Tell tale signs that even though Mom is ailing and definitely not at her best, she's better than she was 4 years ago.
Priceless moment today.
We were prepping for her dialysis session when a fellow patient said to Mom, "did you hear what happened to your team today?"
She shook her head no.
At first, he did not want to be the one to break the news to her but then acquiesced.
He said, "Eric Wedge has been fire along with his whole staff."
A huge shriek and Hallelujah echoed throughout the entire dialysis center sending the ward we were in into a frenzy of laughter.
It's rare to be happy or experience upside moments during the awful dialysis procedure.
But even through her rough weak and feeling like crap, Mom did it again.
She managed to put smiles on dozens of peoples' faces by just being herself!
Showing posts with label dialysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dialysis. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
I can't even imagine
I can not even imagine what Mom has to go through at her dialysis sessions (really every day if you count the collateral damage from dialysis).
We arrive and I know she is dreading the next number of hours. Yet, it's saving her life. And, when we see some of the other folks who are really worse off than Mom, we just raise our eyes to God and give thanks for Mom's health and life.
I felt worse Monday. Not only did she have a tech who had hurt her before. But she had come off of a previous session which was AWFUL because the tech really did not know what they were doing.....
But then we went to turn on her small toaster-sized television, and nothing. That little box which emits sound and pictures is Mom's life saver each session. Ya know how some parents use the TV as a babysitter, or diversion for their children. Well, the TV keeps Mom's mind pre-occupied (as much as she can) from the whole dialysis process: the needles, the pain, the stiff neck and back problems.....and the worst part, when she cramps up.
All I can do is pray each day that God will help her get through each session, and hopefully, the people who are initiating the process are gentle, kind, and knowledgeable of their craft.
We arrive and I know she is dreading the next number of hours. Yet, it's saving her life. And, when we see some of the other folks who are really worse off than Mom, we just raise our eyes to God and give thanks for Mom's health and life.
I felt worse Monday. Not only did she have a tech who had hurt her before. But she had come off of a previous session which was AWFUL because the tech really did not know what they were doing.....
But then we went to turn on her small toaster-sized television, and nothing. That little box which emits sound and pictures is Mom's life saver each session. Ya know how some parents use the TV as a babysitter, or diversion for their children. Well, the TV keeps Mom's mind pre-occupied (as much as she can) from the whole dialysis process: the needles, the pain, the stiff neck and back problems.....and the worst part, when she cramps up.
All I can do is pray each day that God will help her get through each session, and hopefully, the people who are initiating the process are gentle, kind, and knowledgeable of their craft.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
So many causes, so little time
There are so many causes in the world today, and every single one of them is valid and newsworthy. As the saying goes, pick your battles wisely...and I guess that's how we should champion our causes so as not to be totally overwhelmed.
As something hits close to home, it seems we become more passionate about it and embrace it.
Mom came home from dialysis today with a stack full of flyers stating at the top "Make your voice heard to Congress!"
As many of you may have read in an earlier post, I hate politics. I think there are a handful of people pulling all the strings and, at times, the little guy really has no say. However, that does not mean we should give up the fight!
I'd like to get up on this soap box for a few minutes because I do have someone on dialysis with kidney issues.
Try to make the time to log onto http://www.capitolconnect.com/kidneycare/default.aspx.
This is for the Kidney Care Partners Community Petition. Basically, it says that more than 26 million Americans alone suffer from CKD which is Chronic Kidney Disease. Many people do not even know they have it, and if left untreated will more than likely lead to kidney failure and End-Stage Renal Disease.
The numbers are staggering. They project the # of people with kidney failure will DOUBLE over the next ten years.
Most should be covered by Medicare but it appears that this petition is pushing for Congress (my favorite people) to pass kidney-related Medicare reforms which hopefully in the long run will help this problem.
Allegedly, these reforms would
As something hits close to home, it seems we become more passionate about it and embrace it.
Mom came home from dialysis today with a stack full of flyers stating at the top "Make your voice heard to Congress!"
As many of you may have read in an earlier post, I hate politics. I think there are a handful of people pulling all the strings and, at times, the little guy really has no say. However, that does not mean we should give up the fight!
I'd like to get up on this soap box for a few minutes because I do have someone on dialysis with kidney issues.
Try to make the time to log onto http://www.capitolconnect.com/kidneycare/default.aspx.
This is for the Kidney Care Partners Community Petition. Basically, it says that more than 26 million Americans alone suffer from CKD which is Chronic Kidney Disease. Many people do not even know they have it, and if left untreated will more than likely lead to kidney failure and End-Stage Renal Disease.
The numbers are staggering. They project the # of people with kidney failure will DOUBLE over the next ten years.
Most should be covered by Medicare but it appears that this petition is pushing for Congress (my favorite people) to pass kidney-related Medicare reforms which hopefully in the long run will help this problem.
Allegedly, these reforms would
- Educate the public about kidney disease
- Give pre-dialysis education in order to slow down the disease, if possible
- Enhance much needed training for dialysis care technicians
- Help give kidney patients access to quality treatment without high costs
- Overall, promote greater awareness about this growing problem
I've seen a dialysis session. I'm there with Mom as she tries to get all the kinks out after sitting in the same position for over four hours...while the tech takes the needles out of her arm....and the bottom line is, if you don't do this, you die.
If we can all band together to get the word out, and try to make a difference, maybe one day we will.
Even if this cause is not one you wish to champion, I hope you sit back, contemplate, and think of a few causes that are near and dear to your heart, and then jump in with both feet, head first!
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