Welcome!

My name is Rachael M.  I am one half of the blogging duo of Rachael and Rachel.  We share the experience of living with peritoneal dialysis and hope to give you insight into the challenges and successes of our stories. 

I am 43 years old and I am many things.  Wife.  Friend.  Sister.  Problem-solver.  Problem-creator.  Cynic.  Musician.  Thinker.  I am also a peritoneal dialysis (PD) patient.  However, being a PD patient does not define me.  It is simply one piece of the puzzle of who I am.

What I hope to express in this blog is that having a major medical issue does not alter the state of my being.  It is something I have to deal with, but doesn't limit my potential as a fully-realized human being. Through shared experiences and stories from my personal journey on PD, I hope to make this clear.

I can tell you what I have gone through and what I have learned.  The bottom line is that I am always still true to myself.  PD didn't take over my life.  It gave me a new perspective.  I plan on sharing that perspective with you.  My hope is that anyone who reads this will better understand the challenges and benefits of a life on peritoneal dialysis.  There will be joys and there will be tears.  I believe in the reader's right to the truth.

This will be a story of self-empowerment and freedom, living and living well on PD.  I choose to live exactly the way I feel I should.  I choose not to limit or define my life because of my medical condition.  This is what I wish for anyone who is facing the same (or a similar) situation.

Thank you for reading.  Ask any questions.  Share your opinions.  I will be open and honest and cover as many topics as possible to give you a better view from my perspective.  I hope to address all facets of a life well-lived on PD.  Welcome!