02 June 2013

About fourteen days since I last wrote an entry, so let's get going.

As usual, I'll begin with the dialysis weights:

21 May 13
Starting Weight:  107.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.1 Kg
Water Removed:  2.90 Kg

23 May 13
Starting Weight:  105.9 Kg 
Ending Weight:  104.3 Kg
Water Removed:  1.60 Kg

25 May 13
Starting Weight:  106.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.1 Kg
Water Removed:  1.90 kg
28 May 13
Starting Weight:  106.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.3 Kg
Water Removed:  1.70 Kg

30 May 13
Starting Weight:  105.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.1 Kg
Water Removed:  1.00 Kg

01 Jun 13
Starting Weight:  106.2 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.3 Kg
Water Removed:  1.90 Kg

Once again, consistency rules the day. I continue to work every day to limit my fluid intake, and those efforts are showing themselves with each dialysis treatment. *Right now, I am trying to limit myself to no more than about 45 Fl. Oz's per day, or so. Most days I do pretty well; other days, not so much. But even on the not so good days, I am extremely conscientious about not going overboard with the fluids. (Hey...you have to cheat once in a while just so you don't go crazy thirsty!)

In my last entry I noted that I haven't been feeling well...and that same trend has continued. My body is just struggling with being sick. Most days I have been dragging myself around with barely enough energy to be even slightly productive. Pushing through these times is hard! But, I know that if I don't, it will end up being detrimental to my overall health and well-being, let alone my state of mind. So, I push through it; even when doing so is the very last thing I have any inclination of doing.

My sleep has again been all over. My naps are fewer...again; but my nightly sleep hours are longer. On non-Dialysis nights I am getting between 9-11 hours, with no naps. On the nights before dialysis I am sleep four hours, then getting between 4-7 hours of sleep after the Tx. So, on the average dialysis day--between 12a and waking the following day--I am getting between 14-17 hours of sleep over about a 30 hour period. Even then I am still dragging around exhausted and not feeling well.

The headache is maintaining its elevated level. I'd estimate that it is a constant 8.5 on a 1-10 scale. And with the bilateral flank pain still going strong (and still lower on the kidneys), my T3 usage has increased to about four per day, on average. I know that I could always take more--according to the Rx--but I just don't want to! I'm blah enough as it is without adding anymore to it. So, I tolerate a lot of pain.

The incidences of nausea have decreased. In the past week I have only taken a few small doses of Promethazine (anti emetic). I will not complain about having less nausea!

One thing I never anticipated about dialysis is the constant state of healing the button-hole sites are in. As a result, the area around both sites is always itching, as healing tissue does. Up to this point I haven't tried to find anything that might reduce the itching other than scratching along both sides of the fistula. But, the scratching is beginning to irritate my skin, so, I'll probably be looking for some sort of salve or cream to help with this. I'll let you know what I come up with.

And...

Well, never mind. I suddenly forgot whatever else it was I had in mind.
C'est La Vie.

Good Health to All!

ScottW