Christy Millar – Six years and still on Dialysis

December 9, 2011 · by AzMansell · in , ,

Christy Millar Kidney Patient My name is Christy Millar and I am a 26 year old dialysis patient. I have been on dialysis for nearly six years, as a result of a burst appendix in 2006 which caused multiple organ failure due to septacaemia and peritonitis (ie. blood poisoning). I had just finished my first degree literally the week before. I was hospitalised initially for six months where I spent much of that in a coma in intensive care.

When I woke up I had to learn to walk again and cope with the fact that my kidneys were unlikely to ever recover. I had a stoma bag and two tracheostomies. I have had approximately 40 operations and have a miriad of scars. Dialysis at first went very quickly as I was so ill, but as the rest of me recovered I learned about how dialysis could affect the rest of my life. I had my stoma reversed in 2007 and contracted MRSA. This plus a chest infection caused my heart to fail and my original dialysis access to fail also.Dialysis puts a strain on the heart and I have suffered heart failure only the once (luckily)  but am lucky in that I have fully recovered. High levels of Potassium are dangerous for the heart as the nurses are constantly telling me.

christy millar waiting for a kidney

Currently I dialyse on HD (Haemodialysis) for four hours, three times a week, at my local hospital. This involves sticking two rather large needles in my right arm, into a graft I had to have put in (as my veins are poor, most people have supervessles constructed out of their own veins). This graft is like a fine mesh that the needles go through. This hurts alot and I have numbing cream on for an hour before. It also leaves rather unsightly scars that make me look like a drug user (or so I think!).The main constraint on my life is fluid intake. As I have zero kidney function (some people retain some function), I am limited to a pint of fluid a day. As I have no kidneys this goes straight into my blood stream. I am also limited on the food I may eat. Foods high in Potassium (e.g. Crisps, chocolate, potatoes) and high is Phosphate (e.g. milk, chese, chocolate) are only permitted in small quantities. I have always had lots of trouble with my Potassium and Phosphate levels and have to take tablets
to control the latter.
In 2008 I returned to University to do my Masters whilst on dialysis. This was honestly the hardest thing I have ever done.In Oct 2009 I had my husbands (fiancee at the time) kidney as miraculously he was a match. Unfortunately , the kidney lasted only 30 seconds and failed due to a damaged artery in me that stopped blood flow. This was devastating to both of us. In August 2010 we got married with lots of mention of Stevens wonderful act in the speeches! I have been back on the tranplant list since September 2010 (after our honeymoon) and luckily dialysis is the only thing I have to deal with now. Waiting is just very frustrating! Every time the phone rings after 8pm I get my hopes up.
Dialysis three times week is a necessity to keep me alive, and I am glad it exists. But it is tedious, painful at times and exhausting. I read my Kindle on dialysis to pass the time.. The only positive things are the staff and patients you meet.
christy millar wedding

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