tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38300417457684219492024-03-13T06:47:02.220-07:00Lady in Waiting: New kidney wantedRuth Z Deming of Willow Grove PA was put on the Kidney Transplant List in October 2010, one of 53,000 Americans waiting for a kidney donation. Once every two hours a death takes place due to shortage of kidney donors. As an older American, Ruth, born in 1945, can access a donor in the non-standard category with hypertension, high creatinine level, death by cerebrovascular event plus Hep C. The wait begins.Ruth Z Deminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582780727165466659noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830041745768421949.post-43031970797389908382012-10-08T20:53:00.003-07:002013-12-05T18:42:40.503-08:00Good website on Dialysis<a href="http://bigdandme.wordpress.com/">Greg writes from Melbourne, Australia</a>. Has lots of followers and helps lots of people.<br />
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<img class="moz-attached-image" src="mailbox:///C:/Users/Ruth/AppData/Roaming/Thunderbird/Profiles/jgbuhc8d.default/Mail/mail.comcast-2.net/Inbox?number=6784543&part=1.2&type=image/jpeg&filename=photo.JPG" /> Ruth Z Deminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582780727165466659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830041745768421949.post-87865171003325153952011-01-28T12:09:00.001-08:002011-01-28T12:19:22.971-08:00Countdown to April First 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TUMitn_D5II/AAAAAAAAB1I/N_GKgcbFU98/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TUMitn_D5II/AAAAAAAAB1I/N_GKgcbFU98/s400/002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567331731583001730" border="0" /></a>Hopefully it won't look like this on the Day of my Kidney Transplant.<br /><br />Sarah passed all the tests including a psych eval. Now she's knows what her mom has gone thru since age 38 when I was diagnosed w/manic depression.<br /><br />And what a blessing it is my illness went away and I no longer need present myself to a shrink to be assessed for signs of mania or depression.<br /><br />Steadfast on my kidney-healthy diet, I had a delicious lunch today:<br /><br />- a new concoction of grated apple and carrot salad, with a handful of Craisins (dried cranberries) and chopped almonds, blended with cider vinegar and olive oil.<br /><br />- chick pea salad w/elbow macaroni (you little darlings!) and chopped celery, onion, chives, green pepper, doused w/mayo and mustard.<br /><br />My breath emits strong fumes!<br /><br />I am in a mania of trying to publish some of my work, ever since my short story "A Woman of Substance" was accepted at an online journal. "We like it a lot," wrote editor Bob Rothberg. My self-esteem about being accepted is so fucking low that I roll around around that phrase over and over again.<br /><br />Little heads pop up on the yellow schoolbus outside my window.<br /><br />My sciatica was killing me this morning over at Scott's. The bed is the worst place for me. When it aches, I say WALK RUTHIE WALK. The pain abates. When The Who filled my living room today I began dancing for the first time in many months. Dancing connotes loss of anhedonia from sciatica woes.Ruth Z Deminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582780727165466659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830041745768421949.post-39027616457295817662010-12-01T13:55:00.000-08:002010-12-01T14:34:49.465-08:00The call comes, but wait a minuteAt 11:30 this morning the call came. I didn't answer the phone tho it rang and rang b/c the Caller ID read: Unknown Name, unknown number.<br /><br />Never did it occur to me it might be Paige Lockwood, nurse coordinator at Einstein Hospital, telling me I was third in line for a new kidney that came in.<br /><br />Not even when the phone rang again and it was Dan did I answer. I was sending a very difficult email to about 15 group members from our meeting last nite and needed all my powers of concentration.<br /><br />When Dan called a second time he told me the news.<br /><br />I called Paige immediately.<br /><br />She does not have call waiting.<br /><br />The deceased donor is a 27-yo male from Philly w/Hep C who died of anoxia, the result of a drug overdose. His brain didn't get enuf oxygen. How his parents must've been waiting for the day when their son would overdose. Fortunately he's a donor.<br /><br />His kidneys are in great shape. Paige told me the creatinine level and the GFR, I think. Her substitute Debbie will be in touch later today. My phone is at my side.<br /><br />We can't expect word before 6 pm, more likely after 8. Dan will drive me. Sarah will take the train down. <br /><br />Now it's noon. I turned on NPR and heard an interview with The Bad Plus, Ethan and Reid. <a href="http://www.hereandnow.org/2010/12/01/bad-plus-jazz">Here it is</a>.<br /><br />Ada called to alert me as did Judy Diaz, who was one of only a few people I told about the potential operation. Her best friend Judy Rosenthal was transplanted at JHU.<br /><br />What to do while waiting?<br /><br />I ate. I had a big hunk of turkey with mayo, thinking the protein would be useful if I got the operation. How would green grapes help the situation? Or my homemade white bread that crumbles into five pieces when I cut it.<br /><br />Had to correct the proofs for the Compass, which I did, and tell Mark Amos to print 1,000 copies for a whopping $2,360. I'll send out an appeal to my group members.<br /><br />IF the operation goes forward, I needed to do a few things. I refilled my 2 pill boxes so I won't get charged hundreds and hundreds of dollars for my pills. <br /><br />I paid my credit card bill so I won't have to pay a late fee. I always wait to the last minute to deprive them of the moolah while I get 3-cents worth of interest myself. <br /><br />I learned I am irrational. While listening to the Bad Plus on the radio, I thought, How auspicious! When the big broad tones of one of their songs came on, I felt that the operation could indeed take place within 24 hours.<br /><br />Now, however, it’s 5:29 pm. I called Paige on her cellphone, asking her forgivenesss for bothering her.<br /><br />She said she’s off work and at home. Her home in Bensalem with the swimming pool out back. She said Nurse Debbie will be in touch.<br /><br />Now I am certain the operation won’t take place.<br /><br />But look. My life is not on the line. I am not in immediate danger. Then again, after the operation, just feed me spaghetti with tomato sauce. That’s all I ask for.Ruth Z Deminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582780727165466659noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830041745768421949.post-40453257764844289082010-11-01T10:04:00.000-07:002010-11-01T10:30:14.640-07:00I'm psyched!Just reviewed a huge packet of material from May 2010 telling me all about my future kidney transplant.<br /><br />At last I've accepted the necessity of getting it and that it very well may happen.<br /><br />Called Paige Lockwood, RN, this morning, my transplant coordinator. Very nice woman. Asked her what I'll need to bring when I am called: toiletries, meds and slippers.<br /><br />And my laptop and camera! Can't forget them. <br /><br />I feel like a teenager. Writing in her diary on the side of he bed. <br /><br />Although they say I can be called at any time, I'm thinking more like two years. <br /><br />Told her I'm recovering from sciatica. She said she knows how that feels - she's had three back surgeries. She's also had some other very serious problems....ovarian cancer, bless this good wonderful woman, who's married and lives in Bensalem PA.<br /><br />Let's take our first blog photos for this website. See the Klein Bldg envelope. That's where I have my appts. They just expanded their transplant department on the fifth floor. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TM72_JYHaUI/AAAAAAAABXk/5GU1QBBIats/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TM72_JYHaUI/AAAAAAAABXk/5GU1QBBIats/s400/002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534632556794177858" /></a><br /><br />List of meds I'll take right after transplant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TM73wIhX3CI/AAAAAAAABX8/YCU5gJ4TXwY/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TM73wIhX3CI/AAAAAAAABX8/YCU5gJ4TXwY/s400/003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534633398378159138" /></a><br /><br />If a kidney is rejected, it's most likely caused by failure to take meds correctly.<br /><br />Doubtful you can see me in my bedroom meer.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TM74MihFVuI/AAAAAAAABYE/-daHusGhzOM/s1600/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5khJLiM_ZIY/TM74MihFVuI/AAAAAAAABYE/-daHusGhzOM/s400/004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534633886392604386" /></a>Ruth Z Deminghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15582780727165466659noreply@blogger.com0