Hello my faithful followers and new friends!<\/p>\n
Yes, I\u00a0plead the 5th that it’s been over a month since my last blog.\u00a0I do have a legitimate\u00a0“excuse”- the computer went a- wall.\u00a0Through my networking,\u00a0I\u00a0had met a gentleman that makes house calls and fixes computers when they crash. \u00a0I will share that it’s been a very productive, yet emotional month; so I’m afraid this may be my longest blog to date.\u00a0 Grab the tissues now and a cup or 2 of coffee.\u00a0 As you know, I have launched a website thanks to the power of networking and meeting the right people that God has placed in my path.\u00a0 Lifted Logic created my website and donated it to me.\u00a0 If you have not checked it out, please do so. It’s carmensrunway.com. You can get your tee shirt there!\u00a0 Speaking of the tee shirt, I am still need 20 more orders to be able to print them.\u00a0I’d like to get them printed no later than the end of Aug so I can have my team for the Kidney Walk in October.\u00a0 And please, share\u00a0this with your friends, co workers, family, and even strangers.\u00a0 I am a power networker and I am living proof, it works!<\/p>\n
Remember my friend Anna- the one I wrote about that had her kidney transplant\u00a0in April? Well, it breaks my heart to share with you that her new kidney stopped working a few weeks ago.\u00a0 I couldn’t believe when I read her postings on facebook.\u00a0 I had to go see her! I know exactly how she was feeling. I prayed heavily asking God and the Holy Spirit to speak through me.\u00a0 She needed some\u00a0serious encouragment and I needed to share some scripture verses with her. I couldn’t believe how strong I was this time, especially, since she was going through almost the very same thing I went through. Yeah, it did very much stir up some deep rooted emotions in me. I didn’t want to show them in front of her; I needed to be strong for her as I know she couldn’t be for herself.\u00a0 I will honestly admit, it discouraged me from wanting to move forward and get my name back on the list.\u00a0 How do I know that even though my new kidney will take right away that a few months later, it will reject or stop working like Anna’s did?\u00a0 Friends, it really is scary.\u00a0 I was also very touched at the love and support my friends showed by their faithful prayers for someone they don’t even know.\u00a0 I will also share that seeing Anna go through what she did motivated me so much more about getting my foundation established and getting our support group together.\u00a0 That’s why I got my website done and created the tee shirts.<\/p>\n
To my wonderful suprise, when I left Anna’s room and passed the main nurses desk, I saw one of my most favorite nurses and get this- she remembered exactly who I was! Do you realize how special that made me feel?\u00a0 IT’s almost a year later, this nurse has seen, I don’t know maybe a 100 patients or more\u00a0and she remembered me.\u00a0 She remembered my name and\u00a0she remembered my kidney transplant was not successful.\u00a0 I chatted with her a few minutes, gave her a tee shirt order form with my website and fan page information. She took it proudly and said, I am going to keep up with you.\u00a0 I did let her know that I switched hosptials and I probably wouldn’t be seen on that floor.\u00a0 She wished me the best.<\/p>\n
Now for some of the physical health updates: my blood had thickened back up again a couple weeks ago so I had to increase my blood thinner a couple days. I had just got my blood checked again this week and it had thinned out again.\u00a0 I guess it’s all based on my diet.\u00a0 If I am going to eat a salad- I need to eat the same thing with the same portion every day.\u00a0 Now, those that know me really well, I don’t care for eating the same thing evry day.\u00a0 I am all about variety.\u00a0 When I bring a to go box home from a restaurant, it sits for 3-4 days before I am in the mood to eat it again.\u00a0 Or, it is given to someone else to enjoy; or worse case, it’s thrown away. I need to start keeping a food diary and keep track of what I eat and drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
One of the “benefits” of being on this blood thinner is the bruising.\u00a0 Remember back in my blogs I shared about my arms looking like I use recreational drugs?\u00a0 Well now, my legs, in particular, looks like I am physically abused, maybe thrown down flights of stairs.\u00a0 I kid you not.\u00a0 It’s summertime, 100 degrees lately, and I’d rather wear jeans.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 I am self conscious of my bruises.\u00a0 These suckers are big, dark blue or purple.\u00a0 I’ve used concealer and foundation to try to cover them up (when I wear shorts, dresses). How do women cover up their bruises or men, when they get a shiner? And it’s not like I am a total clutz and constantly run into tables, counters…no, they just appear for no reason.\u00a0 It could be worse right?<\/p>\n
Another “fun thing” I have been dealing with this blood thinner is swelling of my ankles\/feet.\u00a0 I have had to elevate my legs 2-3 times a day to bring the swelling down.\u00a0 It’s crazy to look down at your feet and you have to take a double take, because those just can’t be your feet.\u00a0 They look like they gained 5 pounds in 5 minutes.\u00a0 They seriously do! It’s really freaky. You feel like big foot and you’re only a hundred twenty plus pounds.\u00a0 So, I asked my Dr and she said putting a lot of pressure on my feeting (standing, running) makes them swell. She said for me not to run, it will make it much worse. I’ve got my feet elevated now as I type…As much as I love wearing heels, I have to really limit that.\u00a0 I don’t know if I could do this the rest of my life- I have flat feet, I need heels to arch my feet!<\/p>\n
I had to get another injection of iron as my iron stores had gone down.\u00a0 Strangely, my hemogolobin’s back up and my epogen shot’s on hold for now.\u00a0 I just don’t understand why I am still so fatigued! I know the heat index and humidity is playing a huge factor.\u00a0 In other good physical health news, I was taken off one of my prescription drugs for the time being.\u00a0 My labs for July were actually the best to date.\u00a0 I couldn’t beleive some of my levels! My PTH- this is my para thyroid hormone and has to do with my Vitamin D levels- remember earlier this year it was dangerously high like 600 or more?\u00a0 It’s now in the double digits- 42.\u00a0 The normal range is between 150-600.\u00a0 Now, it’s kinda on the low side.\u00a0 I keep telling you that it’s all so crazy how my labs fluctuate like this! I don’t get it! I honestly try not to comprehend it; I just go with it.<\/p>\n
Some good news- I had received (2) referrals to nanny from my good friend, the mother and father\u00a0of my favorite lil guy, Nicholas. Who, by the way,\u00a0just turned 4 years old and I finally got to go to his birthday party! One job I have is every other Sunday morning from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.\u00a0 Ha! I know some of you are falling out of your seats- you know darn well I am so not a morning person, nor do I get up before the sun is even out! Talk about stretching my comfort zone. I am really stretching it because there are 3 kids- twin girls that are 6 years old and a boy that’s 3.\u00a0 Oh my goodness! How do mothers do this?! Since it was my first time meeting them and watching them, they all wanted my attention! They all wanted to play with me, color with me… Lord, give me strength! I hope I don’t push myself too hard. The next job is M-F, watching a 6 month old.\u00a0 I haven’t begun this job just yet.\u00a0 Since, I have accepted both of these jobs, I no longer am a friend of mine’s “assistant”. The tyes needed to be broken; I am grateful God provided something else in place; and\u00a0its consistent.<\/p>\n
Some more good news- I am going to Camp Chimer for a week to be a counselor for kids that are on dialysis.\u00a0 It’s the camp’s 25th Anniversary so it’s a pretty special year.\u00a0 What a blessing to be part of this celebration and to inspire kids that are going through the same kidney issues that I am facing. I will blog when I return as I am sure I’ll have lots to share.<\/p>\n
Some inspiring news- I had the pleasure of going to Joplin, Missouri.\u00a0 I went with about 20 women- we were personal shoppers to these devastated women that lost everything. I jumped on this opportunity as soon as I heard about it.\u00a0 This is my passion- personal shopping, image\/fashion consulting! I also got to go through my boxes in storage- get rid of clothes, shoes, purses, & jewelry that I no longer wore or wanted.\u00a0 How liberating! I took a picture of the 3 large rubbermaid tubs- 42 qts or so- chocked full. I even challenged my friends to out do me.\u00a0 No one stepped up.\u00a0 I met some new, amazing women and awesome business connections! I was “The Go-To Fashion Person.” I had a blast! It truly makes you feel so incredible inside when you bless someone or others so richly and don’t expect anything in return.\u00a0 The only negative I have to say is my feet, legs hated me after those 2 days! I had not been on my feet that long for 4+ hours since I worked at my hotel job- 3 years ago at the time of my diagnosis.\u00a0 I couldn’t believe how much pain I was in and how tired I was.\u00a0 It took me a good week to recoup.\u00a0 I can’t explain how strange it is to feel so tired after working years in\u00a0retail jobs, event planning jobs- these jobs require standing, running back and forth for several hours.\u00a0 I shouldn’t feel like this in my mid thirties! I should feel like it more in my fifties, sixties….makes me wonder how am I going to feel then?<\/p>\n
Last, and most importantly- I reflected on my 1 YR anniversary of my failed transplant.\u00a0 The day I got the call- July 25th. I will never forget that date. As I was doing my treatment that morning, (this week)\u00a0I started praying for my donor’s mom as I knew it would be a very difficult and emotional day for her.\u00a0 I felt really compelled to send her a message letting her know that I was thinking about her and praying for her.\u00a0 This made her day! She was so blessed that I did this.\u00a0 We’re now friends on facebook and have exchanged a handful of emails.\u00a0 She cannot wait to meet me in person some day.\u00a0 She also shared how much I reminded her of her daughter- we share(d) similar personalities.\u00a0 I started crying- I wasn’t sure if they were tears of sadness or tears of joy.\u00a0 She expressed that she and I share a special bond\/connection; although she is sad that things didn’t work out for me and her daughter’s donated kidney; we still share a bond.\u00a0 I truly feel the same way.\u00a0 I cannot explain it. You’ll just have to go through it yourself.<\/p>\n
Well, now that your eyes are blurry from crying, but mostly reading this novel…I will close.<\/p>\n
Thanks always for your loving support and encouragement!<\/p>\n
Carmen<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hello my faithful followers and new friends! Yes, I\u00a0plead the 5th that it’s been over a month since my last blog.\u00a0I do have a legitimate\u00a0“excuse”- the computer went a- wall.\u00a0Through my networking,\u00a0I\u00a0had met a gentleman that makes house calls and fixes computers when they crash. \u00a0I will share that it’s been a very productive, yet
Read More →<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":253,"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251\/revisions\/253"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carmensrunway.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}