Dialysis (in layman's terms)

  After a failed attempt to restore my antibodies during plasmapheresis, I was going to start dialysis. I had never had dialysis before, and that kind of scared me at first. You see, my parents didn't want me to be on dialysis when I was younger. They both got tested before I even needed to go on it. They pretty much saved me from it. For that I'm extremely grateful. At such a young age I don't know how I would have handled dialysis. The doctors at the time wanted me on, just so that I knew the importance of staying on my medicines and trying to stay healthy.
  So whats the big deal about dialysis? Let me put it in layman's terms. When you are on dialysis its because your kidneys have shut down. When your kidneys shut down then you can't pee. When you can't pee then the liquid you drink/eat stays in your body. That is where dialysis comes in. Dialysis takes all that extra fluid and chemicals that are in your body that your kidneys would otherwise get rid of.
   Big deal? OK well imagine this. I went from drinking 3 liters of water a day down to drinking only 32 ounces of water a day. 32 ounces is equal to 4 cups. Thats not very much. When you drink to much alot of bad things can happen. Your body will start to retain all that liquid in places that you dont want it. For example, fluid will go around your heart causing it to increase blood pressure and heart rate. That will eventually end up causing heart failure in the long run if you dont take care of that. Other places the fluid will go is right around your lungs. This will cause you to have alot of breathing issues. Been there done that. I was eventually put on a respirator while they took off the excess fluid I had on me.
  So as of right now that's where I am currently in my life. I'm finishing up my associates in computer science and will be transferring to a 4 year university very soon. I'm on the transplant list at University of Pennsylvania. I spend most of my time studying or on dialysis. Any extra time I have I spend it with my fiance, Jessica. Yes we are engaged to be married once I'm done finishing school. If anything important comes up I will be updating as soon as I can. Hopefully the next post I put up is me getting a new kidney. Thank you so much to everyone that has read my blog so far. This blog has helped me spread my story so that people can understand PBS. Please keep spreading the word about PBS and about organ donation. Thank you. -Patrick

All down hill from here

9 years have past by and I was living life to its fullest. I went through highschool just like everyone my age. I played in a few bands, hung out with friends, and graduated. I wasn't top of my class or anything but I did get a few certificates for music. At the time I was planning on going through a community college and going to Rowan for a degree in music education. This would be put on hold, well more like completely put away, when my kidneys started failing. In May of 2011 I had a stent put into my ureter. My doctors saw a kink in it and thought that it was the reason for the protein in my urine and for my creatinine going up. This was only a temporary fix.
   In June the doctors tried one last attempt to get my kidneys back into normal function. I would start plasmapheresis. This is when your blood is passed through a machine that seperates your plasma from the rest of your blood. After the seperation a synthetic plasma is replaced into the blood. The reason why the doctors performed this was because my antibodies were beginning to increase and fight against my kidney. With plasmapheresis the synthetic plasma replaces your white blood cells in order for your body to stop fighting the kidney. There was only a 30% chance that this process would work. Needless to say it didn't. I would have to start dialysis in August of 2011 because of ESRD, or end stage renal disease.
  Through all of this I must say I was very lucky for one special event. In April I met a girl by the name of Jessica Gonzalez. In May we decided to officially be together. I have to say that God must have put her in my life at the most perfect time. I needed a person that could help me emotionally and physically during this stressful time. I was having other personal issues that she also was helping me with. She is the love of my life. I could not ask for a more perfect woman. She cares for me in every way that I need. She keeps me level headed in my most depressing times. She is really amazing.
   Next time.... I start the dialysis process.