Looking Back and Looking Forward...

Looking back, I realized that it has been a little over 6 years since I started this blog. When I started, I was just beginning my dialysis treatments, and I was scared in that new unexpected challenge in my life. I was also new to blogging. Although I still consider myself a novice, now I can at least consider myself a writer.

Back then, I had a lot of uncertainty and frustration. At first, I hated how dialysis took over my life. I was frustrated over the technicians, the nutritionists, and sometimes the doctors.

That said, I also experienced some happy moments and learned many lessons.  I made a lot of friends at the dialysis center. I love my charge nurses and miss them tremendously. 

In some ways, I do miss the downtime. Back then, I had ample time to watch TV or movies, read magazines, or just play games on my phone. There were days when I was so mentally exhausted from work that I just played Tetris all night, draining my phone battery. When I am physically exhausted, I just sleep through it. Oh, the snores at the dialysis center -- sometimes it can be hilarious.

When I had my kidney transplant, I was given a new lease on life. The transplant itself was probably the scariest thing I have ever done so far. I had never been cut open before, much less go through major surgery.  To this day, I do not remember anything of the surgery, I blacked out right before going into the operating room. At the hospital, I felt frustrated and scared, but at least there was hope. My scar always reminds me of that experience. 

Although it was only about two years ago, it seems a long time ago.

Now, my lab numbers look great. My new kidney seems to be doing great. While I still have some issues here and there, overall, things look great. I, no we, had to make (and are still making) lifestyle adjustments: no more sushi (my all time favorite food) or brie (my all time favorite cheese), I have to be careful of hits to my new kidney – so no more basketball or wrestling (not that I have done those things).

I do still enjoy Aikido, and hula and skiing with my Hubby.

I seem to have come a long way since then, although it’s really still just the beginning. I am hoping that more is coming.

I hope to continue to enjoy my new life, continue to improve my kidney function, be an inspiration to those still on dialysis and waiting for a kidney, and most importantly, to relax and not worry or stress too much. I really need to work on that last part.

Because of that, I have been thinking that it's time to start a new chapter in my life. As I promised, my goal since the transplant was to share my new life, so one can see the new life that this new kidney has given me and be encouraged to wait for one and not lose hope. Because of that, I think it would be appropriate for me to start a new blog, and unfortunately, ending this one.

I hope you follow me in my new adventures. Hopefully, it will involve interesting activities, new friendships, and some introspection.

Thank you for joining me in this journey. Without this blog, I probably would have be crazier! This blog has been my outlet and therapy.

Now, let's go on a new adventure!