Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sometimes, Laughter Is The Best Medicine...

A man suffered a serious heart attack and had open heart bypass surgery. He awakened from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at a Catholic Hospital. As he was recovering, a nun asked him questions regarding how he was going to pay for services. He was asked if he had health insurance.
     He replied, in a raspy voice, "No health insurance."
The nun asked if he had money in the bank.
     He replied, "No money in the bank."
The nun asked, "Do you have a relative who could help you?"
     He said, "I only have a spinster sister, who is a nun."
The nun got a little perturbed and announced loudly. "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are married to God."
     The patient replies, "Then send the bill to my brother-in-law."


*****

A man walks into a psychiatrist's office wearing only underwear made of Saran Wrap. The psychiatrist says, "Well, I can clearly see you're nuts."

*****

While acquainting myself with a new elderly patient, I asked, "How long have you been bedridden?"
After a look of complete confusion she answered, "Why, not for about twenty years--  when my husband was alive."

*****

John and David were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool, John suddenly dove into the deep end. He sunk to the bottom and stayed there. David promptly jumped in to save him. He swam to the bottom of the pool and pulled John out.

The Medical Director came to know of David's heroic act. He immediately ordered that David be discharged from the mental hospital as he considered him to be okay. The doctor told David,
     "David, we have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that we are going to discharge you because you have regained your senses. Since you were able to jump in and save another patient you must be mentally stable. The bad news is that the patient whom you saved, Mr. John, hung himself in the bathroom, and died."

David replied, "Doctor he didn't hang himself, I hung him there to dry."


by KMJ

Monday, April 19, 2010

Awareness

Awareness Is The Key To Good Health
  • Ask Questions.
  • Watch Your Treatments.
  • Alert Staff of Problems.
  • React Quickly and Calmly if any problem accrues.
  • Educate Yourself.
Ways You Can Be Aware
  • Medications - Know what kinds of medicine you take and know about your dialysis prescription.
  • Access -  Protect your arm (or where your access is).
  • Diet - Know what foods are good and safe for you to have. Know how much fluid is safe for you to have.
  • Advocacy - Speak up for yourself! Or ask your social worker to help you.
by Jody Gardener-Jones

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The Role Of The Nephrology Social Worker In A Dialysis Center

Social work is a profession that helps individuals, families, and groups change behaviors,
emotions, attitudes, relationships, and social conditions to restore and enhance their capacity
to meet their personal and social needs and improve their quality of life.

A licensed master’s social worker (LMSW) is part of the interdisciplinary team provided to
each person who receives treatment at a dialysis center. Social workers in a dialysis setting
will help those receiving treatment identify and use their strengths to cope with the adjustment
to the dialysis regimen and fluid/dietary restrictions.

Your nephrology social worker can:

  · Provide education on the CKD/ESRD illness and treatment options
     including transplant.

  · Assess quality of life by continuing to monitor for depression and assist
     the individual in adapting their life to ESRD through supportive counseling.

  · Will assess and coach the individual toward maximized physical,
     emotional, and social balance. They encourage the individual to continue to
     seek and attain what they desire in life.

  · To encourage and guide the patient to deal with outside stressors or
     barriers that may interfere with the person’s adherence to treatment.

  · Will offer support to family/caregiver.

  · Provide assistance with concrete services such as insurance,
     transportation, and travel.

Anyone dealing with a major life changing situation, such as chronic illness, will undergo a
period of adjustment. Using the support provided by your nephrology social worker could
ease the stress and anxiety experienced by the challenges of the ESRD illness.

Get to know and use the services of your nephrology social worker, it just could make a
difference in your quality of life.

by Mary Rzeszut, LMSW

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Words Of Inspiration

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.   -Helen Keller

by Jody Gardener-Jones

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Did You Know...

When a person's kidneys no longer function properly or not at all, they have chronic kidney disease (CKD). When the kidneys fail, a person needs dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.

Diabetes is the number one cause of kidney disease, responsible for about 40% of all kidney failure cases. High blood pressure is the second leading cause, responsible for about 25% of these cases.

The number of people diagnosed with kidney disease has doubled each decade for the last two decades.

Some 26 million Americans (1 in 9 adults) have chronic kidney disease and most do not know it.

Over 367,000 people depend on dialysis for their survival.

83,000 people in this country are on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.

1 person dies every 2 hours waiting for a kidney transplant.

More than 70,000 Americans die each year because of  CKD.

Early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure.

Currently, there is no cure for chronic kidney disease.

** Sources: The National Kidney Foundation and The American Society Of Nephrology
** The numbers presented here, though current, are close approximations only, due to the fact that
     they are constantly changing.


by KMJ

Friday, April 9, 2010

Chronic Kidney Disease: Two Short Videos

Here, I am presenting two short videos that excellently give brief explanations of chronic kidney disease. One is from videomd.com and the other is from livestrong.com- two very good sites that offer videos that cover a whole range of health issues.




by Jody Gardener-Jones

Thursday, April 8, 2010

The National Kidney Foundation Dinner For This Year's Long Island Kidney Walk

Hi everyone... this is Jody and I would like to take this time to inform everyone that on May 23rd, 2010 (which is a Sunday), the National Kidney Foundation will hold it's 3rd Annual Long Island Kidney Walk at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Long Island in New York. I formed my own team- 'Be Healthy, Be Happy' for the occasion and I and my team members will be out there in full force along with all the other teams and their members as well as many others. We walk with the goal of raising awareness about chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to raise funds so that the National Kidney Foundation can continue doing all the great necessary things that it does for those with CKD and to educate others so that they will hopefully never get the disease.

Last year, I walked at the Kidney Walk for the first time and I really had a wonderful experience. I met many new people and I also found out that yes, I can walk 5K (3.1 miles). For those of you who live in the New York City metro area as well those who live elsewhere but plan on being in the neighborhood that weekend, I invite you to come on out and walk with us. Your participation and support is surely needed and will be greatly appreciated. Besides, you will have a good time.

Last night, the National Kidney Foundation held it's kick-off dinner for this year's Long Island Kidney Walk. My good friend Catherine Heed (who is also one of my nurses at Winthrop University Hospital Dialysis Center) and I attended the event together. I must say that we really, really had a great time. We saw a few people that we knew and met many more new people. We even got the chance to meet, chat with, and take pictures with Grizz Chapman, one of the stars of the Emmy winning NBC television show '30 Rock'. He also is a dialysis patient and was there to kindly lend his support for the cause. The whole event was really nice- the food, the atmosphere, and several people gave some enlightening presentations. Even I spoke before the attendees... and you know I had to promote the 'Be Healthy, Be Happy' blog. Below are a few pictures that Catherine and I took at the event.


A fellow patient from my Dialysis Center and his lovely family

My good friend and nurse Catherine Heed (seated) and I  with some friends




Lindsay Gilman fron the National Kidney Foundation and I

One of the speakers at the Event

The actor Grizzwald "Grizz" Chapman from the NBC show '30 Rock'  speaking

Grizz and I in front of the lens

Grizz and some of our younger attendees

This is me giving my short presentation


I apologize for these last two photos being out of  focus, but my speech was on point
by Jody Gardener-Jones

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Welcome

Please know that you are not alone………..

My name is Jody Gardener-Jones and I have chronic kidney disease (CKD). I was diagnosed in August, 2007 at the age of 27 and since then I have been undergoing dialysis treatment. Denial, anger and depression are just a few emotional issues I had to face when I was first diagnosed. Once I had learned to deal with my illness by acknowledging and accepting that I have an illness and also knowing that it is not a death sentence, with proper treatment and diet, I was able to begin to have a productive life, and not forgetting my faith, supporting team of doctors, dialysis medical staff and my family and friends, my emotions have changed to happiness, satisfaction, hope, joy, as well as countless other positive emotions.

As you learn to live and cope with kidney disease, remember- you do not have to go through the difficult times alone. Be willing to seek the support of your friends, family, healthcare team, and patient organizations, such as a support group. Be open to the idea that difficult emotions are a normal part of life and cannot be avoided. These emotions can provide an opportunity to learn new ways of coping and help you grow as a person.

With this blog, I want to provide a forum for discussions, advice, education, words of inspiration, healthy and delicious recipes, and lots of humor and fun. I will be featuring articles and stories from doctors and other medical staff, patients and their family/friends and anyone else interested in contributing. I want to emphasize to everyone that in no way is CKD a death sentence and that in spite of their condition, they can and must maintain a full and fun-filled healthy lifestyle.

It is my hope that all visitors to this blog will be educated, entertained, and inspired by what they read, see, and hear. I invite you all to become members and to contribute by way of your articles/essays, poems/prose, words of advice/inspiration, humor, and questions. You can even contribute photos, videos, and artwork. I only ask that all contributions be, in some way, in the spirit of this blog- which is health and happiness. You may contribute what you may, by sending your material to me at behealthyhappy@gmail.com . I ask, that along with your material, that you send me your name as you would like it to appear and any professional titles that you may hold so that I can properly credit you along with your submissions. I also welcome any questions that you may have.

by Jody Gardener-Jones