Monday, February 28, 2011

What a year it has been!

I can't believe that almost a year has gone by since I was diagnosed with having end-stage renal failure. What a difference a year makes! So much has happened in just the last few months. Back in December I got some information about doing home dialysis. I looked it over and thought that would work really well for us and our busy life. We started training on January 17 and right away I could tell the difference. I had more energy and wasn't feeling so wiped out all the time. Let me tell you when I was doing dialysis at the center I always left feeling drained and tired and it would take a whole day to feel back to normal then it was time to go back. So the difference right away was night and day. We trained Monday thru Friday from 8:30 - any where from 2-4. depending on what kind of training we did after my dialysis run. Here are a couple pics from the training time.

My machine and chair. All set up and ready to go

Me all hooked up and getting clean.

My Awesome partner!

We were in training for 4 weeks. On February 11th we did our first run at home. Our trainer, Michele, came and sat with us to make sure all went well. On Monday the 14th we did our very first solo run. No trainer here this time. We did good. Scary, but we got thru it. Now we run 5 days a week. We can do it anytime we want when ever it fits into our schedule. I am liking it so much better. I am healthier and feeling so much better. I am already starting to get off some of my meds, which is really nice. Here are a few pics of our set up at home:

My comfy chair and my machine.

Shannon's chair and our work table.

view of the room from the door.

We also have tons of supplies we keep stored in the closet and in our bedroom closet. This room is the front bedroom where Connor slept until he informed us it was haunted. (it's really not) He is sharing a room with his brother. it has worked out really well. Once Shannon goes back to work we will be able to work around his schedule and I won't have to scramble all the time to find a sitter for the boys. This of course is temporary until I get my new kidney. Hopefully we can get rolling on that this year.

As for other stuff that has been going on: Ryan is all potty trained and I am loving not having to change diapers anymore. He did an awesome job training and is actually a better shot than his older brother! :-) He is getting big and tall. He has a super funny personality and is always making jokes and laughing. He is for sure the easier of the two boys. Connor is doing really well. Getting really tall and big. I can't believe he is going to be 9 in April. He is doing really well in school. He seems to have adjusted to the new school. He has made a friend from across the street. His name is Spencer and they both like to play Super Mario Bros on the Wii. Shannon is working for North by Northwest and still working on movies. He should be starting a new movie in the next week or so. They have several movies and a TV series lined up this year so we are hoping for a busy work year. Yeah!
This year is also a big year for Shannon and I. We both turn 40! I will be 40 before him but I am surprisingly not freaking out about it. I am actually ok with it. The last year has been a very trying, challenging year for me and I praise God for where He has brought me thus far. I know that with out God and my family and friends that I would have lost it months ago. I am truly blessed to have the support system I have. So now that 40 is literally only 19 days away I am feeling blessed and calm. At peace with were I am at in life. So 40 isn't to bad, only an age. I am not going to let it define who I am. And if you asked how old I am I will proudly tell you I am 40 (but not until the 18th!)
So I can't end this post without posting a few pics of the boys:

right after a haircut. He wanted it to be spiky like his Dads.



Ryan wanted his hair poky and with some color gel.
How could you not love both of these cute faces!!