12 April 2015

A day shy of one month since my last entry; read on to see why...

Dialysis Weights:

14 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  97.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.7 Kg
Water Removed:  2.30 Kg

17 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  98.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.8 Kg
Water Removed:  3.80 Kg

19 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  97.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.9 Kg
Water Removed:  2.70 Kg

21 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  97.4 kg
Ending Weight:  94.6 Kg
Water Removed:  2.80 Kg

24 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  98.3 Kg
Ending Weight:  95.1 Kg
Water Removed:  3.20 Kg

26 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  97.8 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.9 Kg
Water Removed:  2.90 Kg

28 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  97.7 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.7 Kg
Water Removed:  3.00 Kg

31 Mar 15
Starting Weight:  99.4 Kg
Ending Weight:  95.6 Kg
Water Removed:  3.80 Kg

02 Apr 15
Starting Weight:  98.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.9 Kg
Water Removed:  3.10 Kg

04 Apr 15
Starting Weight:  97.2 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.6 Kg
Water Removed:  2.60 Kg


 07 Apr 15
Starting Weight:  98.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.8 Kg
Water Removed:  3.30 Kg

09 Apr 15
Starting Weight:  97.9 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.7 Kg
Water Removed:  3.20 Kg

11 Apr 15
Starting Weight:  96.8 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.6 Kg
Water Removed:  2.20 Kg




April Lab Work:

*Albumin (17 Mar): 4.30 g/dL     (+0.30 g/dL from 17 Feb March)
  (A measure of Protein in the blood)     NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher

*Hemoglobin (07 Apr): 10.80 G/dL    (+0.90 G/dL from 03 Mar)
  (A Measure of Anemia)

*Ca Corrected (07 Apr): 9.50 mg/dL     (-0.30 mg/dL from 03 Mar)
  (A measure of Heart and Bone health)     NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL

*Phosphorous (07 Apr:  4.30 mg/dL    (+0.20 mg/dL from 03 Mar)
  (High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones)     NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL

*PTH Intact (17 Mar):  243 pg/mL     (-9 pg/mL from 17 Feb)
  (A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health)     NR 150 to 600 pg/mL

*K+ (07 Apr):  4.9 mEq/L    (-0.50 mEq/L from 10 Mar)
  (Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well)     NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L

*spKdt/V Dialysis (07 Apr):  1.70     (+0.02 from 03 Mar)
  (A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.)     NR 1.20 or Higher  

These latest labs are AWESOME!!     Hard work; sacrifice; determination...that's all it takes to achieve these lab results. It's never easy to get these results; but you'll be happy you did what was asked of you.


 Now, as to why I took a month to get another blog written...

That is quite simple to explain. The last three weeks I have felt downright lousy! Not nauseated, just lousy. Yes, nausea has been a consistent companion; but I'm just referring to feeling sick...all of the time. Feeling so sick leads to not eating right, not doing household chores, not having any energy to get out and do anything, etc. Even my wife has commented on how blah I've been the last few weeks. As far as I know, this increase of feeling so bad is NOT the result of anything I've been doing. My diet hasn't changed, my day to day hasn't changed, there have been no changes at dialysis, my meds are almost all the same...aside from my probiotic--it's a different brand than what I had been taking.

IF the probiotic is the culprit behind how I've been feeling, then the simple answer is to go back to the original brand I had been using; which I will do this coming week. If I end up feeling better after beginning the new med, then I know that was the issue. If not, then I will just figure that my body is going through...something, and will hope I begin to feel better shortly. Either way, I'll let you know.

Still no word from Transplant. I did have a routine follow-up visit with my Nephrologist this last week, and he was not surprised to learn that I hadn't heard from Transplant. He told me they have not only been very busy lately, but that with the new UNOS rules in place, the Transplant office in general has been scrambling to readjust their personnel, procedures, etc.  There was one comment he made that has me wondering about how soon I'll get the Call; which was that he asked me what I'll be doing after I get my Transplant--something he has NEVER asked me about at anytime during the last five years. He said, "You're going to want to know what you're doing once you heal up, because you are going to WANT to get back to life again."  Hmmm...

I may be reading into his question too much, but I may also be on the mark in wondering if the question is related to his knowing something I do not. Time will tell.

My appetite fatigue has grown worse than ever. This is likely attributed to how I've been feeling over the past month; but whatever the case, I am eating less (not good!), eating less often (not good at all!), and taking in less protein (a very bad thing!). It's not that I want to; I just can't bring myself to eating much of anything if I find it the least bit unappealing. I've even looked into a full fridge and freezer, and a full cupboard, and will just turn away and close the door behind me. About the only meal I've been eating consistently is my post-dialysis lunch. That one is always eating completely; though, my ability to decide on where I eat is becoming difficult, as well.
I don't that there is really any way to get b past this, except to just push through as best I can. If that means I eat simply for the sake of eating, then that is exactly what I do. Once I start feeling better I am hopeful my appetite will also improve.

The incidences of diarrhea have remained few and far between. I went through a bad episode yesterday morning before my Saturday dialysis. When I went in for my Tx, the nurses all took one look at me and told me how awful I looked. I ended up sleeping three hours at dialysis, and another seven at home.

Speaking of sleep, it has been all over the place. I'll go anywhere from four hours to nine or ten at a shot. This past week, I have averaged about eleven hours sleep per day, including naps. On dialysis day, I've totaled around 15 total hours before, during and after. That's a LOT of sleep!
I'll just continue what I'm doing. Assuming my sleep is tied in with my feeling lousy, this might also correct itself once I feel better.  One bad thing about sleeping long stretches is that my nausea will tick up while I sleep, ending with my awaking to extreme nausea, and taking Zofran, which of course, takes twenty plus minutes to kick in. TUMS help...a little; but I really just have to get through until the med starts eliminating the nausea.

My feet have been burning terribly the past three weeks, or so. I haven't been soaking them as much as I probably should have--which certainly doesn't help matters--but I just haven't had the energy. However, as I type, my feet are in a cold ice bath, cooling off and allowing the nerves to settle down. Extremely cold, but well worth it.

That's about all I can think of for today. Honestly, I will try to get my next entry done sooner. If how I've been feeling goes away, then I'll have the energy (and the inclination) to do so. Until then...my continued thanks for any prayers, thoughts or other efforts of support which you do for me. I continue to be blessed day after day with strength, mental fortitude and spiritual certainty which all combine to make this terrible trial a thing I am able to endure. Thank You all!

Good Health to each and every one of you!

ScottW