19 Years on Dialysis and Counting

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Me and Supertech at dialysis

As of today it has been 19 years on hemodialysis.  Yes, 19 years.  I am having a quiet day today without dialysis.  I am going to get cupcakes or a cake to take to dialysis tomorrow to celebrate with people there.   It has been one thing after another to get to 19 years.  My biggest lesson learned:  Most of the time you have to take life one second, one minute, one hour, one day at a time.

Celebrate with me!!! 
As of today it is 19 years on hemodialysis.
That is 19 years straight, no breaks from it.
Dialysis three days a week for 19 years.
That is three treatments, 52 weeks a year.
156 treatments a year.
19 years times 156= 2964 dialysis treatments.
2 16 gauge needles every treatment =5928 needles

Several hospital stays.
Several surgeries and redos for graft and fistula
Major abdominal surgery for an intestinal perforation

Had two near death experiences.

It has not been easy.
I am astounded I am still here.

We started calling this particular tech Supertech.  She is sweet and puts up with our shenanigans.  Her name is Jennifer.   I designed and wrote a Supertech card for her.  I have her permission to share her picture on my blog.

Supertech (My apologies to the Superman Redo)

Fresenius, ‘Creating a future worth living. For dialysis patients. Worldwide. Every Day.’ Presents The Adventures of SuperTech. Faster than a beeping dialysis machine! More powerful than a 16 gauge needle! Able to leap towards a beeping dialysis machine in a single bound!   (Look across the clinic! It’s a nurse! It’s a doctor! It’s SuperTech!) Yes, it’s SuperTech…a trained visitor from another place, who came to the Clinic with powers and abilities far beyond those of normal techs! Supertech … who can change the course of treatment, put painless needles in with gloved hands, and who disguised as Jennifer, a mild-mannered dialysis technician working at great dialysis corporation, fights a never ending battle for health, no infections and good dialysis treatments! And now, on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, more exciting episodes of The Adventures of SuperTech!