...I have a lot of mixed emotions with this whole year, with the whole 3 years. We all went to A Different Point of View for dinner (Steven,Char,James,Lindsey,Jeff,Ryan, and me) It was good, Well Lindsey and James had the BEST DINNERS! Lins had snapper and James had Lamb and OMG I am not sure which one was better but it was between there meals. Mine tasted like pure salt lol but I don't salt my food so if you put salt on my food I notice,Char thought it was dry (she had what I had) Oh I didn't even say what I had lol I had the chiefs special risotto with lobster and cauliflower and halibut on top. It was also really rich but my sister being the WONDERFUL person she is switched me plates so I got to eat some of her snapper but she said she understood how I thought there was too much salt, she said it was not bad for her but a person who doesn't salt different story. Sas,Jeff and Ryan all had steak and potatoes...I got to try Sas's steak and HOT DAMN I should have tried it before he salted OMG. I think I know why I feel dehydrated today :). Char got a bottle of wine, not sure what kind but she said it was an Oregon Pino and it was really tasty not too dry and not sweet, I enjoyed it...but it did smell like urine HAHAHA. (I am trying Kim) I was really tired by the end of the night thought I don't stay up late and when I do I am usually laying on the couch talking to Char. I will talk more about what I am feeling another time its just right now I don't know how to describe my thoughts and emotions, but I will.
Oh before I forget the kidney walk was great the family should up and I loved it! My cousin Paige and Andrea were both there which was fantastic and I was really happy they could both make it. Uncle Jim was there too, he was really busy lol my parents took us out to lunch on Saturday and it was yummy. I also got to finally meet Steve and Andre!!!! It was a good time.
Well I better go Andrea is getting married today, it's suppose to rain but I hear that is good luck for rain on your wedding day but the wedding is outside so if it rains after that would be fantastic. But no matter what this will be a wonderful day for Andrea and Carlos.

10 Symptoms of Kidney Disease

Symptom 1: Changes in Urination

Kidneys make urine, so when the kidneys are failing, the urine may change. How?

■ You may have to get up at night to urinate.
■ Urine may be foamy or bubbly. You may urinate more often, or in greater amounts than usual, with pale urine.
■ You may urinate less often, or in smaller amounts than usual with dark colored urine.
■ Your urine may contain blood.
■ You may feel pressure or have difficulty urinating.

What patients said:
"When you go to use the restroom, you couldn't get it all out. And it would still feel just like tightness down there, there was so much pressure."
"My urine is what I had started noticing. Then I was frequently going to the bathroom, and when I got there, nothing's happening. You think, 'Hey, I've got to go to the john,' and you get there: two, three drops."
"I was passing blood in my urine. It was so dark it looked like grape Kool-Aid. And when I went to the hospital they thought I was lying about what color it was."
Symptom 2: Swelling
Failing kidneys don't remove extra fluid, which builds up in your body causing swelling in the legs, ankles, feet, face, and/or hands.

What patients said:
"I remember a lot of swelling in my ankles. My ankles were so big I couldn't get my shoes on."
"My sister, her hair started to fall out, she was losing weight, but her face was really puffy, you know, and everything like that, before she found out what was going on with her."
"Going to work one morning, my left ankle was swollen, real swollen, and I was very exhausted just walking to the bus stop. And I knew then that I had to see a doctor."
Symptom 3: Fatigue
Healthy kidneys make a hormone called erythropoietin (a-rith'-ro-po'-uh-tin) that tells your body to make oxygen-carrying red blood cells. As the kidneys fail, they make less erythropoietin. With fewer red blood cells to carry oxygen, your muscles and brain become tired very quickly. This condition is called anemia, and it can be treated.

What patients said:
"I was constantly exhausted and didn't have any pep or anything."
"I would sleep a lot. I'd come home from work and get right in that bed."
"It's just like when you're extremely tired all the time. Fatigued, and you're just drained, even if you didn't do anything, just totally drained."
Symptom 4: Skin Rash/Itching
Kidneys remove wastes from the bloodstream. When the kidneys fail, the buildup of wastes in your blood can cause severe itching.

What patients said:
"It's not really a skin itch or anything, it's just right down to the bone. I had to get a brush and dig. My back was just bloody from scratching it so much."
"My skin had broke out, I was itching and scratching a lot."
Symptom 5: Metallic Taste in Mouth/Ammonia Breath
A buildup of wastes in the blood (called uremia) can make food taste different and cause bad breath. You may also notice that you stop liking to eat meat, or that you are losing weight because you just don't feel like eating.

What patients said:
"Foul taste in your mouth. Almost like you're drinking iron."
"You don't have the appetite you used to have."
"Before I started dialysis, I must have lost around about 10 pounds."
Symptom 6: Nausea and Vomiting
A severe buildup of wastes in the blood (uremia) can also cause nausea and vomiting. Loss of appetite can lead to weight loss.

What patients said:
"I had a lot of itching, and I was nauseated, throwing up all the time. I couldn't keep anything down in my stomach."
"When I got the nausea, I couldn't eat and I had a hard time taking my blood pressure pills."
Symptom 7: Shortness of Breath
Trouble catching your breath can be related to the kidneys in two ways. First, extra fluid in the body can build up in the lungs. And second, anemia (a shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells) can leave your body oxygen-starved and short of breath.

What patients said:
"At the times when I get the shortness of breath, it's alarming to me. It just fears me. I think maybe I might fall or something so I usually go sit down for awhile."
"I couldn't sleep at night. I couldn't catch my breath, like I was drowning or something. And, the bloating, can't breathe, can't walk anywhere. It was bad."
"You go up a set of stairs and you're out of breath, or you do work and you get tired and you have to stop."
Symptom 8: Feeling Cold
Anemia can make you feel cold all the time, even in a warm room.

What patients said:
"I notice sometimes I get really cold, I get chills."
"Sometimes I get really, really cold. It could be hot, and I'd be cold."
Symptom 9: Dizziness and Trouble Concentrating
Anemia related to kidney failure means that your brain is not getting enough oxygen. This can lead to memory problems, trouble with concentration, and dizziness.

What patients said:
"I know I mentioned to my wife that my memory—I couldn't remember what I did last week, or maybe what I had 2 days ago. I couldn't really concentrate, because I like to work crossword puzzles and read a lot."
"I was always tired and dizzy."
"It got to the point, like, I used to be at work, and all of the sudden I'd start getting dizzy. So I was thinking maybe it was my blood pressure or else diabetes was going bad. That's what was on my mind."
Symptom 10: Leg/Flank Pain
Some people with kidney problems may have pain in the back or side related to the affected kidney. Polycystic kidney disease, which causes large, fluid-filled cysts on the kidneys and sometimes the liver, can cause pain.

What patients said:
"About 2 years ago, I was constantly going to the bathroom all the time, the lower part of my back was always hurting and I was wondering why...and they diagnosed that kidney problem."
"And then you're having to get up all time through the night, and then you have the side ache, a backache, and you can't move."
"At night, I would get a pain in my side. It was worse than labor pain. And I'd be crying and my husband would get up, everybody, rubbing my legs."