The "Getting Better. Slowly.", edition.

Good Wednesday morning. It was cloudy when I woke up, but just like that, the sun is high and a few clouds in for good measure. No real news on the health front. My labs are skewed because I'm not eating. Lol. Can't keep any secrets if they take blood from me twice a month. My hemoglobin hasn't risen, so the epogen has been increased.  And for years of trying to keep my potassium and phosphorus number low, they both are now too low. I'm now taking a potassium supplement. And the nutritionist hinted that I may need a protein supplement. I'm appalled. I need to start eating again. Go figure. And am now being encouraged to eat foods that were previously "forbidden". The good news is I'm eating a bit better.  What stays is pretty much hit and miss. 

Dads church had their yearly lobster fest on Saturday. Dad got 3 lobsters and 2 quarts of clam chowder.  I went with him and Brian to the church, but stayed in the car. I was still weak and tired but I wanted to get out of the house. In the end I didn't want to eat anything that day. And I was also out of sorts on Sunday and had to pass on our weekly Sunday brunch. And if I pass on brunch you know I'm not feeling well. I told Brian we needed to eat the lobster so he found a recipe for lobster rolls and we had that for dinner Monday. And the lobster rolls were delicious. Yummm.  And 1/2 hour later I was miserable. It just didn't agree with me. But then after wards I felt better. Had treatment and called it a night. 

Felt better yesterday. I planned to make broccoli with garlic and lemon. Brian bought fresh broccoli so we needed to take of that. I actually got in the kitchen and  cooked the broccoli yesterday. Yes, Brian was my sous chef. He minced the garlic, zested and juiced the lemon and cut up the broccoli. But I prepared it!  And it was good!  Oh yeah. I used a steamer. We purchased the steamer a week ago. Where has this been all of my life???  Why didn't you tell me about steamers?!?!!??  I steamed the broccoli, heated  up olive oil in a small skillet, sautéed the garlic for 5 minutes, added the juice of one lemon. When the broccoli was finished, I transferred it to a bowl, tossed it with the garlic lemon mixture and added the lemon zest, salt and pepper. It. Was. Delicious!  Of course by the time Brian heated up the spaghetti I wasn't hungry, but I did eat a bit of the broccoli. 

Today I get blood drawn for my primary care physician. And maybe try some breakfast at Mary's. I like her grits!  That's it for today. I'm s l o w l y getting better. And I'm really pissed that I'm not feeling well. And yes, the broccoli is a test drive for thanksgiving dinner. :-)  We have a winner. 

That's it for today. Brain and I have fond thoughts of fall in Michigan, but we're good out here. Real good!  Have a wonderful Wednesday!  

The "Lamar Odom's Kidney Journey", edition.

Good Wednesday morning!  Before you ask, yes, I'm feeling better. I take 3 steps forward and 1 step back, but it still equals progress. So now on to the topic. Lamar Odom's kidney failure. My Facebook and Internet dialysis groups watched silently until it was printed that Lamar may need a kidney transplant and the all hell broke out. But let's go back a little. 

I probably got a higher dose of Lamar Odom's news, constantly,  since I live in Las Vegas. And on top of that, I live about a mile from the hospital he was admitted to. In fact, it's the same hospital I was transported to by EMS when I passed out earlier this year. And no, we didn't even go in that direction all week. Had no business over there. I read that his organs were failing and was concerned when they said he has been put in dialysis. I was pleased that most of his organs were recovering, except the kidneys. :-/  I told Brian that I hoped Lamar had acute kidney damage, rather than chronic kidney damage. See with acute damage, the kidneys recover. Yes. It happens. I've seen people leave dialysis becaus their kidneys started functioning again. Acute damage = temporary damage. Chronic damage = permanent damage.  I was dismayed to find out he may need a transplant. But not for the reasons as some of my fellow warriors. 

I've consistently said I wouldn't wish kidney failure and dialysis on anyone. And I mean it. I'm not here to judge Lamar's lifestyle. He a grown man.  I have sympathy for anyone who ends up on dialysis, no matter what the circumstances. But I'm seeing people tsk tsk-ing Lamar. Stop it. No one deserves failed kidneys. So now he may need a transplant. 

People are up in arms, worrying that Lamar will get an immediate transplant and bypass everyone on the transplant list. I think my fellow dialysis warriors are having a brain fart. They know there are criteria for where we are placed on the list. There are over 100,000 people waiting for a kidney in the United States. And the wait is dependent on where you are listed. And California is one of the longest wait states with an average wait of 7 years. I'm pretty sure that UNOS, the group that oversees the organ distribution process is not going to make an exception for Lamar.  However, if someone comes forward and donates a kidney for him then yes, he'll get a kidney immediately. My warriors seem to forget about a living donor. But more than that,miss just the venom spewed just thinking he'll get special treatment. I say go for it. Whatever it take to get off dialysis. There is an asterix here. His past drug use will be an issue trying to get on the list. But it won't affect hi if he gets a live donor. 

I hate dialysis and I feel my life expectancy slipping each day. Some days I just want to give up. Some days I wish I hadn't awaken. Some days are just that bad. And I wouldn't wish this on anyone. So if Lamar Odom can get a kidney from a live donor, I'm happy for him! 

So with this knowledge in hand and if by some obscure reason this topic comes up in your everyday discussion, consider yourself knowledgable about the topic!  

The "I'm Still Here", edition.

Good Monday morning. Hey!  How ya" doin'?  I missed you. I missed you do much I followed you!  Oh. Wait. Never mind.  Lol. I haven't posted for a while. Didn't feel like it. There were days I felt I was doing all I could do just to survive.  I started coughing violently. The doctor gave me some serious cough suppressant. My appetite also tanked pretty bad. And I couldn't keep anything down for a few days. Today starts day 3 of holding food in. Keep your fingers crossed. I actually want to eat now. And the coughing is easing up, in spite of the coughing fit that woke up me and Brian this morning. 

And all this was happening 2 weeks ago when my brother and sister in law came to visit, my best friend was in town, Brian got us reservations to stay at the Vdara for a school reunion and the organization I belong to had their major fund raiser of the year. Ugh. My family could join me in the bedroom to talk. Sitting on the sofa took too much energy. I did get up enough energy to visit my friend for a few hours.  Brian and I made it to the Vdara but I didn't feel well enough to attend any of the functions. And by Saturday I was throwing up on stop. :-(  We ended up checking out and going home.  That Sunday was the fundraiser. I had to bow out. Ugh. But today, I'm feeling better. I still need to get my flu shot. But I can't get it until I feel better. Here's hoping I'm back to at least 80% this week. 

The weather has cooled down nicely out here. Highs in the low 89s. Much more tolerable. A lot of rain, which is good, except for the flooding.  I've purchased airline tickets for Shawn for the Christmas!  Yay!  And that's about it. For the last month I've just been trying to get better. Hopefully I've turn the corner. 

Photo of the view from the 40th floor of the Vdara. The hotel is gorgeous. All suite. No casino. And no real restaurant. Buts it's across the "street" from Aria and next door to The Cosmopolitan.  And of course the service was impeccable.