26 October 2015

I realize that more than a month has gone by since my last entry, and the only good--but true--reason is that I simply haven't had the energy to type up an entry. Unfortunately, writing my blog isn't the only thing that has gone unattended...

Dialysis Weights

12 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  96.7 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  3.20 Kg
Start BP:  149/102     End BP:  100/62

15 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  96.7 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.6 Kg
Water Removed:  3.10 Kg
Start BP:  184/105     End BP:  99/66

17 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  96.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  2.60 Kg
Start BP:  159/102     End BP:  117/71

19 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  97.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.3 Kg
Water Removed:  2.70 Kg
Start BP:  187/115     End BP:  117/76

22 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  98.0 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.0 Kg
Water Removed:  4.00 Kg
Start BP:  195/111     End BP:  101/61

24 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  96.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  2.60 Kg
Start BP:  177/115     End BP:  116/78

26 Sept 15
Starting Weight:  96.5 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.4 Kg
Water Removed:  3.10 Kg
Start BP:  163/102     End BP:  97/64

29 Sep 15
Starting Weight:  97.4 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  4.10 Kg
Start BP:  173/117     End BP:  104/71

01 Oct 15
Starting Weight: 96.4 Kg 
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  2.90 Kg
Start BP:  176/107     End BP:  104/63

03 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  97.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  4.10 Kg
Start BP:  156/107     End BP:  101/55

06 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  97.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  4.10 Kg
Start BP:  192/118     End BP:  113/76

08 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  96.5 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.3 Kg
Water Removed:  3.20 Kg
Start BP:  152/98     End BP:  119/44

10 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  96.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.2 Kg
Water Removed:  2.90 Kg
Start BP:  173/107     End BP:  116/74

13 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  98.1 Kg
Ending Weight:  94.0 Kg
Water Removed:  3.90 Kg
Start BP:  179/113     End BP:  96/71

15 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  96.4 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.4 Kg
Water Removed:  3.00 Kg
Start BP:  145/103     End BP:  107/78

17 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  95.6 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.7 Kg
Water Removed:  1.90 Kg
Start BP:  147/99     End BP:  107/85

20 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  97.3 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.4 Kg
Water Removed:  3.90 Kg
Start BP:  176/120     End BP:  104/59

22 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  97.8 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  4.30Kg
Start BP:  159/102     End BP:  97/34 (Umm...I don't believe that diastolic!)

24 Oct 15
Starting Weight:  96.3 Kg
Ending Weight:  93.5 Kg
Water Removed:  2.80 Kg
Start BP:  149/90     End BP:  106/73


(Whew! THAT took a while to transpose!)
Anyhooooo, my numbers are looking good. My pre and post weights are within reasonable gains and losses, and my dry weight--93.4 Kg--has been right on, or very close, most of the treatments.  Personally, I think I may have hit the bottom of my possible dry weight.
I have been at this level for four plus months now, and am still having cramping in both feet and legs following every session.


October 2015 Lab Work:

*Albumin (20 Oct): 4.00 g/dL     (-0.20 g/dL from 18 Aug)
  (A measure of Protein in the blood)     NR (Normal Range) 4.0 g/dL or Higher

*Hemoglobin (20 Oct): 9.90 G/dL    (-0.10 from 08 Sep)
  (A Measure of Anemia)

*Ca Corrected (06 Oct): 9.80 mg/dL     (-0.40mg/dL from 08 Sep)
  (A measure of Heart and Bone health)     NR 8.40 to 10.20 mg/dL

*Phosphorous (06 Oct):  4.70 mg/dL    (+0.70 mg/dL from 08 Sep)
  (High Phosphorous affects the health of your Heart and Bones)     NR 3.0 to 5.5 mg/dL

*PTH Intact (20 Oct):  267 pg/mL     (+48.0 pg/mL 18 Aug)
  (A measure of Vitamin D absorption and bone and tissue health)     NR 150 to 600 pg/mL

*K+ (20 Oct):  5.4 mEq/L    (-0.30 mEq/L from 06 Oct)
  (Proper potassium levels keep your nerves and muscles working well)     NR 3.5 to 5.5 mEq/L

*spKdt/V Dialysis (06 Oct):  1.88     (+0.08 from 08 Sep)
  (A measure of the effectiveness of dialysis and blood filtering.)     NR 1.20 or Higher  

My Albumin continues to drop despite my efforts to eat enough protein. I don't doubt that, unless that rebounds, I'll be given another regimen of Liquicell at dialysis. I don't remember if I told you about Liquicell. It's a liquid form of protein that is given to dialysis patients specifically to raise their Albumin numbers. The Liquicell is a cough syrup-like liquid that is loaded with sugar, tastes a bit nasty (hence, the sugar), but delivers a whopping dose of protein for anyone needing it. I've had the regimen once before for about six doses. Some patients hate drinking the stuff, but it's really no big deal. You quickly down about two ounces after every dialysis session. That's it.

At the start of this blog I mentioned that I've been overly tired the past month. When I say overly tired, it's more like excessively tired. For some reason my energy has dropped to almost zero. I am sleeping more--on average about ten+ hours per day. I am also napping more once again, getting two or three hours each day. Plus, my appetite has plummeted, and appetite fatigue increasing. My mental energy is less, and I am unmotivated to get my blog entries done in any sort of a timely manner, along with pretty much anything else. My house chose have suffered, as have my obligations in other areas for those to whom I provide my time and service. I really don't like this development, and push myself whenever I can. My wife tells me to just let my body do what it needs in order to be as strong as possible for the transplant surgery and recovery. Sometimes, I wonder if I should be pushing myself harder, doing more, rather than sleeping and taking things easy.
I'm hoping this exhaustion will pass. We'll see...

Anyhow, I want to get this posted, so I will plan on doing another entry later this week to catch you up on the rest.

Until then, have a great week!

Good Health to All!

ScottW