Amp needs a kidney

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.

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.

07/23/2025

Long post warning

Every now and then, something happens that changes how you view life, or perhaps do life. Sometimes, that thing is so drastic that the event itself is instantly noticeable. Other times, only the affects can be seen. Occasionally, a person may only have one such event while others may have multiple. I finally got my prosthetic today and joked/thought out loud "milestone hit today. Next milestone on Aug 4." It kinda got me to thinking about the milestones and setbacks this past few years. A LOT of life-altering set backs and major milestones in just a few years. Most of you have been around awhile and know this story. Cardiac failure (not quite a heart attack, but close) and quadruple bypass. Lost all my strength. Got some of it back. Diagnosed with stage 5 kidney disease and start dialysis. Again lost strength and energy. They say this disease doesn't have to control you, but in a lot of ways, it does and puts up a fight. Finally start getting energy back and get an infection that takes toes and then one foot. Have to learn to stand and walk again. Figure out new energy levels and body reactions. Get a prosthetic, start walking, and feel better than I have in awhile. BAM! Another infection that takes other foot. Just got first leg today and will once again have to learn how to stand/walk/live again. This month marks 3 years and 10 months since the heart surgery. I've been knocked down. Kicked while I was down, and kicked again; but with God's help i continue to stand up and fight back. I'm not done. There's more fighting to be done and God's not done with me yet. One day, hopefully when I can take some time to breath, my whole story will be put out there and perhaps God will use that to touch eve more than I ever could in person. For now, I repeat what has become my battle cry of sorts. stay humble in yourself, but at the same time, for you Christians be proud and boast in the one who stands behind you when needed, in front when needed, and always in you.

07/16/2025

So, went to the prosthetist (fake leg guy) on Tuesday. Happy to say that I got casted and will (should) be getting my test socket next week. This time next week I should be able to take steps.

07/12/2025

07/11/2025

Don't have a physical health update. Won't have any until next week. This is more of a mental/social health. Currently listening to an audio book and it's talking about close friendships,or lack thereof. Got me thinking about how I don't really have close friends any more, not in the last few years. There's a couple of people that I will reach out to from time to time to make sure we stay in each other's lives. I've got a couple people that I'm willing to call in an emergency if I need help (family). Don't get me wrong. There's an abundance of people who have told me to reach out to them if I need anything, but only a couple people I'm willing to call. I fully admit that it is my own fault. I'm a loner. When a close friendship ended a few years ago (first time I've stated that to myself, much less publicly), I have since been unwilling to let people get any closer than they already are. Something I need to work on. I use my health and physical condition as an excuse, easy to do when it's 95% true. I need to branch out. Maybe I'll work on that once I can start driving again and have leg strength to walk. Thank you to all those who have stuck around through my stubbornness. Hope everyone has a great night.

07/09/2025

Long story short, more people needs a kidney and fewer people are donating kidneys. Not a good combo.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CKZn71hW1/

⚠️ New figures, released today by NHS Blood and Transplant show 8,096 people, including 276 children, were waiting for a life-saving transplant as of 31 March 2025. This is the highest number on record and shockingly almost 7,000 of those are waiting for a .

Action is needed to ensure the number of people waiting for a transplant is reduced, so we are calling on the government to launch a UK-wide awareness campaign and education programme to help people understand how organ donation works and how they can register their decision.

You can read our full news story here 👉 https://kidneycareuk.org/news-from-kidney-care-uk/public-urged-to-talk-about-organ-donation-as-transplant-waiting-list-hits-record-high-and-number-of-donors-falls/

The story has also been covered today in The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jul/09/number-of-patients-in-uk-waiting-for-lifesaving-organ-transplant-at-record-high
and the Mirror: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-transplant-waiting-list-reaches-35522284