Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Greg and I are both doing well. I will post a new Love Scar picture tomorrow.

I Got My First Donation for the Kidney Walk!

I want to thank my cousin, George Cassels of North Carolina, for his donation to my team for the Kidney Walk in Columbus, OH on November 1, 2009! I love you and smooches!

Please Support Me at the Kidney Walk

I recently accepted the challenge of participating in the NKF's Kidney Walk. 26 Million people have chronic kidney disease and another 20 million are at risk. The NKF's Kidney Walk presents an occasion for dialysis patients, organ transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, the medical communities, and the general public to celebrate LIFE and support the Foundation's mission. The NKF's Kidney Walks are designed to help people understand the need for early detection of kidney disease. In addition to raising funds for research and help for patients and their families, the Kidney Walk is a great way to bring the community together! I am asking you to help by supporting my fundraising efforts with a donation. Your tax-deductible gift will make a difference in the lives of many! It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can make your donation online by simply clicking on the link at the bottom of this message. Any amount, great or small, helps in the fight. I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. Click here to visit my personal page. If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address: http://walk.kidney.org/site/TR/Walk/Ohio?px=1399502&pg=personal&fr_id=2020&s_tafId=16392 Click here to view the team page for Bellasmommie and Friends If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address: http://walk.kidney.org/site/TR/Walk/Ohio?team_id=44562&pg=team&fr_id=2020&s_tafId=16392

Home | National Kidney Foundation | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

NKF Kidney Walk

Please sign up for a Kidney Walk with the NKF. Here is the link:
http://walk.kidney.org/site/PageServer?pagename=signup&s_event_state=1201

I am signing up for the Columbus Walk.

Love Scar 7/22/09

Nothing much to update! I am doing well and still have had no problems since donation.
Greg is also doing very well and goes back to the transplant center in September for a follow-up appointment.
I will update again after he goes to the doctor.
Email me if you have any questions!
I was also wondering if anyone has used Scar Guard. Thinking about trying it. Let me know if you have used it.

Extend Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Transplant Patients

I am totally pasting an email from the NKF here. Please read and email your congressperson!
Knowing someone who has to deal with the expense of drug coverage after transplant, I can tell you that it is outrageous and these people need this help. This should be covered just as dialysis is; it is actually a lot cheaper for Medicare to pay for the drugs than dialysis.


A Second Call for Action: Kelly, Ask Your Represenative to Support Extending Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplants
Extend Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplants

Take Action!

Help us help people with kidney transplants! Ask your Representative to co-sponsor HR 1458, legislation that would extend Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs beyond the first 36 month after transplant. Since we launched this alert last week, we have sent 400 messages to Congress, but health care reform is building momentum, and we need you to act now by telling your Representative to act today.This legislation is one of the key provisions in the NKF End the Wait! Campaign. The bill will help transplant recipients maintain their kidney function, and will allow others to consider a transplant because they know the expensive drugs they need will be available without a time limitation. Organ transplant recipients must take immunosuppressive drugs for the life of the transplant to help prevent the body from rejecting the organ. Currently, Medicare pays for most kidney transplants but covers drugs for only 36 months post-transplant as part of the Medicare ESRD benefit. After that, kidney recipients must pay for immunosuppressive drugs through private insurance, public or pharmaceutical programs or pay out-of-pocket. (Medicare covers drugs without a time limit if the patient qualifies because of age or disability status.) Immunosuppressive drugs are expensive, but the alternative is even more costly. A kidney transplant recipient costs Medicare $17,000 annually. If the kidney transplant fails, the person returns to dialysis at which point, Medicare spends an average of $71,000 per year on a dialysis patient. And quality of life often suffers too. Click here to view the NKF's Immunosuppressive Drug Fact Sheet. Please take a moment to write your Representative today and ask him or her to co-sponsor HR 1458. Share your story, or the story of a loved one, about the experience with immunosuppressive drug coverage.
Thank you!
Jayne Mardock
Congressional Relations Director

Just Some Facts

Every two hours a person dies from kidney failure.
Twenty-six million American adults have chronic kidney disease (CKD), and millions of others are at increased risk.
The gap between donations and transplants has grown 111 percent since 1998.
In 2009, 78,874 Americans were on the transplant waiting list, while only 16,518 kidneys were donated by both living and deceased donors in 2008.
Please consider organ donation!

Facts courtesy of the National Kidney Foundation.

Bella

Love Scar 2/15/2009

Love Scar after 1 year, 1 month

END THE WAIT

END THE WAIT!
A Multi-Faceted Collaborative Initiative to End the Wait for a Kidney Transplant in the U.S. in 10 Years

http://www.kidney.org/news/end_the_wait/index.cfm

Busy, Busy, Busy!

I am sorry I haven't posted regularly in months. I have been really busy and have a lot going on.
Here's a little update:
Greg's 1 year check up was wonderful. He is healthy and feeling so much better. We did find out that the amazing Dr. Bashir Sankari is no longer with Charleston Area Medical Center's Transplant Team. He has relocated to Indianapolis to start a new transplant center. If anyone is considering donation near Indy, he is amazing and I would not hesitate to have him as a surgeon.
I am also fine; no problems with my health. Unless I want to count gaining back the weight I was losing! But I'm working on it. Goal is to lose at least 30 lbs. before my birthday; 50 lbs. by the end of the year. I adopted a very athletic new dog, Bella, from the Franklin County Animal Shelter so she will be helping with this weight loss plan. I will post a picture of her and the Love Scar later.
Rachel Widomski update: The man that ran her over last May was sentenced on Tuesday, February 3, 2009, to a total of 15 years. He accepted a plea bargain and was charged with an F3 felony instead of an F2. Had they pursued the F2, he could have been sentenced to 32 years. Something that really bothers me is that this man, Michael Rose, has 4 or 5 prior DUI convictions, yet the state hasn't permanently suspended his license. He should never be allowed to drive again. I am putting the link to Haikuhelp.com back on my site. Those of you able to donate, please do.
I also have some exciting info from a National Kidney Foundation newsletter that I will post after work tonight!
Anyone who needs to contact me, please email me at kdh621@gmail.com. I receive my emails immediately and if I am busy, I can get back to you sooner than if you leave a comment on the blog.
Thanks!