09 October 2011

Altogether, the last four days have been alright.

My nausea has been minimal, the vertigo as well. The edema has also been reduced. My headache, though ever-present, has been completely manageable. Sounds OK, right?

On the flip side, a recent downturn in weather has resulted in my being ridiculously cold 24/7. I've gone back to wearing a fleece jacket, sweatpants and warm footies [at all times]. My hands feel totally frozen, even in a warm room. This is especially true in my L hand, above the site of my AV Fistula. Diversion of some of the blood supply has definitely impacted the temp in my hand, as the recent weather change has made extremely apparent.

My sleep continues its pattern of being all over the place. My nightly sleep is still restless, though my dreams remain controllable. Since my last entry my sleep has averaged just six hours at night, then naps of at least four hours sometime during the day. These have happened anywhere from two to five hours after awakening in the morning.

The pain over my R kidney area has gotten a bit worse. It still feels as if I've been stabbed in my back whenever I move or bend certain ways. Laying on my R side is becoming increasingly challenging because of this. The pain is not yet constant. Again, if it becomes constant or extremely painful, I'll go to my doc for a possible canulation to drain what might be a large cyst on my kidney.

I've had four or five instances of deeply cloudy urine since my last post. Additionally, my urine overall has been terribly odoriferous. The flow remains fairly consistent, but the color has ranged from almost clear to a light amber. Foaminess remains high.

Ammonia continues to be a problem. I'm told my breath is worsening, and my skin odor, too. Still no crystalization on the skin. When I get up in the morning I can't stand to smell my own breath. I'm now in the habit of brushing my teeth right after I'm dressed. This only helps a little; but I'll take what I can get. We now have an air freshener in the house. Plus, we have to air out the house every day in order to control the smell from the ammonia coming off my breath and skin.

Because of my fairly good week my brain has had a bit of a break, and my mood has been much better.
I don't know why these breaks come along; but I'll gladly accept and enjoy them because they really lift my spirits and my ability to be strong in those times when I feel increasingly horrible.

That's all I can think of today.

Good Health to All!

ScottW