How is the move coming? We are about a week from moving in. This past week we got the locks changed. The garage door guy came by and did his thing. We have a countertop stove that needs to be replaced, so a technician came by to determine want was needed, then we went and purchased the stove. Yesterday a cleaning crew came by. They were there almost 5 hours! Yes, the seller had the house cleaned before it was officially vacated, but I wanted more. The 2 ladies cleaned every inch of the house. When they finished it was...shiny! And smelled good! Lol. They cleaned walls, cabinets, appliances, Windows...everything.
Next week we have the stove installation, the alarm installation, and delivery of some new furniture. The locksmith has to return because he needed to order parts for the outdoor locks. And let's make this fun. Next week is the AKA leadership conference. I volunteered to work registration for 3 days. I also have 2 doctors appointments scheduled. I got tired just thinking about it. We'll start moving stuff over next week. And Dad just left to start moving some of his stuff. He's excited! I was concerned about moving him, but he's excited. And raring to go! Lol.
So on to dialysis random facts. I've been on dialysis since Novdmber 2012. Almost 5 years. The average life span of a dialysis patient is 5 years. Remember ..average. There are many people who've been on dialysis for decades. And some people get transplants. But yes, a lot of people die. People on dialysis follow a strict renal diet. Being noncompliant with the renal diet can be fatal. Food high in potassium and phosphorous are off limits. We also have to watch our sodium intake and our fluid intake is limited..32 - 40 ounces a day. That's not a lot. Especially in the desert. But here's a secret. Dialysis patients like ice. Lots and lots of ice! We still have to watch the intake though.
So you know foods high in sodium. Or do you? Dialysis patients become masters at reading nutrition labels. High potassium foods include potatoes, oranges, tomatoes, avocado, beans, nuts, milk and some green vegeatables such as spinach and kale. Wait a minute. That's everything I like. :-( well, not kale. Yuck. High phosphorous foods include dairy, nuts and whole grains. No whole wheat for me.
I am supposed to eat lots of proteins, most vegetables, most fruits and carohydrates...imagine that. And there is one food that is toxic to all dialysis patients. Every single dialysis clinic I've ever gone to has a warning posted about STAR FRUIT. It will kill us. I'd never seen one before and I'm not looking for it now. There is a caveat. Once I got out of dialyzing in the center, I was/am able to have a less restrictive diet. That's because I'm dialyzing better and more often. I mentioned that earlier this year my potassium number had dropped too low....if or patients it usually too high. My dietitian directed me to eat high potassium food. Lol math at was hard to do. I'd been watching my potassium intake for years. I had a banana I felt guilty. Lol.
How do I know my "numbers"? We do a blood draw every month. Yes at home. Send the samples via FedEx to the lab and within a day or 2 I get the results via email. So I know the results before I meet with my team. The first set of results I received after doing home hemodialysis I was pleasantly surprised. I got some chocalafe to celebrate! Yeah, chocalafe is high in potassium and phosphorus. But not only was I in range, I was on the low end! And my dietitian was ok with it! Whoo hoo!!!
A large percentage of us don't urinate. Because our kidneys don't work. Some people have "residual function". They produce urine, but the urine does not flush toxins. It's just random fluid. Sometimes, like me, more and better dialysis removes all function. Once I started home hemodialysis, I stopped urinating. It's not a bad thing. Just an odd thing. Sometimes I still feel the urge, but there's nothing. After a transplant, the first thing that's looked for is pee. That means the new kidney works! It could be immediate or sometimes it takes time for the new kidney to "wake up".
The act of dialysis is rough on the body. Dialysis is taking 3-7 hours per session to do what our bodies do 24 hours a day 7 days a week. This shocks organs. Especially the heart. It's not unusual for people to have heart attacks and die during treatment. A lot of patients have a steady decrease of blood pressure during treatment. This happens because fluid is being removed. It can also cause mind blowing cramps. Either way, these are signs that we may pass out or as we call it crashing, soon. I experienced this with 2 weeks of starting treatment. I'd actually made it out of the clinic and then fainted in the hall. I eventually learned the telltale signs that crashing was imminent. But wait! It can be stopped. Saline is introduced back into the body...adding fluid and sodium to raise the blood pressure. Yes, my BP has been as low as 60/40. Even now, I have chronically low blood pressure. My normal now is about 95/76. My team loves it when my systolic number climbs into 3 digits!
Well. That's enough for now. This is a long entry. I have more random facts, but I'll do them another time. Brian went to class and Dad is checking out his new digs at the house and I'm here by myself. Watching cooking shows! Almost 10:30 AM and it already 106. :-[ Ugh. Have a great weekend and stay comfortable!
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