FINALLY, after 10 months, NAT has a new, approved kidney donor-ME.
My transplant coordinator called today and said I don't need the final test. My results have been so good that they approved me to give a kidney today with no further visits on my part required.
Now, we're back to NAT. He has to call his coordinator, see if another, fnal, round of blood work will be required, (He may need the blood work done again because of the recent transfusion. That means I may have to get a little blood done too but that's all minor medically.) While there, we'll visit the post-op guest house (mandatory), and he needs a final dental check since it's been over 6 months. Those 3 things being done, all that would be left is to schedule the transplant.
We hope to schedule his blood work and the visit to Mayo Guest House next week. When the date is set, he'll get the final dentist checkup and we're off to the races! That may not be as soon as we'd like. We have to set it around my work schedule and I'm working a LOT the next few months. Maybe the end of November or so, looks good. We'd be there thru Christmas but, hey, what a wonderful Christmas present for him! I won't even have to go shopping, I've already got what he needs.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Trudging On
Sorry, we haven't been on in a long time but it's been a long haul and we're still going. When we last left our intrepid heroes, Steve was on a quest to lose 10 pounds, and get his blood work improved.
After a long, and hard fought, battle, Steven defeated the fat monster. It wasn't easy. The fat monster is strong and cunning (& has cookies). But, after 2 months, Steve defeated the monster by starving it to death. In the process, Steve lost 22 pounds and is still going (it least his waist is going). Like a Hydra, the fat monster has many heads and they keep growing back. (In myth, each time you cut off a Hydras head, two grow back.) Ice cream raised it's ugly head, chocolate raised it's ugly head, and many more but all were defeated.
Then came the 'test'. More blood sent to Mayo for evaluation. Saints be praised, it passed all standards. Yet, there is hesitation from the Lords of Mayo. What about your blood sugars? It was good. Your blood pressure? Good again. OK, all will be laid at the feet of Dr. Amer and he will hand down his decision on when to take the last test. Steve awaits with baited breath (or breath like bait but no matter.)
Steve hopes for early August. He is ready. But let's see how the other half of this dynamic dual is doing.
Nathanial (normally known as the 'NAT'), was fighting his own battles. First his hemoglobin dropped to dangerous levels. That battle was fought and is being won. Then a hernia cut off the blood flow to part of his intestine. Emergency surgery, 3" removed. Two days later, somethings wrong. Another emergency surgery to stop bleeding in his incision. Then a few days later, uncontrolled nose bleed. For 7 hours he fought that fight all the while bleeding out and into buckets while awaiting his THIRD emergency surgery in a week. Tired but triumphant, he survived again. Will nothing stop this man?
Now, recooperating at home, he rests for the next battle. One that he and Steve will fight as a team. When that will be? Soon, my friend, soon.
Stay tuned for our next episode.
After a long, and hard fought, battle, Steven defeated the fat monster. It wasn't easy. The fat monster is strong and cunning (& has cookies). But, after 2 months, Steve defeated the monster by starving it to death. In the process, Steve lost 22 pounds and is still going (it least his waist is going). Like a Hydra, the fat monster has many heads and they keep growing back. (In myth, each time you cut off a Hydras head, two grow back.) Ice cream raised it's ugly head, chocolate raised it's ugly head, and many more but all were defeated.
Then came the 'test'. More blood sent to Mayo for evaluation. Saints be praised, it passed all standards. Yet, there is hesitation from the Lords of Mayo. What about your blood sugars? It was good. Your blood pressure? Good again. OK, all will be laid at the feet of Dr. Amer and he will hand down his decision on when to take the last test. Steve awaits with baited breath (or breath like bait but no matter.)
Steve hopes for early August. He is ready. But let's see how the other half of this dynamic dual is doing.
Nathanial (normally known as the 'NAT'), was fighting his own battles. First his hemoglobin dropped to dangerous levels. That battle was fought and is being won. Then a hernia cut off the blood flow to part of his intestine. Emergency surgery, 3" removed. Two days later, somethings wrong. Another emergency surgery to stop bleeding in his incision. Then a few days later, uncontrolled nose bleed. For 7 hours he fought that fight all the while bleeding out and into buckets while awaiting his THIRD emergency surgery in a week. Tired but triumphant, he survived again. Will nothing stop this man?
Now, recooperating at home, he rests for the next battle. One that he and Steve will fight as a team. When that will be? Soon, my friend, soon.
Stay tuned for our next episode.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Yes, but.......
Here's the last word before I left Mayo today: Yes, I can donate a kidney but.......
(1) I have to lose 10 pounds,
(2) Start on some cholesterol reducing medicine, and
(3) Pass one more test in a couple months.
The devil in the details.
Glucose Levels: Went back down to normal but with diet and even more exercise they would be better.
Blood Pressure Levels: Are within limits but with diet and even more exercise they would be better.
Cholesterol Levels: Are only slightly too high, but if I take pills it'll help stop any further buildup in my arteries and with diet and even more exercise they would be better. (Anyone sensing a theme here?)
Kidneys: (Here's where the other test comes in) are fine. In fact, most people have one artery going to their kidneys, I have 2 going to each.
Mr. Right: (Yes, I've named them) has a little buildup of plaque on one artery but it's small and at where it attaches to the main artery so they can just cut it out at the buildup and NAT would have 2 clear arteries going in. That is great in case one clotted off, he'd have another.
Lefty: Has 2 arteries but one goes directly in and the other wonders off somewhere into my abdomen (a vast abyss). Plus, Lefty has some scar tissue. Therefore, they want to do a second test later to make sure Lefty is pulling his own weight and not letting Mr. Right do all the work.
Now, I talked to both kidneys on the way home and Mr. Right is fine with going. In fact he wanted to go to a younger body that wouldn't give him stones, build up plaque in his veins, and not have to live in fear of injuries that leave scars on him. He also said something about living a more exciting life in a younger body than I could provide any more and he feared if he stayed with me he'd end up in need of replacement since I still do things that could damage him too. (The Dr. said once I was healed I could return to Tae Kwon Do sparring!)
Lefty on the other hand said he was quite attached to me, literally. And, we earned our scars together so he wanted to stay where he was. He knows that chicks dig scars even if they are only visible to nurses doing sonograms, CT scans, and X-rays. He thought the scarring was Macho, and accused Mr. Right of being a wimp. Plus, he saw the video on how they are going to take Mr. Right out and he got a little woosy. (They burn away the connecting tissue with a laser type pen and yank him out by hand.)
All this was fine with the Dr. He wanted Mr. Right anyway although the final decision will be up to the surgeon after he reviews the pictures. (BTW, I tried to order copies of the pictures but they wouldn't let me. I thought both kidneys were very handsome indeed and I wanted a picture of us all together one last time.)
Now, as to where Lefty got the scars, I don't know. The Dr. said either a very serious illness or a deep injury. Well, I've never been seriously ill and I don't remember any deep injuries. The Dr. suggested maybe HS football injury that I just wrote off as a bruised rib or muscle. NAT thought it was probably from an old SCA wound. It's not a fresh scar so it is NOT from TKD. Lefty thinks NAT is right. I took some pretty vicious hits in SCA and the padding was not very professional or protective (a thick belt covered with a little carpet). I tend to agree but it doesn't matter now. I'm too old to be hit with large heavy rattan swords and am into being kicked in the ribs instead. At least I have professional (super heavy) padding now.
Gary, you are in charge of keeping me out of cake and ice cream on exercises. I've got to give up the sweets to lose 10 pounds. With Ellies great cooking, it's going to be hard to stay out of too much food at home too but I'm sure NAT will be watching my weight very closely to keep me on track. If all goes well, the kidney transplant is back on and looking good.
(1) I have to lose 10 pounds,
(2) Start on some cholesterol reducing medicine, and
(3) Pass one more test in a couple months.
The devil in the details.
Glucose Levels: Went back down to normal but with diet and even more exercise they would be better.
Blood Pressure Levels: Are within limits but with diet and even more exercise they would be better.
Cholesterol Levels: Are only slightly too high, but if I take pills it'll help stop any further buildup in my arteries and with diet and even more exercise they would be better. (Anyone sensing a theme here?)
Kidneys: (Here's where the other test comes in) are fine. In fact, most people have one artery going to their kidneys, I have 2 going to each.
Mr. Right: (Yes, I've named them) has a little buildup of plaque on one artery but it's small and at where it attaches to the main artery so they can just cut it out at the buildup and NAT would have 2 clear arteries going in. That is great in case one clotted off, he'd have another.
Lefty: Has 2 arteries but one goes directly in and the other wonders off somewhere into my abdomen (a vast abyss). Plus, Lefty has some scar tissue. Therefore, they want to do a second test later to make sure Lefty is pulling his own weight and not letting Mr. Right do all the work.
Now, I talked to both kidneys on the way home and Mr. Right is fine with going. In fact he wanted to go to a younger body that wouldn't give him stones, build up plaque in his veins, and not have to live in fear of injuries that leave scars on him. He also said something about living a more exciting life in a younger body than I could provide any more and he feared if he stayed with me he'd end up in need of replacement since I still do things that could damage him too. (The Dr. said once I was healed I could return to Tae Kwon Do sparring!)
Lefty on the other hand said he was quite attached to me, literally. And, we earned our scars together so he wanted to stay where he was. He knows that chicks dig scars even if they are only visible to nurses doing sonograms, CT scans, and X-rays. He thought the scarring was Macho, and accused Mr. Right of being a wimp. Plus, he saw the video on how they are going to take Mr. Right out and he got a little woosy. (They burn away the connecting tissue with a laser type pen and yank him out by hand.)
All this was fine with the Dr. He wanted Mr. Right anyway although the final decision will be up to the surgeon after he reviews the pictures. (BTW, I tried to order copies of the pictures but they wouldn't let me. I thought both kidneys were very handsome indeed and I wanted a picture of us all together one last time.)
Now, as to where Lefty got the scars, I don't know. The Dr. said either a very serious illness or a deep injury. Well, I've never been seriously ill and I don't remember any deep injuries. The Dr. suggested maybe HS football injury that I just wrote off as a bruised rib or muscle. NAT thought it was probably from an old SCA wound. It's not a fresh scar so it is NOT from TKD. Lefty thinks NAT is right. I took some pretty vicious hits in SCA and the padding was not very professional or protective (a thick belt covered with a little carpet). I tend to agree but it doesn't matter now. I'm too old to be hit with large heavy rattan swords and am into being kicked in the ribs instead. At least I have professional (super heavy) padding now.
Gary, you are in charge of keeping me out of cake and ice cream on exercises. I've got to give up the sweets to lose 10 pounds. With Ellies great cooking, it's going to be hard to stay out of too much food at home too but I'm sure NAT will be watching my weight very closely to keep me on track. If all goes well, the kidney transplant is back on and looking good.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Mayo Testing Day 2
I finished everything I was supposed to do today and tomorrow except for the final blood poke (doesn't 'poke' sound so much better than 'we're going to jab a long needle in your arm and suck out your life-giving blood'?). Then I have the final meeting with the Dr. who'll have ALL the results and make his determination as to what's next.
My views:
Mental Test: To all of your surprise, I can appear to be normal long enough to fake my way thru an hour interview. I know, I know, they just didn't know what buttons to push or it would have come flying to the surface.
Electra & Echo cartiagrams: They had misgivings but I told them I'd rather run on the treadmill than be chemically injected. (They kept saying "You're a little 'solid', you sure you can do that? I think they meant 'fat' but were trying to be PC.) Anyway, thanks to Master Hobelman encouraging me to work on my TKD even when I am gone, (he beats me if I don't) I am in good enough shape to not only pass the stress test, but to do fantastic on it. My heart is in great shape. It is not black and not '2 sizes too small' as some of you have accused me of. I can get my heart beat up to 160 BPM and go for 12 minutes without having a heart attack, passing out, wheezing and gasping for air, or causing an irregular beat. Yea, I was surprized too. I guess it was the lack of oxygen in Colorado that had me winded so easily. There is more air down here.
CT scan: I have no idea how that turned out. I asked for a 5X7 and a couple of wallets but they wouldn't let me look at the pictures. I do think the 2 young ladies kept a couple of them to admire for themselves though. People have said I'm beautiful on the inside? Well they've seen my insides now and if it was as beautiful as people say, why wouldn't they want copies?
Blood Tests: Don't know. I just know they keep sucking blood out and putting it into little bottles. I think they are so impressed with me they are going to clone me and that's why they are collecting so much blood. I go back tomorrow for ANOTHER blood draw. (Can you imagine, a million little cloned Steve's in the world? What a wonderful world that would be?)
Blood Pressure: I haven't 'blown a gasket' so that's good. My stat's are just a little high but within controllable limits. A bonus to being over 50 is they fudge the stat's a little for old people and aren't as picky. I was surprised since I thought my pressure would be up from lack of sleep. The stupid machine took 87 readings in 18 hours! I woke up every time it squeezed my arm off last night. I am SO ready to go to sleep tonight that I may not even be able to finish this bl..............zzzzzzz
My views:
Mental Test: To all of your surprise, I can appear to be normal long enough to fake my way thru an hour interview. I know, I know, they just didn't know what buttons to push or it would have come flying to the surface.
Electra & Echo cartiagrams: They had misgivings but I told them I'd rather run on the treadmill than be chemically injected. (They kept saying "You're a little 'solid', you sure you can do that? I think they meant 'fat' but were trying to be PC.) Anyway, thanks to Master Hobelman encouraging me to work on my TKD even when I am gone, (he beats me if I don't) I am in good enough shape to not only pass the stress test, but to do fantastic on it. My heart is in great shape. It is not black and not '2 sizes too small' as some of you have accused me of. I can get my heart beat up to 160 BPM and go for 12 minutes without having a heart attack, passing out, wheezing and gasping for air, or causing an irregular beat. Yea, I was surprized too. I guess it was the lack of oxygen in Colorado that had me winded so easily. There is more air down here.
CT scan: I have no idea how that turned out. I asked for a 5X7 and a couple of wallets but they wouldn't let me look at the pictures. I do think the 2 young ladies kept a couple of them to admire for themselves though. People have said I'm beautiful on the inside? Well they've seen my insides now and if it was as beautiful as people say, why wouldn't they want copies?
Blood Tests: Don't know. I just know they keep sucking blood out and putting it into little bottles. I think they are so impressed with me they are going to clone me and that's why they are collecting so much blood. I go back tomorrow for ANOTHER blood draw. (Can you imagine, a million little cloned Steve's in the world? What a wonderful world that would be?)
Blood Pressure: I haven't 'blown a gasket' so that's good. My stat's are just a little high but within controllable limits. A bonus to being over 50 is they fudge the stat's a little for old people and aren't as picky. I was surprised since I thought my pressure would be up from lack of sleep. The stupid machine took 87 readings in 18 hours! I woke up every time it squeezed my arm off last night. I am SO ready to go to sleep tonight that I may not even be able to finish this bl..............zzzzzzz
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Mayo Testing Day 1
I feel soooo violated but, I'm still in the running. They have tested so much today and then, they scheduled 3 more appointments to go to. I'm going to have 2 more full days (where else can they inspect? Oh, wait, don't ask). Worse yet, I don't get to eat after 7 pm each evening and can't eat again until after 4 pm the next day so I won't mess up the tests. That's a 3 hour window and I can only eat so much in 3 hours.
Blood pressure-I'm wearing a constant BP gauge over night. I am not going to get any sleep. It goes off every 10 minutes all day and every 20 minutes all night. My arm is going to sleep from the constant squeezing but I won't be sleeping. My BP was a little high but I think it's because I am a little stressed from being here and being prodded, poked, and penetrated! Every time I see a needle going in or sucking stuff out, my BP rises. Wouldn't yours?
Blood work-10 vials this morning, 2 more this afternoon. More scheduled for tomorrow and Friday. Filthy blood sucking, Vampires! I would feel drained but they keep injecting things back into me too. (Contrast they call it. I thought my insides were already colored coded like in all of my old biology books.)
Heart tests- No need, I thought-I'm heartless (or so I've been told). Wrong, I've got one and they want pictures from the inside. (More contrast) And a lot of wire to hook up tomorrow and Friday. My heart must be big, they cover my whole chest, stomach, sides, and other places I didn't even know my heart reached. Maybe I have an enlarged heart?
Chemical results-They say to cut back on fats, sweets, lose a few more pounds (I lost 5 in the past 3 weeks but NOOOOOO, that's not enough) and exercise 5 times a week instead of 3. Really? It took TEN vials of blood to tell that!! Most people without Dr's degree's could tell that without 10 vials of blood and 2 more to be sure! People on the street pat my belly and tell me that. Why did I drive 8 hours to hear the obvious?
Tomorrow mental tests (I know what you are thinking. I am thinking it too.), heart tests (contrast), CT tests (more contrast), and some tests I can't pronounce but probably need contrast. (Don't these people have any contrast control?) If I survive, I'll blog more tomorrow.
Blood pressure-I'm wearing a constant BP gauge over night. I am not going to get any sleep. It goes off every 10 minutes all day and every 20 minutes all night. My arm is going to sleep from the constant squeezing but I won't be sleeping. My BP was a little high but I think it's because I am a little stressed from being here and being prodded, poked, and penetrated! Every time I see a needle going in or sucking stuff out, my BP rises. Wouldn't yours?
Blood work-10 vials this morning, 2 more this afternoon. More scheduled for tomorrow and Friday. Filthy blood sucking, Vampires! I would feel drained but they keep injecting things back into me too. (Contrast they call it. I thought my insides were already colored coded like in all of my old biology books.)
Heart tests- No need, I thought-I'm heartless (or so I've been told). Wrong, I've got one and they want pictures from the inside. (More contrast) And a lot of wire to hook up tomorrow and Friday. My heart must be big, they cover my whole chest, stomach, sides, and other places I didn't even know my heart reached. Maybe I have an enlarged heart?
Chemical results-They say to cut back on fats, sweets, lose a few more pounds (I lost 5 in the past 3 weeks but NOOOOOO, that's not enough) and exercise 5 times a week instead of 3. Really? It took TEN vials of blood to tell that!! Most people without Dr's degree's could tell that without 10 vials of blood and 2 more to be sure! People on the street pat my belly and tell me that. Why did I drive 8 hours to hear the obvious?
Tomorrow mental tests (I know what you are thinking. I am thinking it too.), heart tests (contrast), CT tests (more contrast), and some tests I can't pronounce but probably need contrast. (Don't these people have any contrast control?) If I survive, I'll blog more tomorrow.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Pass the Mayo
Actually I'd like to pass the Mayo (Clinic) but it's something I've got to do to donate a kidney. I got the list of tests and procedures (fancy word for 'you won't like this') that they are going to perform to see if I can donate. Most of them have NOTHING to do with my kidney function. I think they just want to see how many embarrassing things they can do in a 3 day period.
And, they sent another urine jug to fill. Hello, I'm traveling 8 hours to get there! Now I'm supposed to carry a little jug with me every time I stop for a rest room break. I'm going to get some weird stares.
Most every test also says not to eat so many hours before the test. I've looked them over. Apparently I'm not going to be eating for 3 days because there is another test with fasting every day, sometimes twice! It's a good thing I've got enough built-in reserves to last several days.
The only thing I am concerned about is passing the blood pressure test. It's very close to normal but that's measuring with a home BP gauge. I've got to wear an 18 hour BP gauge while I'm there. Of course having invasive 'procedures' won't raise my blood pressure any!! They need a little thing like you measure tire pressure with so you can get an instant reading.
Hopefully all will go well and we can finally get this transplant over with and NAT can get back to normal. If we can do that, it'll all be worth it. Otherwise someone will owe me a dinner for the 'procedures'.
And, they sent another urine jug to fill. Hello, I'm traveling 8 hours to get there! Now I'm supposed to carry a little jug with me every time I stop for a rest room break. I'm going to get some weird stares.
Most every test also says not to eat so many hours before the test. I've looked them over. Apparently I'm not going to be eating for 3 days because there is another test with fasting every day, sometimes twice! It's a good thing I've got enough built-in reserves to last several days.
The only thing I am concerned about is passing the blood pressure test. It's very close to normal but that's measuring with a home BP gauge. I've got to wear an 18 hour BP gauge while I'm there. Of course having invasive 'procedures' won't raise my blood pressure any!! They need a little thing like you measure tire pressure with so you can get an instant reading.
Hopefully all will go well and we can finally get this transplant over with and NAT can get back to normal. If we can do that, it'll all be worth it. Otherwise someone will owe me a dinner for the 'procedures'.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Moving Closer to D-Day (or K-Day?)
Things are moving along, abet slowly. I got my urine tests results back from Mayo. (They were checked by Dr. I.P. Freely) They were clear and showed no signs that I would develope another kidney stone. (This last one was 20 years ago and I swore-never again!) But, they want to be sure.
They've scheduled my physicals at Mayo for May 19th. They'll take 2 days (they are VERY thorough). I get checked inside and out-literally. My blood pressure is the lowest it's been in years. If I can keep it down and if all else is well (and I pray it is), then we can schedule the surgery.
NAT's foot is COMPLETELY healed after 11 months of having an open wound. Now, after 3 1/2 years, maybe we can get NAT a kidney too and he can get back to a more normal life! (No dialysis, being able to pee, being able to walk without a walker or wheel chair, etc.)
They've scheduled my physicals at Mayo for May 19th. They'll take 2 days (they are VERY thorough). I get checked inside and out-literally. My blood pressure is the lowest it's been in years. If I can keep it down and if all else is well (and I pray it is), then we can schedule the surgery.
NAT's foot is COMPLETELY healed after 11 months of having an open wound. Now, after 3 1/2 years, maybe we can get NAT a kidney too and he can get back to a more normal life! (No dialysis, being able to pee, being able to walk without a walker or wheel chair, etc.)
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