23 September 2013

Four years ago I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Polycystic Kidney Disease (PCKD, or PKD).
The news threw a huge wrench in my plans for education, and the emergent symptomology completely derailed my life in pretty much every other aspect.
In the time since, the road has been very long, extremely arduous, and filled with all sorts of challenges, and personal growth.

There is yet a ways to go, however; but I finally find myself on the cusp of renal transplant. Only a bit further yet to travel...

Alright...Here are my latest dialysis weights:

17 Sep 13
Starting Weight:  106.2 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.1 Kg
Water Removed:  2.10 Kg

19 Sep 13
Starting Weight:  106.2 Kg
Ending Weight:  103.9 Kg
Water Removed:  2.30 Kg

21 Sep 13
Starting Weight:  105.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  104.2 Kg
Water Removed:  1.40 Kg

As you can see, my top weights are all down. This is likely due to the dental work I'm having done, and its subsequent impact on my appetite and my ability to chew. There is just one more dental appointment this coming Wednesday--the Deep Cleaning. So, probably two more weeks of reduced food intake, and then I should be doing far better.

Last Tuesday [at dialysis] I had more labs drawn. Here are the results:

*Albumin (17 Sep):  4.70 g/dL (+0.10 g/dL from 20 Aug)
  (A measure of Protein in the blood)     NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher

*Hemoglobin (17 Sep):  11.9 g/dL  (+0.80 g/dL from 10 Sep)
  (A Measure of Anemia)

*Ca Corrected (03 Sep): 9.30 mg/dL (-0.20 mg/dL from 06 Aug)
  (A measure of Heart and Bone health)     NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL

*Phosphorous (03 Sep):  4.50 mg/dL (+ 0.2 mg/dL from 06 Aug)
  (High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones)     NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL

*PTH Intact (17 Sep):  161 pg/mL  (-14 pg/mL from 20 Aug)
  (A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health)     NR 150 to 600 pg/mL

*K+ (17 Sep):  3.9 mEq/L (-0.30 mEq/L from 20 Aug)
  (Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well)     NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L

*spKdt/V Dialysis (03 Sep): 1.51   (-0.05 from 08 Aug)
  (A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.)     NR 1.20 or Higher
The lab that concerns me most is the K+ (Potassium). A large drop like this to the low end of the range is not good. Hopefully, this drop is an anomaly and it will rebound on the next draw. We'll see.

As expected, the headache remains elevated. I still cannot use my TMD adjuncts (the NTI devices) due to extreme discomfort on my lower teeth. As I still have the deep cleaning to do, I don't expect this to change for at least another week. In the meantime, the combined PKD/TMD headache will continue to be overly intense 24/7.

My energy drain continues. This past week I had less energy than the week before. I can still push through this; though even doing that is becoming more difficult. Luckily this is expected, so again, this doesn't impact me mentally beyond just being so tired.

My sleep, in spite of the increased exhaustion, is about the same as it has been in quality and overall duration. The biggest change is in my ability to get out of bed--aside from dialysis mornings. On the days I don't have to get up quickly, I am finding that I struggle to wake up, and the struggle to even get up. It is taking a great deal of mental effort to get going. On many non-D days, I am barely waking, fall back asleep for a half hour or so, and then repeat the process several times. Even though I start waking at about 830A, I am going through this struggle until about 1030-1100a. Even then, I'm groggy for a few hours after getting up.  No fun.  :-L

The bilateral flank pain has been awful! LOTS of pain on both sides. The cystic growths must be really large right now.

My urine production seems to be down again. The good news here is that proteins are evidently lower (no foaminess when voiding), and my urine is fairly clear in both color and particulates.  I'll certainly take both! The longer I can avoid kidney stones, the better!

Last week at dialysis I had my yearly flu shot, and the last in the Hep-B series. If you'll remember, until last year, I'd never had a flu shot in my life; and I rarely got the flu. Now, because of the kidney disease--and upcoming transplant--my immune system is compromised, and soon to be non-existent, and I will have to take yearly flu shots for the rest of my life.
Also, the Hepatitis-B series had to be redone due to some issue with the batch that was previously used on me. Last weeks' injection was the final of the current series (four in all). From now on, only a yearly booster will be needed until tests determine another series. This cycle with He-B will also go on for the rest of my life.

Both shots are a small price to pay for remaining as healthy as possible, for as long as possible! So no worries!

That's about all for today.
I will let you know how the last of my dental appointments go. 

Enjoy your upcoming week!

Good Health to All!

ScottW