Around 90% of people in need of a transplant are waiting for a kidney, including Rhoda McCready from Priesthill, in the South Side of Glasgow.

The mum-of-two kept a diary for a week, showing the impact of regular hospital dialysis on her day-to-day life...

MONDAY

I know I've eaten too much food over the weekend containing potassium, which is in most fruit and vegetables.

It's typical, all the good stuff is bad for me.

I've been waiting for a transplant for three years.

I found out I had kidney failure at the age of 16. They think it was caused by having a lot of antibiotics as a child.

The doctors managed to stabilise it with medication and diet restrictions until I was 18, when I developed stage 3 kidney failure and was put on dialysis.

Dialysis involves nurses putting large needles into my arm and then the machine takes the blood out and clean the toxins and extra fluid that is in the blood stream.

There were no problems being put on the machine today except I tend to bleed a lot while I'm having my treatment.

I have low haemoglobin because I've lost a lot of blood lately which makes me really tired.

I feel overloaded with fluid today after the weekend. I'm only allowed to drink 1 litre of fluid a day, which is the equivalent of about four cups of tea.

I took ages to stop bleeding today. It gets frustrating because I'm in a rush to get the kids from school but that puts my blood pressure up then I bleed more.

My hands are cramping up really bad and I'm finding it hard to cut up food. Thankfully, my wee boy Stephen, 8, helps me out when he can.

TUESDAY

Woke feeling rough today.

Got the housework done in time for the kids coming home. It took me all day because I had to keep taking little breaks.

I fell pregnant with my son Stephen when I was 21, which was a big shock because I was told I could probably never have kids because of my condition.

I was told it was dangerous to go ahead but it made me more determined to go through with it.

I had to have dialysis every day during my pregnancy to protect the baby.

Stephen was born nine weeks early weighing just three pounds. He was so small you could have held him in your hand like a bag of sugar but thankfully he became a healthy boy.

I received a kidney not long after that.

It lasted around 3 years but slowly started to fail when I fell pregnant with my daughter Hayley, 4.

WEDNESDAY

Found it hard to get up today, but once I see the faces of my children, it makes the day worthwhile.

I think they know I've been a lot more tired than usual.

My blood count has been low for a while. It sometimes feels like I've been hit by a bus.

I don't know what I would do without my renal team at the New Victoria hospital.

I see them more than I do my own family so I've become very close to them.

Dialysis went smoothly today, except the machine wasn't ready when I arrived so I could only do two and half hours because I had to pick up the kids. No matter what, the kids come first.

Usual routine with the kids when I got home but I had to fit in a quick cuppa while I build up the energy to start making dinner.

I probably won't have anything with them. I just don't seem to have an appetite on hospital days.

I'm going to leave the housework till tomorrow because I'm so tired.

THURSDAY

Woke up feeling great today.

Met up with a friend in town for something to eat and the cinema.

It was just what I needed. I haven't enjoyed myself like that for a while.

I had couple of alcoholic drinks but I knew I had to be careful because I didn't have full dialysis yesterday.

Even though I try to forget about my illness on my days off, it's always in the back of mind.

The kids are at their gran's tonight so I had an hour or two to myself before bed.

I have a fistula in my left arm, which is a man-made artery made from two veins joined together, which makes a good site for the needles.

I don't go out that much because of the scars on my arm from the needles. People think the worst.

I wish they would just ask. I'm proud of the strong person I've become because of my illness.

FRIDAY

Felt a bit rough this morning.

I couldn't wait to get on the dialysis machine this morning because I know that once I'm on it I'll start to feel a lot better.

An hour into my treatment and I've started to feel better.

I'm trying to persuade the nurses to do a charity skydive with me, but no such luck, so me and a friend are going to do it.

I managed to get a little sleep on the machine today but still feel tired.

The kids are away to their dads this weekend so I can relax and catch up on the housework.

I do my shopping online as I can't face trailing round the shops.

Thank goodness for the internet. It's a big help for people like me.

It's been a tiring week. Thankfully I get a lot of support from friends, family and the renal team.

I think 'opt out' is a great idea. It would bring the waiting lists down, and I think everyone would have a better understanding of this condition.

One person that has passed on could save so many lives.

There is even a waiting list to get on dialysis in your hospital of choice.

It has the potential to make such a difference for people like me.