Monday, October 09, 2006

Transplant Update

It’s time for another update for my loyal blog readers (and, for all of you new people that have recently started reading along). At my last posting, I was pondering about Josh’s kidney and if it would soon be finding a new home. I have not yet received the official word, but I have an un-official “no”.

Josh sent me an e-mail stating that the transplant coordinator would be taking his test results to the committee on Friday. However, based on the results, he will probably not be a good match. It seems that his creatinine levels are a little bit higher than they want to see in a possible donor. He is not in any danger, but they don’t want to donate kidneys that are less than perfect. He is supposed to hear back from her this evening with a firm answer, but it sounds like he will not be donating.

So, we don’t have to worry about me suddenly becoming allergic to onions or having the immense desire to read more comic books (both of which would be fine, Josh, in case you are reading this). Now, after I hear the official word from the transplant coordinator, I will have to contact the next person that volunteered to get tested as a donor. I believe that I have one more person that has done the initial blood testing, so she will be the next victim of the vampires at the kidney donation center.

In other news, things are going fairly well. The dietician raced by on Saturday, but she did stop long enough to tell me that the lab report would be available on Tuesday and that my phosphorus levels were still looking good. It’s always good to hear that I have a good report coming, so I will keep watching my diet and taking my medications just like I have been.

I have been feeling well recently. There has been very little nausea or light-headedness. I have had some evenings with slight fevers after dialysis, but nothing over a few tenths of a degree over normal. And, I normally feel better after a good night’s sleep, so that’s good. I think that I am comfortable with my 71.5 kg dry weight, as I usually end up pretty close to that after every treatment and have not cramped more than once or twice (and even then, it was minor).

I received a comment yesterday from another PKD suffer about her blog. It seems that she is new to knowing about the disease and is a big advocate for telling other people about it. I’ve read a few of her early posts, and she was amazed that hardly anyone knows about a disease that affects over 600,000 Americans (and 12.5 million people worldwide). I will have to read a few more of her posts, but if you want to check them out, head to:
http://livingwithpkd.blogspot.com/

Thanks for coming to visit today. Hopefully you will hear more from me sooner rather than later!

2 comments:

Heather O. said...

Nathan, thanks for the link. The communication coordinator from the PKD Foundation contacted me about blogging, and how we can get more people on the Internet talking. I'm glad to have found your blog, and I appreciate the link. Hopefully we can get more people blogging about this!

Keeping a good thought for you and your kidneys....

Jeanne said...

Hi Nathan

Sorry to hear that the donor testing didn't work out. But thrilled to hear that your blood values are doing so well and stayihg so stable. You really are an inspiration to others living with PKD.