In a year period, I have become accustomed to over 1600 blood pressure readings, 300 temperatures, between 45 to fifty lab draws for various results and readings, two needle punctures done for roughly 160 dialysis treatments, 320 weights, 160 lung and heart assessments, 160 or so needle pokes of epogen being injected in the arm, approximately 4800 pills, and 624 hours hooked up to the dialysis machine.

These numbers do not include time spent in the inevitable hospital stays for other complications, or additional medical situations that invariably arise during the year. These numbers do not reflect the numbers that reflect the cost for my care, to keep me alive, to keep the machinery of this life support system to work.

Most importantly, these numbers say nothing of what really is involved in what we do to care and live for one another.