Answering a Question

Well, my last blog post was on September 13. It seems that I also received an e-mail question that day from one of my faithful few readers. I apologize for it taking me SOO long to get to your question, but I thought I would answer it here for all to enjoy:

Hi Nathan,

I have been on your blog list for a time now. I don't know if you have time to answer a question for me, and if you don't that's okay! I am a 53 year old woman, and I have PKD. It was diagnosed last year after I was having chest pains. They found it in the scan that they did. After that I have had numerous tests, but it boils down to just taking blood pressure medicine for now! My question is about eating protein. My doctor says don't eat too much protein and mostly chicken (OR, rather not much red meat). However, do you know if it just about the quantities going through the kidneys....and that maybe I could eat more if I string it out over time? Yes, I know I can ask my doctor, but I would also like to see what someone else's experience is! I have found your blog very encouraging Nathan. And, I have been praying for you too! You have been through so much with this disease, and I think you are doing so great. And, I like that you are keeping up living your life!

God bless,

Cindy

Well, Cindy, I am glad that you asked. I try to take time to answer all the questions that I receive, and if the sender doesn't say otherwise, then I try to answer it on the blog so that the other readers can benefit from my "wisdom" of sorts.

Like you, my doctors also advised that I cut down on the protein while I was working my way toward kidney failure. I found that your best bet is to eat as little red meat as possible. If you do eat some, then you should string it out over time. You don't want to have steak and eggs for breakfast, a juicy cheeseburger for lunch, and meatloaf for dinner. If you have steak and eggs for breakfast, then don't eat any more red meat that day.

If you really enjoy your red meats, then I would recommend (just me, I am not a doctor) staying to no more than one serving per day. That will give your kidneys less to process, which should, in theory, allow them to function longer.

Thank you for your prayers and for being a faithful reader. I will try to be a bit better about answering questions that I get to my blog posts. In fact, I'll probably do another question this week, if I get some more time to do it.

Oh, wait, in other news, I got my 24-hour urine results last week. It seems that my creatinine clearance is still over 100, which is wonderful. I guess the variance in my Glofil results is just a variance which should not concern me.

Thanks for coming by to read today. Hope it was informative and helpful to anyone wanting to eat more chicken. See you next time.

Update on My Aunt's PKD Walk Donations

My Aunt (who lives in New Mexico) has been raising funds for the upcoming PKD walk. As of today, she is half-way to her goal of $250.

You can check out her page here:
http://www.pkdcure.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1299262&pg=personal&fr_id=1761&et=IC1_zUytcKWwSoFVuudxhQ..&s_tafId=14640

Thank you to everyone who has donated. The money goes to help research into Polycystic Kidney Disease and hopefully some day will help fund the cure for this disease (if not for me, then for others).


In other news - it has been just over 8 months since I had my transplant on January 11, 2007. I am doing well and am glad to have received the new kidney. I am thankful that I have been doing well so far.

I turned in a 24-hour urine and a blood test last Monday. My Glofil test was a little lower last time than it had been, and it worried me just a little bit. I asked the doctor if there were any problems and they suggested that we do some testing. I have not heard anything from them yet, and I hope that means that nothing is wrong. I guess if I have not heard anything by Monday I will probably call them and find out my results.

But, all is well here. I look forward to good news from the doctor. And, I look forward to the next eight months being just as good as the first.

See you later!

Help End Limit on Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplants!

The PKD Foundation has recently sent me an ACTION ALERT!

Action Alert:
Help End 36-Month Limit on Vital Anti-Rejection Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Recipients!

More than 60 percent of PKD patients will develop kidney failure and be forced to rely on dialysis or a transplant to live.

While Medicare covers dialysis indefinitely, in many cases, it will only cover vital immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplants for 36 months! Once this period ends, transplant patients are forced to find other ways to pay for these expensive medications.

Many cannot afford to continue treatment.

You can help end this 36-month limit and make a true difference in the lives of PKD patients nationwide!

Take part in this Action Alert today!

Learn more about other PKD Foundation efforts, such as the Walk for PKD - this month in cities across the country!