# Life can throw some curves at you....



## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

I wrote this in 2005 after a particully difficult perioD in my life.

I moved to the Uk from Ireland in February 1968 and started working for BOAC as a stewardess. Yes I'm that old !!. I worked first on VC10s, spending most of my time flyin to Africa and the US and then both VC10s and 707s, this gave me access to the big wide world. Then along came the 747 and I became a Purser on Bristish Airways when BOAC & BEA merged in the 70s.

I met my late husband in 1969 and we married in 1977 when he was licensed to fly as a flight engineer on Concorde ( he had previously been on 707s). No I didn't meet him as aircrew!, he was a passenger on a flight from New York to LA. My sons were born in 1979 & 81.

My husband flew on Concorde I was very lucky to have several trips on that very special aircraft.

In August 1995 my whole world seemed to turned upside down. I had been feeling unwell for quite some time and was finally diagnosed as suffering from chronic renal failure. Yes, I would need dialysis in the future but further tests had to be carried out. Little did I know that the future was only 4 weeks away. My first and only real concern at that time was that I would no longer be able to go away on foreign holidays.

Now ten and a half years (was it that long ago?) down the road I find that I was very wrong….. Anything is possible with a little planning. 

My first trip to France (late 1995) was easy as I carried everything needed with me in the car and found that I could hook up my PD (peritonearl dialysis ) bags anywhere.

My next challenge was in February 1996 when I had a trip to the Caribbean this time I knew that I would have to “hook up” on the aircraft. I sat in my seat and got on with it !!!

When I arrived at my hotel all the necessary bags had been sent on ahead of me and were ready and waiting in my room. Days out fitted in with the four exchanges I did each day and I found that I could hook up in the hire car near the beach…. I was determined to miss out on nothing.

Coming back was a little trickier as this time I had to occupy a seat on the flight deck. With the Captains permission a safe place was found to hang my butchers hook.. Both of these exchanges (dialysis) during the flight took place on Concorde at supersonic speed , 55,000 ft over the Atlantic ocean. My next two trips to France were uneventful and it seemed easier to take all necessary bits and pieces with me than have Baxters deliver them to the address where I was staying. It also gave me more space in the car coming home to stash my shopping !!

In January 1997 I was lucky enough to have been donated a Homechoice machine meaning that I would now dialyse overnight and not have to worry about the daily routine. Wonderful ….more freedom.

My machine arrived the second week in February and while at the hospital learning the ins and out of how this piece of equipment worked my husband had a massive heart attack from which he didn’t survive.

My life had been turned upside down again. Both my teenage sons were wonderful support at this tragic time and we decided that it would be a good idea to visit friends in Paris for Easter in April 1997. First time travelling with my new machine was a anxious time ...would the airline look after it ? Would it get damaged in the hold? Would it arrive at the other end? We flew to Paris so I had the fluids sent on ahead of me. They were there ready and waiting. We arrived at our friends and I set up the machine to make sure it was working…. Yes ...great !! We had a wonderful few days. On the third night my machine decided not to work !!! Help…. Baxters (the renal suppliers)to the rescue . It was Easter Sunday and the person on call in the Paris area wasn’t answering his phone. Baxters in England were amazing with the senior technician taking the problem into his own hands and travelling on Eurostar to bring a replacement machine for my use. He arrived around midnight.

August 1997 was the next holiday and off to Barbados to give the boys a well earned break. All paperwork was done by Tracey at Baxters and I anticipated no problems when I arrived. The flight was uneventful and I dialysed twice on the aircraft.

The fluids had left Puerto Rica which served the Caribbean. I arrived at our hotel to find that the consignment was locked in customs as it was a holiday weekend for the Bajans. Cropover a time to celebrate the successful harvesting of the sugar cane crop. No one will open the bonded warehouse and I have only one bag of manual fluid to get me through the rest of the day. Baxters again to the rescue. With a lot of telephone calls and the help of Tracey in the UK and a lady in Puerto Rica and an emergency supply is freighted to the island and delivered to the hotel. It took a bit of organising on my part , someone to clear it through customs and deliver it to the hotel. It all turned out well in the end. Come the last night once again a problem ….no electricity at all to the machine ...not the hotels fault the emergency supply they had piped into my room was still working ….the fuses in the machine had all blown at the same time. As soon as I arrived home Baxters came and brought a replacement and I was up and running again. Thank heavens there is always an extra supply of manual bags.

December 1997 a trip to Houston, Texas was uneventful and the hotel was happy to accept delivery in advance of my arrival. Dialysis done manually on return overnight flight (2 exchanges).

February 1998 a trip to Normandy was uneventful

November 1998 a trip to Florida on my own was uneventful. Dialysis done on both flights. This was when I went out to finalise on the purchase of my first villa.

March 1999 was a lot different !!! I saw my baggage onto the aircraft at Gatwick for my trip to Orlando but it didn’t come off at the other end. !!!! PANIC! My worst nightmare. It was ascertained that my baggage had somehow not been put on the aircraft. It was all clearly marked “Medical Equipment”. The airline realised my predicament and tried to hire a machine for me in Orlando but had no joy. Could Baxters help?? Silly question… a machine was flown down from Atlanta, Georgia and the holiday was saved. My son became ill and we could not travel back on the date booked so Baxters once again to the rescue, topped up my order. Where would I be without them?

In June 1999 my peritoneal dialysis hit a series of problems, I had four successive bouts of peritonitis and I found myself on haemodialysis. Back to square one how would I be able to travel? My trip to Florida had been to purchase a holiday home. Would I now not be able to use it myself? Just another problem to solve. Some phone calls to the States and I tracked down a renal unit which was prepared to take me on as a transient patient. Certain tests would have to be done, a chest x-ray and some reports but the Haemodialysis unit in the UK was prepared to do those for me. The best bit of news was that their company Independent Renal Associates of Florida were opening a dialysis unit just near the entrance to the site where we had bought our villa (situated on Hwy 27 just 2 miles north of Wal Mart & Southern Dunes ) . They were still happy to have me. The cost would be $180 per session with everything including drugs supplied.

I booked my flights for myself and my sons on Christmas Eve and would you believe it on November 27th 1999 I had a telephone call from the transplant co-ordinator to say they had a kidney for transplanting and I was to be considered. A mad dash to the hospital and yes it was me! So now I have to rethink my holidays all over again.

Now 5 years and 5 months down the road I can live life to the full. So far there have been no real problems with my new kidney but I will always be grateful to the donor who gave me back my life and the ability to watch my sons grow into men.

Life has not been easy over the past 9 months as many of you already know. But things are looking up. Some very special friends encouraged me to go with the suggestion made by the hospital to change my medication. I am glad I followed their advice...because the new drugs are WORKING. I did however need a boot up the bum to make the decision.

I can never thank the friends who have supported me over the past 9 months enough.


PART 2 TO FOLLOW LATER


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## PETERFC (Apr 3, 2009)

*Reply*

Hi Siobhan

Thank you for sharing your story. I have spoke of my problems on this and another Forum and it has been a great help to get things of my chest. I hope that the coming year is bright, fruitful and trouble free. 

Peterfc


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## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

Thanks Peter

I meant this to mean *Nil illegitimi carborundum* " don't let the *******s grind you down"

Life can certainly throw some curves at you...it is the way you deal with them that counts


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