Dialysis Verses Transplant
May 1998
When hope wains Renee and I both find ourselves learning to adjust and keep on keeping on. Realistically what else can we? As far as I can tell & feel I cannot imagine I will survive long doing dialysis. It’s not a horrible procedure every time I go it’s just for some reason I’m not finding any improvement or relief in my health.
Every other day I drive to the dialysis center early A.M. in Bend, Oregon and get hooked up and sit there in a huge reclining leather chair. My usual is to talk to my neighboring patient, attempt to doze , attempt to eat while I get the life sucked outta me. When the procedure is completed the nurse unhooks me then I can begin the process of standing up, it’s strange but it takes awhile in order to stand up because of low blood pressure. That’s it, 5 hours a day, every other day then I get to go home to Renee. Unfortunately within the usual hour or so after arriving home i begin throwing up and sleep for 2 or so hours. By dinner time I try to eat the best I’m able too but my ultimate goal is that bed time is coming soon. The following day is an off day (no dialysis) and halfway through it I actually feel surprisingly good! Renee and I and the boys can actually do fun things but alas, tomorrow is dialysis. I’m always surprised how many people do all this just like me and seem to tolerate dialysis better than me. I guess I get the winky award but hey, we all do the best we can, sickness is no fun.
Renee and I, along with everyone we know are praying for the transplant or better yet a total healing from God. My doctor set us up for more blood work because of two total different outcomes for Renee and I to match so she can give me a kidney. Why was this such an ordeal nobody knows but moving forward in faith this 3rd testing showed we matched amazing! We once again are so empowered with excitement, faith and most of all thankfulness! The TRANSPLANT IS BACK ON.
We even were able to set the date for the end of this month, in 2 weeks my beautiful loving wife is giving me a kidney! I am truly not worthy of such a gift…..
Cody, Renee and myself up at OHSU Hospital, Portland Oregon