Candi's Recovery - Another Guest Blog!

I can't begin to tell you how much Josh's gift means to me. Although I'm still very weak, I am no longer on dialysis and that is a WONDERFUL feeling! No more going to bed at 9:00 pm every night and no more waking up before dialysis is over and having to lay there until the machine signals me that I can get up. After only 12 days, the freedom is amazing - I hadn't realized how much I missed it! If I can't sleep, I can now get up, go downstairs and read (from my amazing Kindle that the folks at News & Messenger and Culpeper Star-Exponent bought me) or I can watch TV. I can also travel without taking my machine and all the supplies with me. We'll be heading to Saluda next weekend for a long weekend - I can't wait!

I can also have Diet Coke again. Colas are very high in phosphorous, as is chocolate. Phosphorous is one thing that dialysis can't handle. But now that I am no longer on dialysis, I can have my diet cokes and I can have chocolate (although those that know me know that I sneaked chocolate every now and then even while on dialysis). Now I don't have to sneak. Also, when I eat anything, I no longer have to take two very large pills called Renvela. That was tough to get used to at first - not that I enjoyed taking the Renvela - it was just hard to get out of the habit. But it's a very good habit to be able to break!

Josh is one of the most extraordinary people that I will ever know. He gave me a kidney, which is giving me my life back. What better gift could one ask for? His mom is pretty extraordinary too - she's an amazing woman who has raised an amazing son.

I haven't been able to walk very far yet - between the rain, the pain, and my lack of strength - but I'll be starting my walking regimen tomorrow after my next clinic appointment. At my last clinic appointment, I found out that my kidney levels are at 0.6! This is fantastic - even for someone without a transplant! I just pray that both Josh and I will stay this healthy the rest of our lives! My goal is to celebrate my 77th birthday with Josh's kidney still working. I know that may sound young to some of you, but that's 24 years from now! That's a lifetime to me - one that I didn't expect to have with dialysis. Thank you Josh for my life!

By the way - has anyone noticed that I still call it Josh's kidney? I guess it will always be that to me!

Thank you to all who prayed for us. Please continue to keep us both in your prayers.