Updates onTreatment and Work

Returning to work this year was a daunting prospect. Over the summer, I often felt completely drained—needing three-hour naps just to keep up with nannying and evening activities. The thought of making it through a full eight-hour day in a kindergarten classroom felt overwhelming.

My dialysis treatments are scheduled for 4:15 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I typically don’t get home until around 8:30 p.m. Balancing daily responsibilities like dinner, cleaning, homework, and laundry on treatment days has been incredibly challenging. Most nights, I come home, eat dinner, and head straight to bed.

Physically, I usually feel okay after treatments. I tend to get a headache during or shortly afterward, but I can usually manage it with Tylenol or migraine medication. The following day, I often experience muscle soreness. Sundays are particularly tough—I usually feel achy and end up sleeping a lot. Since it’s been two days without treatment, and I tend to be more active on the weekends, my energy is often depleted by the end of the week.

However, I am incredibly grateful I am able to work and enjoy being there. It’s been my safe spot and my normal in a hectic time. Going into kindergarten each day where nothing else matters. Those kids have no idea what I am going through and being in the classroom feels like kidney failure doesn’t exist. I have to show up everyday for them and they show up everyday for me without even knowing it.