Being Average

I have had a lot of progress in the last week, I am now flying solo with my dialysis exchanges!! I do 4 of them a day and to be honest, like everything else, this will take a little time getting used to. The biggest hurdle I need to get over is my confidence. I spent the last week doing the exchanges over and over again, but doing them at home somehow is different for me.

It is not hard to do, and really not nearly as time consuming as I thought they would be. I have found the most challenging things to be getting the bags to the proper temperature and getting all the required supplies. Now gathering the supplies is not much of a challenge as to remember to get everything the first time.

The funniest thing that has happened is Torre comparing me to a new born baby this morning. She said "think about it, you are now on a whole new schedule, a new eating schedule, and you have to do the exchanges (comparing it to changing a diaper change), you are like a new born baby!!" It cracked me up and helped lighten my mood, as much as this is a difference in my life and as I adapt, she helps me see the brighter side of things!!

As for the exchanges, they take less than an hour to complete, which includes getting what I need, draining and then filling again. I think once I become proficient with it, I can get it down to 30 to 45 min which I don't believe is bad at all.

The next milestone I have to look forward to is after about 6 weeks, there is a chance I can get on a machine that will do the exchanges for me overnight, so then I will just hook up at night and unhook in the morning. Most people qualify for this type of treatment and as the nurse said yesterday, I am "average". Average meaning that I drain and fill in an adequate time period and I am pulling off an adequate amount of fluid each time, which is what they seem to be happy with. If this is what it means to be "average", then I am happy to be just that Average!!

Perspective

I had the opportunity to participate in a candle light vigil tonight to help raise awareness for Organ and Tissue donation. It brought it home to me that this is so much bigger than I am. As people got up and told their story of how organ donation has touched their lives and with my wife's eyes filled with tears I was so humbled.

I recently went back and read each of my blog posts and it seems that I am pretty repetitive. The message I would like to send, is that no matter what situation you are in, your outlook is the most important. I have friends and know people who are going through some pretty tough stuff, and if you ask them they think what I am going through is much more difficult, but when I hear what they are going through I think they are going through much more difficult times.

For me, as I have said before there is an end to what I am going through, sure, it may take a little time, but it is there. Unfortunately, I have some friends who are going through relationship struggles some of which either are or have resulted in divorce. Other friends have struggled with life threatening disease and illness who toe the line daily with living and dying.

That is why I say to me it all about perspective with the situation you are facing. Keep your chin up and face whatever it is you have to face head on with the best attitude you can - it will make a difference in the end result!! You can do anything you want and as I always say, "The only thing that can limit you is your own imagination!!"