KC Kidney Klassic

Step one... Omaha Kidney Klassic, Check
Step two... get healthy and find a donor, Check
Step three... raise some more money for my surgery and my aunt's surgery... almost check

The KC Kidney Klassic is being held on Saturday, August 28th with a 1:30 Tee Time. Each golfer will need to pay $75 with a portion of that going to the course, and the other part to expenses of the upcoming surgery. Omaha people, the name of the course is "Winterstone" and hotels would be best in Liberty Mo.

Angela Kreps is someone who would be able to answer questions in regards to this... or you can go to the Sharpe KC Klassic Page on Facebook.

What a joyous weekend... still on cloud 9. And please don't forget to email or thank my amazing Aunt Kim Mittermeier via Facebook... I do not think I can tell her enough how much this means to me and so many other people!!!

Video

I wanted to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers, and congrats!! It has been an overwhelming 24 hours. I can't even begin to express how much love and happiness I feel. My brother Kevin had recently made a video via youtube.com, it expresses the feelings my family and friends have had over the whole day. July 24, 2010 was "Happy Kidney Day Megan Rae"... I can't wait for the next step in my adventure.

please watch the video... it is great http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCC5YGy0oSM

I will keep everyone posted, so much joy is happening in this part of the midwest... thanks Aunt Kim, you are loved by so many people, more and more each minute by minute!!!

Remembering

When I was 4 years old, I was a flower girl. I remember bits and pieces of the day. I remember the maroon dress. I remember being on the alter in the middle of everything. Guess I have always wanted to be the center of everything! I remember wearing that dress for months and months. I remember the tight bun that was on top of my head. I remember the first song I ever fell in love with, "I Love You" by the Climax Blues Band. It was the song Uncle Jeff and Aunt Kim danced to. I remember the cake must have had at least 4 layers, with a ladder and with little "people" that I took home and played with. I bet to God that my mom still has those "people" somewhere in her house. I remember walking down the aisle and thinking how amazing it was to celebrate the beginning of a new life together. I remember the reception. All the dancing, all the drinking, all the family fun. The worst part of that day was when a 4 year old didn't catch the boquet, but I tell you what, 28 years later I have caught something much more magical, a Kidney Match. Last night at dinner I was given a "congrats" card. Huh? Inside were two of the pictures from that wedding so long ago, along with a "match". I read the card, I stop and think, and then begin to have racing thoughts... after a moment, my Aunt Kim says, did you see what fell out? It was literally a match. They were on the table, and I had no clue what they meant. No one smokes in restaurants anymore. Why were matches all over the table, what a safety issue. Ha! Not really.... it was for me to know, Aunt Kim was a match. And guess what, so is Uncle Jeff. I said, they were meant to be the perfect couple... they can save each other, and that flower girl from so many years ago.
I look at this as an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to get another chance. How do you thank someone for that?? There have been people in my life that haven't had the opportunity to fix mistakes, to mend bridges, and to start over. I will be getting that chance.

I can't say thank you enough to Jeff and Kim. They are giving me something that not many people can say, another chance!!! I love you both very much. I love your children too. I love everything about the last 24 hours!!

So, please come to the KC Klassic in August, we are now helping 2 families recover from a surgery!!

I love you all... M

Hi

Hi everyone. Thought I would check in. I am feeling a lot better after my "detox" or "flushing". When I was in the hospital I did Hemodialysis which was able to really clean out my blood and get my body back in better shape.

Today, the 19th I went to Clinic and had a blood draw. What this blood draw was for is to see if my BUN (a level I can't really explain) is too high or not. IF it is too high, I have agreed to get a "tunnel port" which means I will again go to clinic three days a week to have dialysis. I am hoping and praying and hoping that my levels are ok, and I can continue doing dialysis from home. It is just a lot easier and I love having some freedom.

I am about 8lbs away from my "goal" weight. The "goal" I have is to be able to be on the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant list so that my wait would be years shorter. I swim and/or do aerobics in the Schrack pool which I think is helping, but the scale is lying. Well, my eating habits aren't the best right now either.

I feel optimistic and don't seem so bitchy to people. My mom wonders how long that will last. One day at a time... I feel like that big black cloud over my shoulder might be heading south and some good news will be headed my way... god damn it, i deserve it.

So when I get down to my "goal" I will be calling the clinic and add my name to the KP list... chew gum and eat Popsicles!! Swim and park far away. Baby steps.

Oh, again, don't forget the KC Klassic!! I had another hospital stay last weekend... we will need some golfers! ha ha!!

Thanks everyone!! M

Next Step(s)

I have been released from the hospital. I am going to go home and continue doing what I have been doing... I am going to do dialysis from home for a few days, and this Thursday I will check in with Plumb and see how I am doing. The thing that bothers me the most, is that one person says, "this isn't working" another says, "let's try this" then even another will say, "what do you think?!?". It is at that point I stop listening and make sure Patti and Lolly are around.

So, lets break down the latest information.... I came to the hospital on Friday with extremely high levels of Calicum (15), normal is about 8. Due to those high/toxic levels, they inserted a catherter in my neck and performed Hemodialysis, which is where the blood is literally taken out of my body and then cleaned. Hemodialysis was performed for two days and got be better, back to my old self. Last night I was hooked up to the PD machine, the same one I use at home. The doctors said that nothing looked bad, and the best option(s) would be to continue as I was before, and if numbers get bad over the next few days, I would have to plan the next step. The doctor said, "just prepare for the next step to be going back to Hemodialysis".

Well, we wait and see. Hopefully I had a flook and it will fix itself, but I am prepared to meet whatever happens next. I mean come on, a Kidney has to be close, right?!?

August 28... KC people... be there or be dead!! :) Anyone who wants to golf, contact Angela Kreps via Facebook or email. She is signing foursomes up!!! Again, thanks for support and prayers.

Mazel!!

hospital stay... day 2

well, last night i had another port placed in my neck. The beasts of medical professionals completed such a task, in my bed, in my room. Anyway, this port is short term, and placed it in order to get my levels "back to somewhat normal". Due to PD Dialysis not working as well as they hoped, they put me on Hemodialysis. Which is the form I did at the clinic, 3x a week. They said that the PD way wasn't cleaning my blood as well as they had hoped, and needed to solve the problem quickly. They did. Once I was on the machine for an hour, I was already feeeling better. Today was another day of Hemodialysis and I "ran" for 4 hours to help clean my blood and get me back to normal.

The reason the believe that PD isn't working is becuase my "membrane" isn't working like it should. What that means is that when the fluid "dwells" in my body, it isn't cleaning the blood as well as it should. Hence being tired, weak, and sick as hell. This has been happening for a few weeks, but my body had just stopped being able to fight. So when I did the "old form" I felt much better and was able to keep food down. I guess this is a crossroads that I have come to, and I hope answering questions will be easy. This does get tiring, this does become frustrating, but I care about too many people to stop fighting, I just need decisions to be made much easier...

I should be able to get out sometime this week. Tomorrow night, (sunday) I am going to complete the PD Dialysis. The doctors will then take blood Monday and see what may or may not have happened. We shall see.

Thanks for the prayers, and thoughts, I really am greatful to have such wonderful support.

starting over... again

I am currently checked in at Clarkson Hospital. I haven't been feeling well for a few days, and haven't been able to keep food/liquids down. Nothing would stay down. I called a nurse and gave her my symptoms and I was instructed to check in to UNMC, then they were like, Clarkson... well I am checked in on the Clarkson side and will be here for a few days. through the weekend definately.

The reason they believe I have been sick is because my "at home" dialysis isn't working. Or it isn't working as well as they expected. Options? Go back to dialysis at the clinic. I so just want to get better, have the surgery and ATTEMPT to live a normal life. So, this afternoon a neck port was placed. I am going to do the "old" form of dialysis to make sure I can start to feel better. ASAP.

I will keep people informed as I learn more information.... Don't forget, KC Kidney Klassic is Saturday, August 28th... come and help out with the next round of bills.


Love to you all... M

Kim, sorry, I am very emotional and couldn't call... that is why Patti did. I'll check in tomorrow. Promise.