My Amazing Wife
January 1998
We know or should know that a marriage is a partnership. We give, love and share with each other as if we are a part of each other that cannot function without the other. This is how Renee’s and mine relationship is and I give the Lord thanks for each moment we have together. I cannot fathom my life without her, in fact it’s hard to comprehend a single day without her. Sad but true, we have spent many of days away from each other because of my too many days in hospital. She has driven many miles to see me in numerous hospitals even if it meant getting to see me only a short time and then again to return home just because of the long drives. Renee’s love and faithfulness astounds me every moment of my days.
As the first days of dialysis turned into weeks and months we realized I wasn’t fairing well, in fact my body was not hanging in regardless of my attitude and persistence. Renee did amazing as she took such good care of me as I was falling behind. The extra special diet to give me protein and strength and right down to cleaning up after me when I failed to hit the bucket when throwing up after every dialysis treatment, sometimes even in the worse of times, a good laugh can still be found by us both.
It’s strange how dialysis works, suck out, super filter and pump all that blood back in, all in 3 to 5 hours! It worked, all the water retention disappeared, unfortunately so did my body mass from 140 lbs down to 105 lbs. I was super skinny and struggled to eat enough calories. The schedule was tough, 3 to 4 treatments a week every other day.. I think the only joy out of each treatment was the friendships I made with my fellow dialysis patients.
These people, like me, sick, were in for the long haul. They were here before me by months if not longer and now settled in for the long battle. I in turn had the hope for a kidney transplant in fact I was put on the list during the first two weeks. I actually battled feeling guilty, my hope for transplant when most all couldn’t have one. There are many reasons why they couldn’t get on the list just as it is with any organ transplant but nonetheless, their healing wouldn’t be with a new kidney. Their battle would be on the ground through that giant blood filter, they fight, I’ve seen them, the true warrior’s they are!
It was around the third month of repetitive treatments when Renee had an aggressive thought, maybe she could give me one of her kidneys!
My Love, My Best Friend