Well after a decades long battle with CKD (chronic kidney disease) I went to the kidney doctor this morning and got the news that i am down to 20-21% Kidney function. I was doing great for all these years and now it is beginning to catching up with my (old) azz. The doc says i should begin to mentally prepare for a huge life change coming in about 6 months to a year.

With the failure of my kidneys come other issues, like high potassium, urea, etc... It will begin to take its toll on my inners fairly quick. I have like 3 options, dialysis (2 kinds) and a transplant. The third is to do nothing and well see what happens . At just below 18% he wants me to consider starting dialysis. I have seen the machines (tour) and all the dam tubes, needles, noise,etc.. and the thought of this really does not sit too well.

I got CKD when i had strep throat many many years ago and did not go to the doctors (tough guy) and got a kidney infection leading to this very monment.

Does anybody out there have to do dialysis or had a transplant??. I'd like to know your thoughts and maybe ideas of making dialysis more comfortable.

Looks like i finally met my match.... TIME

Regards, Jim

 

That's rough man. I have a cousin that I'm very close to. He had the transplant, his Son was the donor. It has taken him about three years , and several bad scares, but he is doing pretty good. There seems to be a long drawn out process getting the rejection medications right afterward Good luck, and We'll be pulling for you.
Get on the waiting list now, you can always pass later if you decide not to have the transplant. If your lucky you have a common blood type

 

Hang in there bucky.... we are all headin' down the same road

 

Sorry to hear your news. I am starting to learn about it myself through my mom, she was diagnosed back in January and the bad news is she is 78. She has been told that a transplant will never be a option at her age and dialysis will come soon.
Now for some good news, one of my friends just had a transplant 3 months ago and is doing great. He is 52 and says he feels better than he has in 20 yrs.
From what I'm learning is be proactive in everything that you need to do

 

Bucky,
I have read most of your posts and you remind me of a buddy I had in high school. He was shooting insulin in grade school. After we graduated from high school he moved to Kansas City, so I used to go there and party with him. He would drink like a fish and drink orange juice the next morning like a camel drinking water. He got married and named his kids Woody, Teal and Drake. Yes he was a duck hunter! He went in to have a kidney transplant, but had to have heart surgery first. I haven't seen him in several years, but talk to his brother. The dude is like the bionic man! He has had many surgeries. The last time I talked to him was at his Mother's funeral several years ago. He had a stroke a few years back, but I have never seen anybody that had a better view on life. He still loved fishing and being outdoors and worked part time at a convenience store. As we used to say in the 70's, "Keep on Truckin' Brother." If he can do it, so can you!!
As I always say, "I can't help getting old, but I can stay immature forever!"
Peace!

 

While it is not a kidney transplant, my uncle lived for nearly 15 years with a heart transplant. His heart was so bad that he was put on a prtable heart machine that gave him 90 days to live---to find a donor. He received a new heart and lived a great life until colon cancer finally go him.

Hang in there---a transplant can give you new life---and with the new anti-rejection meds, a tremendous % of them are not rejected.

Tim C.

 

I'm very sorry Buck. That pretty well sucks. My sister in law was on dialysis for several years. It seems to me that there is a steady deterioration with it. If it were me, I would really explore the transplant first and let dialysis be the second option. Again, I hope it all works out for your good.

 

hang in there sir, we're pulling for you.

 

my gramps had the same problem. he did the dialasis (sp?) bit but never a transplant. i was in korea when all this happened so i didnt get to see him until after and he had lost a bit of weight but looked good. after i got to missouri i stopped in and we talked. he was happy, happy that the machine gave him more time with his family and to enjoy his retirement. he passed about 4 yrs later but of other things. he had a great family to support him and he got to do the things that he might have missed if not for the machine. i feel for you and hope for the best. dont forget to use it like a 2nd chance and leave no words unspoken and deeds undone. good luck!!!!

 

My wife is going to be a doner for her brother. She is in a program that if she isn't a match for him, she gives up the kidney anyways, and that puts him higher on the list for a suitable doner. I am not to happy about it.. but it is her body. BTW... her brother had a previous transplant, but the disease took that one too. Now needs another. I hope you do well thru this.. Prayers from my end.....

 

Welp, you're screwed.

Just kidding Buckaroo. I'd take spending a few hours hooked up to a machine to keep me alive over dyin any day...

 

Hang in there, its not the old age that made you sick...its the diesease it self. But life is always throwing us curve *****, ya just have to make the best of it...

 

best wishes for you buck

 

Sorry to hear about that Buck, hope everything works out for ya. We're all with you man.

 

My Uncle goes in for dialysis. Look into the transplant. He won't come out and say it, because he is so stubborn, but i know he hates it. He is strong willed and has never liked to rely on anyone (or anything for that matter), and i think knowing he has to have dialysis eats him up. Also as it was mentioned earlier, you will still notice a deteriation. He just cant do it all anymore. Best of luck to you, and you might wanna lay off those trash throwers till you get this lined out...