Amp needs a kidney

Amp needs a kidney A guy trying to correct the mistakes of being young and stubborn

10/14/2025

Just got off the phone with the dialysis nurse. She told me she had a patient last year that was told in November that he was in the top 20. This is the only reason I will accept being in the hospital this Christmas. That would be the best Christmas gift ever lol *prayers* it's getting real y'all

10/10/2025

Time for an update, and a good one at that. Just got off the phone with my transplant coordinator. I am once again active on the list. While there is no guarantee and no way of truly knowing, she said she suspects i'm in the 6-month time frame of getting "the call". While I do need a break from "life-changing surgeries", I will gladly accept this one

10/03/2025

Update: had my annual evaluation yesterday. They want me to do an echo and an exercise test to ensure that I will be able to get up and be active after the surgery. Hopefully will get that scheduled today or tomorrow. Also referring me for physical therapy to build strength in my legs. I'm OK with that as I have relapse a bit without some sort of structure for the exercises. They will present my case to the board on Tuesday and decide if I can be active on the list again. Prayers always appreciated. The people I spoke to yesterday seemed optimistic that I would be reactivated. Random note to self: I have way too many big projects I want to do/accomplish lol I appreciate everyone's prayers. I definitely need them.

09/25/2025

Been awhile since I've posted an update. Don't fully remember what the last update was lol this week marked a month that I have been back in my apartment. Feels longer, but I have to keep reminding myself, especially when I look around and see what still needs to be cleaned. I feel like I haven't done much, but in reality, I've done a decent amount for my current abilities. The important thing is to keep at it and do a little something each day. That and my exercises. I've gotten a little lazy on exercises since getting back to work. I've let excuses (some valid and some not) slow me down on both the cleaning and exercising. Not a bad thing that I've slowed down, I just can't stay at this pace. I'll get my butt in gear, hopefully sooner than later. A fun thing that's happened is my hand controls got installed on my car, so now it's a waiting game with dmv until i'm a LEGAL driver again. On a kidney note, I go do my annual evaluation next week and (pending results) get re-activated on the transplant list. Hopefully there are no hiccups on that. Prayers appreciated.

09/13/2025

Calling it quits for the day, but before I do, wanted to expound on a post I made on my personal page earlier today. Living independently (particularly by yourself) with one or more major health issues is not for the weak, physically or otherwise. The physical part is "easy" to fix. Regularly push your muscles slightly past their limit (by exercise or just life) and over time, your limit will increase. Emotionally, you need to be able to withstand the wide range of emotions you face on a day to day. You can wake up feeling like you got run over by a truck, be feeling strong and confident a few minutes later, and something can happen minutes later that leaves you feeling weak and useless. The important thing is to not let these emotions control you or dictate your actions, even the strong and confident emotion. Don't let it trick you into doing something that you have no business attempting to do. Mentally, you have to push yourself every day. Maintain discipline. Convince yourself that you can keep going when you don't think you can or don't know how to. For those who have visible illnesses, you have the added aspect of dealing with people's reactions. Sometimes it's good, but other times can leave you wanting to crawl into the closet. Who wins in that case? Not you and certainly not the other person. Some may argue this, but I believe it also takes a certain amount of faith as well. I know for me personally, faith is what has gotten me as far as I have come. Now i'm not saying I possess all of these strengths, or have even experienced a need for each of these. I do believe though, at one point or another, all of these strengths are needed, as well as others not mentioned.

08/31/2025

US develops wearable artificial kidney for chronic kidney disease patients

American bioengineers have unveiled a portable, wearable artificial kidney that allows patients with end-stage kidney disease to filter blood continuously outside the hospital. This device combines microfluidic membranes, nanofilters, and bioengineered enzymes in a compact system that attaches comfortably to the body.

Unlike traditional dialysis, which requires patients to spend hours hooked to machines, the wearable kidney operates 24/7, mimicking natural kidney function. Blood is filtered in real time, toxins are removed, and essential electrolytes are balanced continuously, dramatically improving patient health.

The device is powered by low-energy pumps and rechargeable batteries, designed for mobility and long-term use. Smart sensors monitor filtration efficiency, alerting patients or doctors to any malfunction instantly. This provides unprecedented autonomy for patients who previously relied on clinical dialysis centers.

Clinical trials show improved cardiovascular outcomes, reduced fatigue, and better quality of life. Because the system is portable, patients can maintain daily activities while receiving continuous treatment, a revolutionary shift from the constraints of traditional dialysis.

Researchers are also exploring integrating sensors for early disease detection, so the device could potentially monitor kidney function and predict complications before they arise. In this sense, the wearable kidney is both a therapy and a preventive tool.

This invention represents a leap forward in medical technology, offering a sustainable solution to kidney disease that combines engineering, biotechnology, and patient-centered design.

08/30/2025

It happened. Hurt myself a little due to a fall this evening. I'm sure, but I'll be alright. Might have to take it easy tomorrow. We shall see. Good news though. Saw my kidney Dr and care team today. Everything is looking good. Got a couple numbers to work on, but overall good labs. Hope everyone has a good holiday weekend.

It was a mostly wasted day. It seemed th I s morning that if it could go wrong, it did. The positive out of today? I got...
08/29/2025

It was a mostly wasted day. It seemed th I s morning that if it could go wrong, it did. The positive out of today? I got the first carbon fiber leg for the right side. I'll have this for maybe a year, depends on how much my stump continues to shrink. S I in the meantime, I get t ok find a piece of fabric to design the next leg. Do I do another Earnhardt Sr to make them match? Do Jr and make it father and son? Or do I just make my legs my two favorite things and make this one the marauders map (Harry potter)

08/23/2025

Big update *drumroll* I'm back home in my apartment! :) officially came back this week and am SLOWLY getting things straight. It needed cleaning before everything happened and for the last 8 months has been little more than a storage unit. My stamina and endurance is still low when it comes to standing or doing stuff (gonna take awhile to build that back up) so I am only able to do one or two things before I have to sit and rest for a minute. For example, I just cleaned out a box that had a few dialysis supplies and then took that and another box to the dumpster. Now I sit here and rest as I type this. Going to tackle the fridge next and will no doubt need a break after haha I have a lady coming out in a couple weeks to tackle some of the bigger things for me and then I will probably have a cleaning service come out every so often to help me maintain. I can't do what I used to, but I can do so much more than what I could a few months ago. I do my 2nd driving training this week (yay for being 16 again lol) and go back to work after labor day. Yay for life finally starting to get back to normal.

08/04/2025

Alright, so for the first time since Thanksgiving? I sat behind the wheel of a moving vehicle. Had my first evaluation/test drive today. Went well. The instructor sid that based on how I did today, I should have no problem getting the hang of it. Today was the neighborhood, main roads on next trip

07/27/2025

So today would be considered a successful day. The end of January is when I had my foot chopped off, but I have not walked comfortably on 2 feet since Thanksgiving. Today, I did laps in the house on 2 occasions and walked to the shower for my first shower in an undisclosed amount of time. Now the work starts. Next major milestone is in 2 weeks when I do driving training.

07/25/2025

1) I forgot exactly how much strength is lost through all this lol consequently, also encouraged to be able to see an immediate comparison with how much strength I've gotten back in the first leg.
2) It's always cool to look back and see how God puts certain people in your life at certain times. When I had my fist amputation, the rehab had a program where they match you with a mentor who has already been on the journey (I promise I'm not talking about drug rehab lol). To my knowledge, I was paired with this man by "random"based on the fact that we are both amputees. He's a double and at that time, only one of my feet had been chopped. It's amazing how similar our stories are though. He had his first amp due to an infection (I think). 2nd amp was 2 years later (while mine was 1). He was also on dialysis. So, when I text him asking random questions (usually not important or I'm thinking about stuff way down the road) he knows where I'm at physically and some of the extra things I'm dealing with. Good news is that he has received his transplant (a few years ago), so he has gotten on the other side of that particular struggle.

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