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What Do You Know About Polycystic Kidney Disease?

Suzanne Ruff — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:32:56 -0700

See an interview with Suzanne Ruff on NBC Chicago.

Tune in here.

Two Tales of Heroism - Hope Kidney Donation and Transplantation

Suzanne Ruff — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:25:19 -0700

Check out Suzanne Ruff in a podcast sharing her experiences with being a kidney donor.

Tune in here.

The Indignities of Illness

Suzanne Ruff — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:59:34 -0700

Bumps in the road! Setbacks! Wrenches in your plans! Life always has a mind of its own.

I just returned from helping my sister, Janice. Janice developed a hematoma and landed back in the hospital. To say she was miserable is putting it mildly. She didn’t want to se

Whew!

Suzanne Ruff — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:30:48 -0700

Whew! The last ten days have been tense. My sister, Janice, had gallstones and then more gallstones, and then surgery to remove her gallbladder. Three scopes and ten gallstones plus surgery took a toll on a very sick Janice. Our worry was palpable – holding our breath – that her transp

Kidney Disease and Butterflies

Suzanne Ruff — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:01:29 -0700

Since 2003 six members of my family have lost their jobs including me. I knew my job was going to be outsourced, but because I was writing my book, I stayed. On the last day of my job, when I returned home feeling blue, there was a phone call that the publisher had accepted my manuscript. See why I believe in angels? I believe God sent me in another direction. Some who have lost their job didn’t see it coming. Losing a job turns your life upside down. Conscientious and hard-working, a good employee can find it hard to find joy when stress, worry and tears hit when they are “let go.” Happiness seems hard to grasp. Living with kidney disease combines some of the same desperate feelings as you go about life. One of the things I admire most about my two sisters and my mom, my aunts and uncles, who all live or lived with kidney disease, is and was their amazing cheerfulness and zest for life. My mother told me she made up her mind to be happy. At her funeral so many people told me was how much fun she was! My sisters are the same. Joyful despite their burdens! Nathanial Hawthorne: Happiness is as a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.

Water & Kidneys

Suzanne Ruff — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:35:44 -0700

Drink Lots of Water

St. Benedict

Suzanne Ruff — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:03:41 -0700

Today is the feast day of St. Benedict – the patron saint of kidney disease. Many of you know after reading my book, that I was raised Irish Catholic on the South Side of Chicago. The Saints and their Feast Days were a part of my faith and upbringing. What I loved when I learned about the saints is that many of the saints were not always saints! What made them become saints? Each saint has a fascinating story. Sometimes I scratch my head in wonder with questions and astonishment trying to understand. Life is hard. All of us deal with day to day issues that are difficult. Life doesn’t always bring out the best in us. The saints were just like us. St. Benedict was known for the monasteries he formed – his system was admired and respected. It is now known as the Benedictine way and is held in high esteem. When St. Benedict was asked to help form another monastery in the Middle Ages, he did so in the same way he always had. His system had humility at its core and also had rules to deal with issues. My research shows the monks rebelled at his system and tried to poison his drink. Whether the poison was to try to cause his kidneys to fail, I don’t know. When St. Benedict prayed over the drink, the cup shattered. He lived to build more monasteries and to serve others. I like to believe in miracles. Even if I am not a saint, the beauty of life is the way each new day gives us the opportunity to live the way God calls us to live. Today I said a prayer to St. Benedict to bless our kidneys and help us as we all fight kidney disease together.

Chicken Soup For The Soul - Grieving & Recovery

Suzanne Ruff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:22:09 -0700

I have a new story to be published in Chicken Soup for the Soul - Grieving & Recovery! It hit bookstores on February 1, 2011. The title of my story is Lost And Found. Check it out!

A Book Critic's Review

Suzanne Ruff — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:45:56 -0700

Professional Review of The Reluctant Donor

Broken Wrists, Broken Hearts, but Happy Bubbles!

Suzanne Ruff — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:44:52 -0700

Broken Wrists

Sisters

Suzanne Ruff — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:23:40 -0700

Both of my sisters attended the launch of the book. The Star Tribune newspaper took some photos of us. We hope the caption reads: three sisters, seven kidneys between us! Despite each of my sisters having had a transplant, both of them still have their diseased kidneys.

Launch

Suzanne Ruff — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:21:07 -0700

Writing a book is not easy! Donating a kidney is not easy! Celebrating a published book is easy! It was almost as exciting as when I learned my old kidney immediately produced urine once it was sewn into its new home within my sister’s body! The Launch Party for my book, The Reluctant Donor, was held on Thursday, April 8, 2010. It was exciting!

Cathy

Default admin account — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 12:09:22 -0700

I’d like to dedicate my first blog to the memory of someone who helped me along my journey to become a living donor. Her name is Cathy. She helped me more than she probably ever knew.