#areyoumytype

[melneedsakidney]

Parting is such sweet sorrow…until next time friends! Now to head back to Florida and finish packing up for my move. 😢😢😢#MyKidneyVoice #DCA #MelNeedsAKidney #AreYouMyType #KidneyPatientSummit #Advocacy (at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpU66S5O3tq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[melneedsakidney]

Real talk. Searching for intelligent life... #AreYouMyType #LookingForLove #Dating (at The House of Tuff) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9YEbLtgGks/?igshid=b3a4kdadbn22

[melneedsakidney]

My incisions are healing well & I've been cleared to start using the graft on February 20th. The two incisions in the top picture which are closer to my elbow are being stubborn so I needed steri-strips put on when the stitches were removed. The incision in the bottom picture is right at the bend of my armpit & is completely healed! The faint arch outline you can see going between my armpit & elbow is the actual graft I will be inserting two (unless I infiltrate which happens then sometimes 3) 14 gauge needles into 5 days a week. People often think I'm joking when I tell them my job is staying alive so I can get a transplant but it is! Thankfully, patients like me have choices. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ 1. We can do hemodialysis 3 times a week in a clinic setting where a nurse & technician will be overseeing our treatment. Our only responsibility is to show up on time & stay for our prescribed length of treatment (anywhere from 2-4 hours based on residual kidney function) ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ 2. We can have a catheter inserted into our abdomen & do peritoneal dialysis at home 7 days a week for 7-12 hours depending on labs, body size, & residual kidney function. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ 🔺This is what I currently do for basically 24 hours a day because I spend 11 hours hooked up to the machine at night, then I have dialysate solution in my stomach all day until I hook back up. The solution is also dextrose (sugar) which has caused me to gain a lot of weight in the past 4 years since my kidney failed. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ 3. We can have a arteriovenous graft or fistula access (basically creating an artery big enough for blood to be pulled from & returned to simultaneously) made in an arm or leg & do hemodialysis at home 5 days a week for 2-4 hours a day based on residual kidney function & labs. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ The difference between home hemodialysis & in-center hemodialysis is that home gives you a little more freedom to do the treatments on our schedule, more blood is cleaned more often, & insurance won't pay for more than 3 treatments a week in a clinic setting. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ #TheMoreYouKnow #DialysisLife #FridayFacts #LoveYourKidneys #AreYouMyType #DonateLife (at The House of Tuff) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8RXGuTlXe1/?igshid=1mvag01wbs4pp

[melneedsakidney]

I've got some shirts I'm looking to get out there on some of my supporters...anyone interested in being a human billboard for me? 😊 I have two unisex adult mediums and the "share your spare" one is youth XL which looks like a adult small. DM me with your address if you want one. All I ask it that you cover shipping which should be about $4 (depending on where you live) #TeamTuff #OperationFindMelADonor #MelNeedsAKidney #ShareYourSpare #AreYouMyType #HumanBillboard #WalkingAdvertisement #Determined (at Cape Coral, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqIg_LLH-oR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1qrejdg96tpz5

[melneedsakidney]

YOU could make mine possible by getting tested to be a live kidney donor! ❤ Contact me privately or comment below to find out how you can save my life! Regrann @getloudforkidneys - It’s important to focus on the positive. Data from UNOS #TransplantTuesday #Lifesaver #KidneyAwareness #AreYouMyType #KidneyTransplant #OrganDonor #DonateLife #ShareYourSpare #DonateLifeMonth #MelNeedsAKidney (at Cape Coral, Florida)

[melneedsakidney]

Calling all #TeamTuff ambassadors!!! With just 2 days left in my FINAL campaign I have readched out to @bonfire the company responsible for this fundraiser opportunity and they said they would do their best to get at least one of my supporters featured on their page wearing my design. So if you're interested in really spreading awareness for organ donation, please take a clear, full-size picture of yourself posing in my tee, or have someone do it for you, and send it to me so I can submit it to Bonfire for review. By displaying this to their hundreds of thousands of followers this would be a great opportunity to draw attention to this very important cause! So join me by sending me your photo today! Don't have a shirt yet? Well you've got JUST 2 DAYS left to order before they go away indefinitely!! And a HUGE thank you to all who have ordered already, and to those with orders in right now...I am trying really hard to sell through these last 6 to ensure that yours get printed but with only 2 days left it's not looking so good. If I don't hit the 11 shirt minimum your cards won't be charged and your orders will be canceled. So no harm, no foul but unfortunately also no shirt for you 😢 so let's share this post or just the link and get these last few shirts reserved! #2DaysLeft #LastCall #WearBonfire #OrganDonation #LetsTacoBoutIt #Blessed #MelNeedsAKidney #AreYouMyType #ShareYourSpare #Dialysis #Awareness #HelpMeHelpYou

[kidneystories2013]

My friend Mel at her local Kidney Walk, advocating for all of us Kidney Patients! Thank you Melissa!! #areyoumytype #kidneyformel #loveyourkidneys #MyKidneysMyLife #awesome (at Lake County, Indiana)

[melneedsakidney]

Join me this Sunday at Lakes Park for the Annual Fort Myers kidney walk!! There will be a performance by a local dance troop, informational tables and a health screening area. I will be speaking briefly about my experience with kidney disease and recent trip to DC for the @nationalkidneyfoundation kidney summit. If you cannot make it to the event please consider a making a financial contribution as a show of support in your absence. Click the link on my profile to be taken to my donation page. #ThanksForYourSupport #TheBigAskTheBigGive #HeartYourKidneys #MyKidneysMyLife #MelNeedsAKidney #AreYouMyType (at Lakes Park)