8/14/2009

My nephews really strike me as cute this morning? It really is a change to have them here for breakfast. It was refreshing to see my sister last night after I got home, too. See I normally see Lisa and her family quite frequently (2 or 3 times per month,) but the last month I have not seen them. With dialysis and everything I have been too busy to make it don there. My sister has been infiltrated with a busy time at work, and oddly she hasn't been home either.
Tonight there is a card party at the house of Gary Kohls. Last week I played with these same guys and turned out the biggest loser, and I hope to make amends for that tonight!

8/14/2009

Speaking last night was absolutely rewarding. Sure the audience was the Leipsic High School fall sports banquet, but even though it was not Grove people I was talking to I still get a kick out of influencing lives. Now last night was a mixed age group, and the crowd was not slim at all. Afterward I went to the new tiki bar at Dino's. There was a lot of people there, with it being 'thirsty Thursday' evening. The day of the week, it being comfortable outside in the evening, and the fact that it is the new watering hole (bar) in Putnam County all contribute to its business, and I am overly ecstatic for my friend. She is the manager of the happening location, and I know that she has put hard work and long hours into starting the bar. Whenever anybody experiences success after hard work it is rewarding. I am happy that my new friend is no stranger to getting a little dirt on her brow, and it was the first time that I have ever experienced a tiki bar. The atmosphere is great, with lights. The only hing that would have made it more entertaining would have been if my diet wasn't so strict, but a kidney transplant is in my near future!
In other news my sister and nephews arrived here last night for a few days!

8/12/2009

Treatment today was easier to handle from a physical standpoint, because cramping up of my legs was nonexistent. I guess having dry weight that is correct really helps. It was a little gloomier on the mental side of things, because the nurses tried to put a damper on things by painting a dark picture in regards to the timetable for transplantation. But they are just giving me the worst scenario possible. They think that will help me cope with unforeseen obstacles standing in my path. What they don't know is that my coping mechanism is awesome, and I'm good at leaping over hurdles, metaphorically (I ran the 400m and 200m in Jr. High track. I could not jump exceptionally high in basketball either but saw the court well and knew the nuances of the game.) I've stared down major things in my day. Ambulatory care is doing the transplant either but UC is! Their artfully painted scenes of my transplant situation, although scary, mean jack (nothing) to me. I spoke to UC on the phone… in person 8/25!!!

8/11/2009

I had dialysis yesterday, and they made my dry weight (where they bring you back to every session) a few pounds heavier than when I left Friday. My legs and feet began cramping up after about an hour of pulling fluid. There was a halt to eliminating liquid then, but purification of the blood was still done for slightly more than three hours. Have you ever had your muscles cramping up so much that you cannot help but wince from the pain. They last for several minutes each time. My dry weight was raised a bit as they pumped some fluid back in me. They do not want me and I don’t want to go through that fiasco every session so I was bumped up a few pounds. You know what some people say; “no pain no gain.” What happened early last night was not really correlated to last afternoon, but it was a gain in my mind.
Since I’ve had my renal failure, all I have been hearing from everyone is how slow the process is for getting anything done related to transplant. Well I got a call from University hospital in Cincinnati. They want me to come down for a plethora of preliminary testing to see if I am a viable candidate for transplant! WOO HOO! There still will need to be all sorts of testing done to my possible living donors, but I’m scheduled to meet August 25 at the UC hospital.
For more than a year after my major automobile catastrophe, more than a decade ago, I had the constant internal question running through my head, “When will I be able to walk around normally like any guy would do?”
I even would bug my therapists with similar questions, but nobody could ever put a date on it. That truly was hard to handle.
The same was true of the question, “When will I get to go home and stay there?”
That really was the ultimate question I had while at Waterford Commons. An answer finally was heard a couple of weeks before it happened. Those 14 days flew by, because a date was in sight.
The feeling with dialysis was that it would never end, but now it will go smoother because the 25th is marked. It may be a while and living donors may not match, but at least we have a date to look forward to.
Thank you for the prayers. I AM SO EXCITED!!!

8/10/2009

I have dialysis today, and that is not highly anticipated. let me just tell you; it is not something to brag to our friends about. The process doesn't cause too much pain, til the last half hour or so of the 4 and 1/2+ hour treatment. Then my legs start to cramp up fairly badly. Trust me, it is no picnic when that starts. I am quickly approaching my "dry weight," as they say. That is after they have pulled nearly 60 pounds of fluid off my body in roughly a month. You see my highest water weight was was in the upper half of the 230's. As of after my dialysis session on Friday I tipped the scale right around 177. That is incredible I think. That is no picnic despite it feeling better with all that fluid gone. As mentioned before, convulsions in your leg muscles can be quite painful, and even in your hands the problem persists. I keep my head held high though. Although exhaustion is felt after every session, every time I go through dialysis I feel one time closer to kidney transplant. All prayers are greatly appreciated.

8/8/2009

I had a lot of fun tonight, and I had an opportunity to share the evening with my new friend Ashley. She, by the way, ate a full rack of ribs, or maybe not. I also saw my old buddy Orson, and I am still in disbelief that his body is shutting down due to disease. We (Ashley and I) went to the Red Pig and then the Bombshelter. I'll tell you what Ottawa was dead tonight... hardly anybody was out. I guess there was a big name band or singer in Lima tonight, and I think that the Rib Fest was in Findlay.

8/8/2009

Last night I went to a solo party, and did battle against Wayne, Tom, Gary, and Don. I was the biggest loser. It cost me around seven dollars, but it was well worth it. The case was definitely not of me getting outplayed, but the card were just dealt against me. I love the old German card game, win or lose, and I am faced with the daunting task of having a little revenge on this group of players. I always think positive an aim high, that way even if you fall a little short success can still be had.
I am really excited about my new friend Ashley, because we have so much in common. It is almost like, in some ways, she is a mini me (like in Austin Powers- I know that is an old example, but that's the best I could do in these wee hours of the morning.) We seem to have many of the same characteristics including a love of sports and the Buckeyes.
Anyway... I feel somewhat drained and it is time to get some rest. Dialysis kicked my butt today, but I am also confident that a new kidney is imminent.
What I did last night was not exactly as fun as going out, but I went out Wednesday and saw a funny movie Thursday....
Ashley, check your email when you get an opportunity.