Pat's Adventures in Dialysis, the " I Like Getting Lost in a Bookstore"edition.

iPod shuffled to "I Only Meant to Wet My Feet", The Whispers. My family always make cracks about the short twins. No matter, they still can make a room of women swoon. :-)

Ok. I've survived the first day at my permanent dialysis center. At home I was struggling to be independent. I'm making progress. We're planning menus. Remember I have to limit sodium, potassium and phosphorous. This is limiting tomatoes - fresh, canned, juices, sauces, puréed, etc. Also limits potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, milk, ice cream, beans, cantaloupe, peanut butter, bacon, CHOCOLATE (sigh). "Regulate", Warren G, who is Dr Dre's stepbrother. It seemed like everything I liked was taken away from me. :( I was, however, encouraged to eat a lot of protein - lean beef, fish, poultry. Apparently my favorite veggies are high on the potassium side. The surprise was carbs were highly encouraged, multi-grains were to be limited (which was fine...I don't like twigs and leaves in my bread and dislike whole wheat pasta and brown rice bleah bleah bleah ).

Lol. If having kidneys that didn't work, having to go to dialysis 3 days a week for 3 hours a pop, screwing with my days didn't depress me, the food restrictions surely tried. There was a silver lining. I am not diabetic. That is huge in this realm. Imagine the additional restrictions. There is a large percentage of dialysis patients with diabetes. As a matter of fact, each step of the way, the health professionals seemed surprised that I was not diabetic. "I Want You", Common. Like his music. He's also nice eye candy. (I am not a dirty old woman!!! ;-) ).

I had another pressing problem. None of my clothes fit. At least before I ended up at the hospital, I had ordered a fall jacket. I was gong to need a winter coat. Aha. I had something to do to pass the time. Internet shopping!!! Heh. Between surfing shopping sites, recipe sites, kidney information sites, Verizon told me I used up my data allowance(!). Well I certainly was keeping busy. Lol.

I'd plan menus, Brian and Shawn would shop and cook. We surprisingly adjusted to no / low salt very quickly. Today a lot of foods are unbearably salty, BUT food does need to be seasoned. My coup was making greens in a very healthy way. Thank you Sunny Anderson. :)

Ok. I wasn't planning on writing about the renal diet today, but it just kinda flowed out. Over time I've had some restrictions sort of lifted. Such as my potassium level was low, so I can do the potassium rich foods with great moderation (I'm still leery of spinach and a baked potato). If I leach the potatoes, the potassium decreases. What is leaching? Eh. I tell you another time or you an look it up. I'm tired of typing. Signing off with "Door to Your Heart", The Dramatics. You know I crank the volume up on some songs. This is one of those songs.