World Kidney Day

Today is world kidney day the purpose of which is to raise awareness about the importance of our kidneys – an amazing organ that plays a crucial role in keeping us alive and well – and to spread the message that kidney disease is common, harmful and treatable.

The main job of our kidneys (which are roughly the size of two fists and are located deep in our abdomen, beneath our rib cage) is to remove toxins and excess water from our blood. Every day our kidneys filter and clean 200 liters of blood – a quantity that would fill about 200 bottles or 20 buckets! Besides this kidneys also help to control our blood pressure, to produce red blood cells and to keep our bones healthy.

Studies of different races living on different continents worldwide have consistently shown that about 1 out of 10 adults has some form of kidney damage.

People with chronic kidney disease are 10 times more likely than healthy individuals to die of heart attacks and strokes (cheerful hey?). The health of their kidneys may also progressively worsen to the point where the kidneys must be replaced (this is the stage I am at and is called "end-stage renal Failure- ESRF"). Either patients receive a new, transplanted kidney or they are kept alive with “dialysis” like me.

Detection of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is easy simple, routine tests of our urine, blood and blood pressure can show early signs of kidney problems. Goods news is that if problems are found these can be slowed down and even stop chronic kidney disease, by taking medicines and changing some of our living habits.

Click here to find out more about World Kidney Day!

The big question...

Yesterday the BBC one programme the Big Questions came from my home town of Warrington!

So the big question was… Should live donors be encouraged to provide a kidney to the transplant service by offering them financial compensation?

Britain has a shortage of kidney donors. Around 6,000 people are currently waiting to receive a transplant. In desperation some patients are traveling abroad to buy kidneys from live donors. 25 years ago Iran decided to allow live donors to sell one of their kidneys for transplant and it is claimed that waiting lists were eradicated as a result.


I was asked to appear on the programme to debate this issue; I declined however a friend and fellow dialysis patient appeared on the programme. He stated that he did not agree with this. I am tempted to agree with him and feel that those in desperate need of money may be exploited and it could end up that they would feel pressured to donate. More education and promotion into organ donation is necessary and maybe in the future the opt-out system will be put into practice to improve the shortage of organs.

Click here to see the message board from the big questions, and people’s thoughts on the subject.


Any thoughts?

Jimmy Carr

So this week has been a bit of a nightmare my mum and dad have had a tummy bug and have been really ill, they caught it off the little boy I was talking about in my last post. Thankfully I have managed to avoid it and have tried to keep as far away from them as possible (in the nicest way obviously).

My dad usually takes me to dialysis and mum picks me up, dad was too ill on Friday so mum took me (this was a bad idea) she hadn’t eaten for two days so was pale and wobbly, she dropped me off and I sent her on her way hoping she made it home without being sick (she looked awful). So I didn’t want her to come and pick me up and make herself worse so thankfully my big bro came to the rescue and picked me up! So I’m hoping they’re both over the worst of it and are on the mend.

So last night mum, dad, bro, his wife Fiona and I were all due to go on a night out to see Jimmy Carr on his latest tour (repeat offender). Mum and Dad were too ill and so I invited one of my friends and Fiona invited her sister. We had a great night, Jimmy was very funny but extremely rude, and he even managed to take the mick out of someone waiting for a kidney transplant! We queued up at the end of the show to meet him and get DVD’s and programmes signed. I let him know that I wasn’t impressed about the joke and told him I was waiting for a kidney transplant, he was a bit taken aback but his words were “Well you look pretty f***ing well though don’t you?” to which I replied thanks, he was lovely, so I forgave him and he wished me luck with my wait.

Everyday Life

Not much news really just been busy with boring old uni work, which seems to be paying off as I found out on Thursday that I passed another assignment with a mark of 73 which is a 1:1! So I’m chuffed about that!

So on the 21^st April I’m starting a Work-Based Learning placement which I’m really excited about as well as a little nervous as I don’t know how my energy levels will cope. Uni has been very helpful and have sorted it out for me to do my placement over 10 weeks part time instead of 5 weeks full time. So I’m going to be working with 6 and 7 year olds in a primary school 2.5 days a week. I have my first meeting with the teacher tomorrow, so I’ll see what I’m letting myself in for.

So dialysis hasn’t been too bad, had a dodgy time a couple of days last week with my BP so my dry weight has been put up yet again, which (as usual) I’m not happy about. I also got my blood results back and they caught me as I’ve not been as good as I should be, I’m rubbish at remembering to take my renagels (phosphate binders) I hate taking tablets (I have a fear I might choke, which is practically impossible) These ones are quite big and I have to take them anytime I eat anything!!! Apart from that everything’s ok.

I am shattered tonight as today me and my folks looked after our friend’s little boy who is 20months, so I have spent the day playing trains, singing wind the bobbin up and twinkle twinkle little star and even managed a trip to the park to feed the ducks and play on the swing! Had a fun packed day running around after him, and now an early night for me I think…

Great news... and a night on the town!

So the cats out of the bag now… and I can tell you I’m going to be an AUNTIE!! YAY!!! I’m so over excited, my sister-in-law is due on the 21^st August and both her and my bro will make great parents! Me and my mum couldn’t resist and have been buying baby outfits already! So that’s the news out of the way now back to everyday life…

Sorry for the lack of blogging been busy again with uni work, 3 more assignments handed in, only 4 more to go!!!

I’ve had a cold this week so had to miss uni a few days! I’m on the mend now and even managed a night out with the uni girls last night for one of their 21^st birthdays. You would think we had grown out of fancy dress by now but oh no…. school girls, cats, cowboys, fairies and even Marilyn Monroe were all out last night!

I had a great night, although as usual I did have to leave early as I was shattered and due to the fluid restriction couldn’t drink much (it’s not much fun being the only sober person). My patience doesn’t last long when the drunks get into the swing of things… literally, I got hit on the head twice last night by my mate Nic (see pic)!!!

So dialysis has been going ok, same old thing really… blood tests next week, to check the levels of potassium, phosphate, calcium and about a hundred more things, basically seeing whether I’m sticking to the renal diet or not and whether I’m taking my tablets!!!

So plans for next week are…. Going to uni, doing uni assignments and not forgetting dialysis, I lead an exciting life!

Uni work struggles

I think the new dry weight worked as I didn’t feel as bad at the end of dialysis It took me a few attempts to get my blood pressure but not half as long as last week so that’s good.

I’m mad busy at the mo, I’ve got uni deadlines coming out of my ears and I’m struggling to fit in doing my assignments with actually going to uni and going to dialysis. Dialysis (including travelling time) takes up over 14 hours of my week meaning I have 14 hours less every week than my friends to do my uni work. I can’t do it whilst I’m at dialysis as I am right handed and unfortunately my needles in my fistula are in my right arm.

On top of all this I’ve been asked to volunteer for Transplants in Mind. I wouldn’t mind but it’s in Birmingham on the 8^th right in the middle of my deadlines! So I’m going to have to decline until summer and focus on my uni work. I feel bad about it but I can’t physically fit it in.

No other news really other than an old friend got in contact and has asked me to get involved in setting up a North West young patients kidney group. Something needs to be put in place for young kidney patients but I don’t know when or if it will evolve into anything but I will keep you updated.

What is a dry weight?

Emily commented on my last blog asking what a dry weight was. So here is where I try and explain it. It took me a while to work out what it was when I first started dialysis!

Your dry weight is your weight after a dialysis session when all of the extra fluid in your body has been removed when there is no excess fluid in the lungs or in the tissues. Most dialysis patients don’t pass urine so fluid builds up in between each dialysis session so this is why renal patients have to have a fluid restriction. If you let too much fluid build up between sessions, it is harder to get down to your proper dry weight.

If you are way above your dry weight, fluid will make its way to your lungs or the tissues in the body especially in the ankles and this will also cause your blood pressure to rise.

If you are under your dry weight you may experience cramps/dizziness/sickness on the dialysis machine towards the end of the session. Low blood pressure is also an indication of being under your dry weight.

It is hard to regulate your dry weight as people’s weight changes all the time especially when you are relatively young like me. It’s hard to know whether weight gain is due to fluid or actual fat gained.

So last night I took the fluid off to my new dry weight of 66.5kg I removed 2.1ltrs and didn’t experience any cramps or dizziness which was great however it took me way over half an hour to get any blood pressure at all! So we’ll just have to wait and see how I get on over the next few weeks!

I’m busy doing uni work all day today as I have deadlines looming but am going to catch up with a friend later on tonight down the pub so that should take my mind of it!

Anyway I hope this post has helped Emily and anyone else who was confused about what my dry weight was!!!

Have a lovely weekend! x