Attn All Oldies: Then and Now...

Rachel in NY · Post by **Rachel in NY** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:16 pm

To all the newcomers to the board, welcome, and hope your stay will be short!

To all the old 'originals' that have moved on, can you post a quick update? I think about all of you from time to time and wondering how you're all faring now... would love to hear where you are in your lives. It so bothers me that someone I used to communicate with on a regular basis, and then dropped off, that he's no longer around and I didn't even know it right away. So I was thinking about him.. and then thinking about all of you, and well, lets hear it!

I'll start with myself!

I am no longer the 14 years old you met many years ago (on the old board), LOL. I am 20, i'm nearing my FIFTH year transplantiversary... was working at a dead end job - well it wasn't dead end but i didn't like it and then changed and still didn't like it and now fun and breaks over and back in college to finish up getting all the credentials I need to teach special ed.

In the summer I am going to be a counselor in the camp I used to go to in the good (and not so good) days.. so I'm really looking forward to that.

Well, that was me. Go on all of you, please post

Or I will begin calling out names.

Rachel

JMan · Post by **JMan** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:39 am

Hmm What's to say, According to my profile I signed up in April 2004!

I live at home sharing with 2 cats, a lot of plants, oh & of course the AP's:) I dialyse at home.

I pay them a tokenistic sum by way of food & board, & try & throw in a bit of cleaning etc when I can.

At some point I shall blog about the whole saga of getting onto home haemo, & believe you me it IS a story in itself. I've only today seen the light of the final paperwork process! Despite the fact I've been dialysing at home for quite some time!

What else:) I've met some fantastic people, at the meets. Somehow 2008 has to happen!

I've even met Cheryl

And I want to meet so many more of you:)

The long hectic story titled JMan will probably linger. I'm still passionate about plants, women, kites, photography, & homegrown food! I still support an ever growing number of charities.
I've got some dark secrets that I'm not telling you.

NSFW...

I Blog, I surf, I waste time on facebook like everyone else!

Any questions? NEXT...

Have a nice day!

J

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:01 am

Hey Rachel,

What a great topic, I am doing very well, over half way throguh my nursing degree, so in like 18 months I'll be a fully fledged and qualified nurse!! wahoo!!

I celebrated my 4th transplantiversary at Christmas. I'm not doing any sport any more... maybe soon. Life is as busy as ever, currently working on a short stay surgery ward, as well as trying to write a 6000 word essay and 4000 and do numerous other things.

I live with Mike (my kiwi boyfriend) in Cardiff bay, we've been together for coming up to 2 years, we travelled to New Zealand in Jan, for his brother wedding, it was nice to meet his family.

I am still doing St John, mainly youh work, but everynow and then I do do other things like duty, (On Friday night I went out on the Ambulance answering 999 calls, which was pretty cool, and a bit of an adrenaline rush)

I think about many people frequently, but as you said Rachel, it is nice to have some new faces. I think this board can only go from strength to strength.

When we all look back, (for us oldies) it was HERE we came to vent our anger, and HERE we came to moan, and HERE we came for support for everything. Times change, we all learn different coping mechanisms, and for this reason I think it is why we don't 'live' on the board so to speak.

Great to hear you are doing so well Rachel, camp counsellor should be cool, I often think about you.

xx

Nicky · Post by **Nicky** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 11:57 am

Hiay - I think I signed up about 4 years ago - not sure! At that time I had a working transplant but for the last 2 years I've been back on dialysis.
I'm on APD at the moment and having learned to programme the machine for myself rather than relying on the nurses has made a huge difference - even more independence! Unfortunately I'm up for a parathyroidectomy - need to have an ultrasound first. Other than that, I'm well - husband is putting himself up for paired donation (or is it pooled?!) my duaghter is nearly 7

(how did that happen?!) and I'm loving working at the Eden Project. Nice to hear how everyone is doing. I haven't written so much recently - but I always read the board.

tommc · Post by **tommc** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 12:28 pm

Hi Rachel,

Its Tom. Signed up 3 ish years ago i think cant be bothered to check. Im still workin at the University of the West of Scotland as a systems analyst. Still pissing everyone off lol.

Going to the Gym regularily just to stand round the water cooler posing as you do

lol. Still living alone thank god for takeawy or i would starve. Hmm mabye i would be thin if i didnt live alone and therfore actually bothered to cook more often.

Still on PD having no problems (Touching every peice of wood i can find and looking for the salt just incase) a transplant would be nice but not in a rush.

Love from Scotland. Tom

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:05 pm

Itâ€™s Bill:

Iâ€™m fast approaching 35 years and not much new (my transplant not my age..I wish). I still am an engineer in the pharmaceutical industry (if you canâ€™t beat them, join them).

The thing most notable at this time is I plan to compete in, for my first time, the U.S. transplant games in July. I will be doing both cycling events.

My biggest recent accomplishment was last year I logged 2,978 miles (4,793 km) on my bike. I doubt Iâ€™ll have the time to top that this year.

gary in bc · Post by **gary in bc** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:18 pm

Hi
I'm still on dialysis, however, the cancer has been in remission for three years, so I am being re-assessed for transplant. Still working as much as ever. Hoping to retire in 3 years at 55. I now have a gorgeous 2 year old grandaugher.
This board has been a great source of information and comfort. I don't know where I could have met so many compassionate people.
I don't post as often, but I check a lot.
Gary in B.C.

xXx Holz xXx · Post by **xXx Holz xXx** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:17 pm

Hi everyone, what a great idea for a post!

I have had great support from the people on this board over the past 3 and a bit years (doesn't time fly), So thank you for that!!!!

I am still on Heamodialysis the usual 3x a week (luckily still only doing 3 hours a session), still waiting for the call to come. I'm in my 2nd year at uni doing a BA Hons in Early Childhood Studies and lovin it! In my spare time I like raising awareness about organ donation, thru the media and I'm currently writing an article for my Uni Newspaper! I still love shopping (don't ever think I'll grow out of that), going clubbing and I'm really starting to get into this blogging lark! I recently found out that I'm going to be an Auntie so I'm super excited about that and I'm counting down to my 21st birthday... 25days to go..

So thats me in a nutshell!!!

Hope you are all keeping well x

amanda in CA · Post by **amanda in CA** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:12 pm

Bill, what are you going to "precipitate" into?

amanda in CA · Post by **amanda in CA** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:19 pm

I think that I have been posting for 5 years since I had to go back onto dialysis. Blake, my little boy was 2.5 at the time and is now 7 - can't believe it. Had a few other issues crop up during this time, seizures and congestive heart failure, seem to be under control. Have moved home from California to Georgia, big cheap houses as opposed to little, very expensive ones. Have a yellow car at the moment from all the pollen off the trees. Recently got a big, soppy golden retriever, called Wilson, so as our last name is Wilson, so he is Wilson Wilson. I like Georgia a lot although I may change my mind when it gets hot and humid again.

No plans to move back to the UK in the near future, bit worried that I may be on HD in the not too distant future and then I won't be able to travel back to visit family. (certainly ain't paying thousands for private haemo, cos they could get off their a**** to visit me which they won't.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:18 pm

I've been posting around four years I think and since then my life has significantly changed. I have been dialysing 26 years and finally got onto the transplant list only to find my liklihood of a match is low but I still live in hope.
I am still studying for my degree with the OU and loving it even though the time contraints around dialysis are a little tough. I have found I am doing much better than I could ever have hoped for and at the moment I am on track for a good grade. I have decided to specialise in Humanities with History and Literature and I am around half way through.
I have also become a very proud auntie to two little boys-not twins called Benjamin and his brother Oliver who is just a month old. It is a role I am relishing and love spoiling them rotten as much as possible.
Sadly we lost our beloved cat last year but have since adopted 2 kittens called Mack and Mabel and they are very loving but Mack thinks he is Laurence Lewellyn Bowen as he is constantly trying to redecorate the hall by stripping the wallpaper and ripping up the carpet. They are very people orientated though and don't like to be left alone for too long and will actively seek us out.
Finally I am still doing lots of craft stuff inbetween everything else and learning new techiniques all the time.

SteveUK · Post by **SteveUK** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:10 pm

Hi there, great idea this by the way.

My life is kinda busy at the minute and I don't get to post as much as I used to.... I've been posting here for about 5 years now so I hope I'm what is referred to as a regular.

I'm work 24 hours a week now, supervising at a fruit production warehouse, I used to work there years ago, and I was offered the job in February. Other than that and more importantly to me is that the band I am in are getting a few gigs now, and we're working on our first album. We're playing at the Oh! Bar in Camden, London, so if anyone fancies coming along to show their support then it'll be great. Have a look on www.myspace.com/thesurgeuk and (shameless plug I know) have a listen.

Kidney wise everythings great, nearly five years post transplant now, not much to report there.

Best wishes to all,
Steve

~G~ · Post by **~G~** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:58 pm

Hi everyone!!

So.. then? well you know. I wasn't a kidney patient.. only a carer to Rachel

I got married 3 years ago.. I moved 2 years ago.. wow, so long ago!

Now? Right now my current life is all jumbled into one singleminded obsession to have a child. This is my life now. Every bit of energy, time, emotions, money, etc - is all going into this. I had a miscarriage right when I got married, since then have been diagnosed with infertility, and trying EVERYTHING - artifician insemination, IVF, medications, shots, you name it. Everything has failed. In Feb while prepping for another IVF Cycle (you just never give up) I discovered I was pregnant. A miracle pregnancy. A double miracle bc it was identicals. I lost it last week! Its over. And I would say my life is over.. but not yet.

Now are the holidays (passover) then vacation, then probably rob a bank or 2, and then back to my obsession untill I get my way!

Bill · Post by **Bill** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:34 pm

"Bill, what are you going to "precipitate" into?"

Sorry spell check error.

Fixed.

Bill

jenjen · Post by **jenjen** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:32 pm

I've been posting since summer 2005 after my shock diagnosis of almost complete kidney failure.... went on dialysis almost straight away.... then I got a transplant in Feb

Life-wise, I successfully finished and was examined for my PhD despite being on dialysis, and am now officially a Doctor!! I got a full-time lecturing job in Scotland, also despite being on dialysis, and work like a crazy person trying to sort out teaching, research and admin. I was just about to go off on a 2 month visit to Tanzania for research, but got my tx so thats on hold for a while. I love where I live as its right on the beach, next to a ruined cathedral and a castle, but do miss the craziness of the big city