08 December 2014

I can't believe an entire month has gone by since my last blog entry; so, I guess I had best get to it...

Dialysis Weights:

11 Nov 14
Starting Weight:  100.1 Kg 
Ending Weight:   96.4 Kg
Water Removed:   3.70 Kg

13 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   99.3 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.2 Kg
Water Removed:   3.10 Kg
15 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   98.6 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.4 Kg
Water Removed:   2.20 Kg

18 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   99.6 Kg
Ending Weight:   95.9 Kg
Water Removed:   3.60 Kg

20 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   98.9 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.1 Kg
Water Removed:   2.80 Kg

22 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   98.8 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.2 Kg
Water Removed:   2.60 Kg

24 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   98.6 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.3 Kg
Water Removed:   2.30 Kg

26 Nov 14
Starting Weight:  98.7 Kg 
Ending Weight:   95.9 Kg
Water Removed:   2.80 Kg

29 Nov 14
Starting Weight:   99.9 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.1 Kg
Water Removed:   3.80 Kg

02 Dec 14
Starting Weight:   100.7 Kg
Ending Weight:   97.0 Kg
Water Removed:   3.70 Kg

04 Dec 14
Starting Weight:   100.0 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.4 Kg
Water Removed:   3.60 Kg

06 Dec 14
Starting Weight:   98.9 Kg
Ending Weight:   96.3 Kg
Water Removed:   2.60 Kg

Aside from the Thanksgiving treatment schedule, my weights remain consistent; thanks in large part to my dedication to my fluid intake awareness and decision to limit my intake to 1 Liter of fluid per day. It's definitely NOT easy to stick to the intake limits, but in the end, it's the healthiest thing I can do in order to stay as healthy as possible.

December Labs:

*Albumin (18 Nov): 4.60 g/dL     (+0.40 from 21 Oct)
  (A measure of Protein in the blood)     NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher

*Hemoglobin (02 Dec): 11.00 G/dL    (+0.70 G/dL from 04 Nov)
  (A Measure of Anemia)

*Ca Corrected (02 Dec): 9.30 mg/dL     (-0.20 mg/dL from 04 Nov)
  (A measure of Heart and Bone health)     NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL

*Phosphorous (02 Dec:  4.90 mg/dL    (-0.70 from 04 Nov)
  (High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones)     NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL

*PTH Intact (18 Nov):  252 pg/mL     (+0.67 pg/mL from 21 Oct)
  (A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health)     NR 150 to 600 pg/mL

*K+ (02 Dec):  6.0 mEq/L    (NO Change from 04 Nov)
  (Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well)     NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L

*spKdt/V Dialysis (02 Dec):  1.73     (+0.12 from 04 Nov)
  (A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.)     NR 1.20 or Higher 
My labs look awesome...except for the Potassium, of course. That just likes to jump and skip around going from bad to good to terrible--and back again...there just isn't any consistency with the K+, and I am doing everything I can to limit the intake of foods containing this mineral. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Maybe next month the lab will look good again.

I had my R arm remapped on the 1st [of Dec] to see what was happening with that pseudo-aneurysm (PS). The PS is completely healed, and I have already begun using the old site further up the arm. The site at the wrist is completely abandoned because not only was it unnecessary to use it, but the pain I had from the canulations was constant. Plus, the latest mapping show that it has also developed a pseudo-aneurysm; most likely the result of numerous nicks of the fistula wall due to its proximity to bone structures. So, oh darn...the wrist just isn't an option anymore. What a disappointment! :o{

I have the chart of the mapping, but I cannot scan it right now. As soon as I can do that, I'll get the chart posted on a new entry.

The reason I can't scan that mapping chart--and why it has taken me a month to write a new entry-- is because I have just moved. The building my condo was in had just been sold and the uncompleted project was about to undergo months of directly adjacent (in building) construction noise, plus a couple of years of construction on a new building right next to my condo, and with needing lots of rest due to dialysis AND everything else, staying just wasn't an option. Anyhow, I am not yet fully set up in my new home office, so my scanner is not yet set up--mostly because I need a longer firewire to connect the copier/scanner/printer to my desktop.

I have been having new issues with breathing...again. I had thought that with my dry weight dropping so much there would no longer be problems with water collecting under/near  my diaghram. Unfortunately, that is NOT the case. Even with watching my fluid intake, the water seems be collecting in areas that make breathing difficult, and laying down impossible. So, on the second and third nights after dialysis, I am again sleeping sitting up in my comfy chair. It's all no fun whatsoever, but at least I know how I can deal with the issue whenever it comes up.

The whole soaking my feet thing for the Burning Foot Syndrome continues to be effective whenever I need the relief. No more sleepless nights because of the pain in my feet! (Yay!)

My appetite continues to be all over the place, as does my propensity to be totally turned off by smells, textures, tastes, etc. It's hard to eat consistently from meal to meal when foods just suddenly become completely unappetizing for whatever reason. I know this will disappear I when have a kidney, so I just have to get past this as best I can from day to day.

My eyesight has been downright terrible the last few weeks. While my farsightedness is always good, its the nearsightedness that is terrible. I have been using my reading glasses (the ones I got for my Occular Divergence) every time I am on my desktop, tablet, have excessive smartphone use or just reading anything else. At least I can work around this symptom of my complete lack of kidneys.

The exhaustion level I feel from day to day is, as always, never to same from moment to moment. When I do have energy, it disappears quickly, so I try to maximize whatever I am doing at that time. I'm still walking around a lot clearly tired and visibly exhausted. However, I try to push through this so I continue to gain strength; however miniscule the strengthening is. I'll never get stronger if I never push myself; so even though it doesn't seem like it, every opportunity to push myself is getting me closer to being as healthy and strongest as possible. Like I said, it certainly doesn't seem like pushing myself does much good; but when you find yourself walking a tick faster, or lifting something a tad heavier, then you know for surety that your efforts are paying off.

That's all I have for today. Thanks for hanging in there with me day after day. This has been a very long journey, and I appreciate your continuous thoughts and prayers.

Good Health to All!

ScottW