Dialysis Anniversary (& Stats!)

Monday, January 30th, 2012, marked two years that I've been on dialysis. I remember this time last year I didn't think I could possibly be on dialysis this time this year, but clearly I was wrong. It's just like I said the first Christmas I was on dialysis, "If I'm on dialysis next Christmas, I'll kill myself." Well, I was, and I didn't. I just kept on surviving like I've done and will continue to do until the- what I feel is quite unlikely- transplant actually does happen. In honor of this 2 year mark,  I'd like to present some stats. Please read them with a hip hop beat in the background, if only to make things more lively.

• Years on dialysis: 2
• Number of treatments: 312 (roughly)
• Hours of treatment: 1092
• Number of kilos of fluid removed from my blood: 1248 (roughly)
• That number in pounds: 2745.6
• Number of times I've had to pee since 2009: 0
• Flying on airplanes never having to pee: Advantaage
• Number of cities traveled to while on dialysis: 6
• Best visiting dialysis clinic: The Kidney Center,  Boston, Mass
• Number of missed treatments: 0
• Number of kidney related hospitalizations (in 2 years): 5
• Number of dialysis related surgeries: 6
• Number of current kidneys, working or non: 0
• Number of stuffed kidneys with a face: 1
• Number of months back at work while on dialysis: 20
• Longest amount of time I've heard of someone being on dialysis: 31 years
• Chances of me doing that: 0% chance

 That is a lot of fluid when you visualize that number. When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that dialysis can sustain someone's life when they're missing a major organ. It's not ideal, obviously, but it works until I can get a kidney. And for me, it's certainly better than the alternative.