Things people say...

I have found it hard to be surprised at the things some people say anymore. I had my consult with my transplant center yesterday and there was a gentleman in the room making comments about the care of his wife. It seemed easier for him to complain about the lack of his knowledge rather than taking the time to educate himself.

I try not to pay too much attention to these types of comments, but when the room is quiet and someone is talking in the volume as if they want you to hear them it gets a little hard to ignore it. It seems his primary concern was why did his wife have to do dialysis 3 times a week rather than 2 times a week and why does she have to be on such a stringent diet and why can't she drink too many fluids and on and on and on. He even made the comment that "when the doctor sees me, he turns the other way and runs"

There is no doubt in my mind that with his wife being on dialysis for the better part of a year that the information has been provided, it's just he either did not understand what they were saying, or he was not paying attention. I don't know, maybe he does understand, but just does not like the answer given to him. I am sure that if I was the doctor, and he was talking to me that way I would probably run too!!

I have not always understood the things that the doctors have told me or even liked it, but I have accepted that this is a part of my life whether I like it or not. The one answer that I would like, is why (or how) did this happen to me. Although I do not like the answer, I have accepted that I will probably never know. I really want to know more to help prevent this from happening to my family.

The one thing I can do is educate myself and hopefully be a resource to others for what I am experiencing. I enjoy helping people understand the process of transplantation and volunteer my story to people that are willing to listen. I encourage everyone to get educated, not only about transplantation, but things you want to know about.

It may be easier to complain about not having knowledge than to take the time to educate yourself, but when you take the time to become educated yourself, you will understand it a lot more than if someone were to explain it to you... at least that is the case for me!!