Friday July 30, 2010
Picture of the Day
Yes it's the same photo I posted for Thursday, but with a difference. Margie has PhotoShop at work, and got rid of the Yield sign that stood out like a neon light. The sign caught the flash when I took the picture.KIDNEY UPDATEOur story thus far..........
I was diagnosed with Polysystic Kidney Disease in the summer of 2006. I am under a doctor's care and all was OK. In March 2008, I was asked if I had thought about asking someone for a kidney. Uh, no. Seems I was going to need a kidney transplant in a few years. I had tests done, and last year was put on the waiting list for a kidney. Things have slowly been sliding downhill since. Three months ago(or was it four?), my filtration rate was 14%. The kidneys have cysts on them and are interfering with the ability to filter out the toxins. Since 2008, I had lost 50 lbs. through diet and exercise. Well, more diet than exercise. In January of this year, I had a fistula put in my left wrist in anticipation of going on dialysis.Went and saw the doctor Thursday. I had a feeling the numbers had dropped, and they did. Creatinine was 6.0 and the filtration rate was 9%. Yeesh.
However, my ambition lately has been crap. No energy. And now I find my self having trouble falling asleep at night. No problem dozing off during the day. Appitite is still fine. One surprise was that my weight stayed the same since the last appointment. He's taking me off the blood pressure medicine. My BP was 116/64, and I have had trouble with light-headedness if I bend over to do something, then straighten up again.
The one problem he saw was my fistula, or rather, a narrowing or dip in the vein near it. A nurse checked it, and then I was sent to the dialysis unit at Fletcher Allen to have a nurse there check it out. Maybe I would need a stint or something placed in it to bring it back up.
So I walked in to the dialysis unit at Fletcher Allen.
And almost freaked out.
I cannot believe there are so many people with kidney problems.
People laying in beds with tubes hooked to their arms leading to a machine.
Sigh.
The nurse checked the vein, then had another nurse come over, and it seems to be OK. There is another vein connected to it and I may have a proceedure done to close off the stray vein.
I mentioned to the nurse how I was trying to stay healthy because I didn't want to end up here. She said that these were special cases, and that the ones who were here, need to be here. She assured me that when it comes to be on dialysis, that I was going to be fine.
I realize there is the whole "There but for the grace of God go I", but man, that room gives me added incentive to get the mail everyday and stay as active as long as I can.
I've said it before, I'm not looking for a kidney. I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm just laying my cards on the table. There are people who are worse off than me. I know. I saw them Thursday.
Like I said, no problem with the appitite. Carry Parsons took me to my appointment, and I always take her out to lunch afterward. We usually stop at Friendly's. I had the Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger(no veggies) with french fries, and finished it with a Butterfinger Sundae. Yum.
