End of the year wrap up

The last couple weeks are a blur. They usually are for me this time of year. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seems like a short anxiously awaited vacation. You are full of anticipation while waiting for it to occur. You plan to use your time wisely and get the most out of every moment. But, in the end, it speeds by and you are lucky if you remember to brush your teeth..or in my case...take your medication.

There have been no major changes with me. I have thought of little things I could write about, but none that would have been longer than a line or two..so I didn't. My appointments have been regular. I missed one appointment at UCSF when my nephews suprised me and showed up at my house at 11 pm on a Sunday night. One is a marine shipping off to Afghanistan this year and the other is a Sheriff in Colorado. It was such a great suprise, but I didn't take my bedtime pills on time, which is imperitive for test accuracy, and I couln't imagine driving to San Francisco on 3 1/2 hours sleep. So I called and cancelled. I'll admit, I still feel bad. I think I will be until I get to go back.

I still am fighting with insomnia. I am up now, at 4am, which is funny since I took a sleeping pill hours ago. So unless I can type sleeping..I don't think they are working.

I must say that overall I am doing really well. I still fight with some side effects of the medications, and pee constantly..but I feel somewhat normal a couple days a week. I met with a trainer and am trying to get on a strict schedule. As I have had so many surgeries and my stomach is filled with stitches, cuts and hernias, I want to take it slow and heal everything the right way. I am excited to rebuild my core and get my general stamina back. My first session is on Tuesday. I am sure I will be unable to move the following 3 days.

I hope to go back to UCSF in the next week. Hopefully then I will feel better that my kidneys are stable. Always reassuring to hear!

Hope you all had an amazing holiday and a safe New Years.
Catherine

post doctor follow up

Monday, I had a quick appointment at UCSF. This is the first time my appt took just 2 hours. I was very pleased about that. As usual, I started with a blood and pee test followed up by an appointment with a nurses aide, a nurse and a nephrologist (kidney doctor). I asked my nurse Melanie about both my inability to sleep and the pain from my shopping excursion. She immediately knew my lack of sleep was directly linked to my anti-rejection meds. Melanie said my Prograff was too high and lowered the meds. Hopefully in a couple of days I will again be able to fall asleep with no problem.

She had the nephrologist come and look at my stomach. The Dr was happy to see it was not where my kidney had been placed. She thinks I just pulled a stitch and everything is ok. Its a relief to hear that my kidney is fine, but I must admit it makes me feel like a big pussy. When you hurt as bad as I did, you are SURE something major is wrong.

So for now, I am just laying low around the house..hoping to get through this week with less headaches.

Cath