Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Oh drinking, how I took you for granted.

I remember going to the 7/11 down the road from my friends house years ago and filling up a huge Big Gulp with some lovely Diet Pepsi. Or pouring myself a nice big cup of milk with my oreo cookies. Stuff I'd do every day and think nothing of it.

You get thirsty you go get something to drink, even if you were on a diet going to get yourself a huge cup of water was a great way to sate your thirst and you didn't have to worry about having to much like you would with food.

I never realized how much I took this for granted until I couldn't do it anymore. Because of my kidney failure and dialysis, I can only have 4-6 cups of fluid a day, cups as in 8oz. If I drink too much I will actually get sick and can cause edema in my heart and lungs, which means a hospital visit.

When I fist started dialysis I didn't really seem to have any issues drinking normally but as time has gone by, it's been harder and harder for me to process my fluids, so they have lowered my fluid intake. It's been driving me NUTS!!! I never realized how hard it was to not take a drink when you were thirsty until I couldn't. I watch TV craving the lovely icy drinks I see the characters sipping, lick my lips when I see a water fountain, and moan when someone gulps a soda.

I realize that this is me whining but I felt like why not put it here for people to understand when I'm sitting eying there drinks when I'm hanging out with them and asking to share a drink with a friend instead of just getting one for myself. Bear with me friends, have fun teasing me with your huge Big Gulps, and let me steal your ice when your done :)

Oh and never take for granted how nice it is to just get a drink of water and gulp that baby down, it's a lovely thing.

2 comments:

  1. You got that right !.... dialysis is easy for me, but the fluid restriction is a total Nightmare !...Fluid restriction on dialysis is the hardest thing I have ever faced in my life !.... its the only reason I think about getting a transplant..to Drink !

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  2. I agree with you on the fluids, although taking diuretics seems to help me get rid of more liquid.

    I've been on dialysis for over 4 years. How do you handle SCA events? Being on dialysis has kept me from attending Gulf Wars or Pennsic, which I did regularly.

    Would you be willing to open an email conversation? I found one of your articles in the Aethelmearc Gazette and I'd like to ask you about republishing permission in my site (The Florilegium, www.florielgium.org), It's possible that you've heard of it. Thanks, StefanliRous at gmail dot com

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