2-3 months, most likely

So I heard from my donor again, and he tells me it'll take about 1-2 months to complete the rest of his tests. However, he already did most of those tests, and he passed, and he's still in good health, so it looks VERY good.
That means, most likely, my transplant will be in about 2-3 months.
Just thought I'd let you know.
That'll be around Easter. Hmmmmm.....I thought I visualized a Christmas transplant. My visualization skills must need a little sharpening.
Oh well. At least it'll be before my birthday (June 16).
I hope my arm gets better, though!! I sure hope having this graft doesn't mean it's permanently swollen!!!!!!!!
Note: if you ever see me in person, PLEASE do NOT look at my right arm!!!! Otherwise, you'll notice that my appearance has been marred!!! If you just don't look at my right arm, I'll have all the good looks you'd have noticed otherwise...if that makes any sense.
Thanks for understanding.

Alright, some good news--I think

I e-mailed my potential donor last night. Well, let me back up. About 3-4 weeks ago, I heard from a possible donor right over here in Lyndhurst, who said he would be interested in being my donor. So about 3 weeks ago, he got tested to see if we're a match.
And this afternoon, he told me that we're a match. So that's the first big step. We're a match. Now, he has to go through a few tests to be sure that he's a good candidate. Then.....I presume this means I'm getting a transplant pretty soon--finally!! I'm soooooooooooo thrilled!!
Just thought I'd let you know.
Gee whiz! My right arm is slightly bigger than my left one...and, it feels like it's perpetually asleep. I did NOT want this graft put in, for that very reason...because, at my age, with whatever good looks I still have left, I did NOT need to lose being symmetrical. Now, I'm that much LESS good-looking. Damn! (So, don't look at my right arm, and you won't know my appearance has been marred!!) Well...I have the graft anyway...in case my new kidney fails me for some reason; however, it shouldn't. At least maybe I won't have to have needles in my arm for the next 5 years. So, like I said, I'm thrilled!
But--it's still kind of hard to type.

OK. I'm back--I think.

Typing has been quite a challenge since my surgery on Wednesday. But, it’s a challenge that I’ve chosen to take on, to a point…I couldn’t hope to do too much typing with my arm getting both sore and numb at the same time. Thanks to the Percocet, the soreness doesn’t last…but it feels like it’s perpetually asleep. This is unnerving. Typing, and driving even, are challenges. However, they’re challenges that I want to take on. I could NEVER live without typing, or driving…that is, except when I was told I couldn’t drive because I was still coming out of the anesthetic. Other than that, it’s my preference to drive.
My arm is still bruised and swollen at this moment. I can’t believe I had this graft put in!! I can’t believe I went through with it!
As long as my nurse really does have a good sedative to give me, so I don’t mind the needles as much as I would otherwise, I guess it’ll be somewhat tolerable…I’m sure I’ll still mind the needles—just not quite as much if I’m mildly sedated.
And, as long as this graft—when ready to use—really means less infections. If it’s really worth all the trouble, then I’m glad I went through with it.
However, I’ll definitely miss being able to, say, work on cars like I used to. Oh, I might be able to do an oil change, if invited to…but some of the other work I used to do on cars, I guess, will be out of the question. RATS!!
The question is, will I ever play the drums again??? No, I never did before…but I could have, if I had the chance. Now, I must ask, can I ever???
My little Muppet had two teeth extracted on Friday. She was such a good sport. She came home in the evening, after being at the vet’s all day. Within this next month, I have to get Tony & Jerry in for their dental cleanings.
I’m glad our surgeries are behind us…but I sure miss having full use of my right arm! I’m told I’ll regain use of it after a few weeks, except heavy lifting; I hope so!!!!
OK, my arm is starting to go numb again.
Before I close, I want to say one more thing. Last night, I had a dream that I got a call from someone to let me know that my potential donor was a match!!! So, that would have meant—if I’d really gotten that call—that I’d be getting a transplant pretty soon! I’m afraid THAT call only came to me in my dream….but, sometimes my dreams come true. That’s why I’m working on NEVER having ANY nightmares—EVER.
One more thing—it’s February 1st. One year ago today, I tried to go back on peritoneal dialysis, after being on hemodialysis for about two months. One year ago today was the first day of three of the longest months of my life, as going back on “PD” did NOT go well at all. I got severely dehydrated, my blood pressure went way down, and I got peritonitis right away. However, it would be another three months before we found out WHY I kept getting peritonitis. (Perforated ulcer, from too much ibuprofen) That's why I'm back on hemodialysis; once you have peritonitis twice, they figure you can't be on "PD" anymore at all.
Oh, and by the way---I’m sure—positive, even—that I can travel with this arm. Then again, by the time I’m ready to travel, it’ll be all healed up beautifully, so no need to worry. Just thought I’d mention it. There’s not a medical condition, or treatment, yet that could keep THIS woman from traveling!

Well, I made it..

I (obviously) made it back from my surgery. DAMN, my arm hurts, though!!
Let’s see. First of all, we got all kinds of snow the night before, so the drive there went slower than normal, and we got there a little later than expected.
Now I thought I remembered being told to go to J1. If you’re not familiar with the Cleveland Clinic, I think there’s a way to get a map on their website. I was told to go to J1. But, at J1, I was told to go to P20, which I think is one of the new sections. So, off I went, to P20. There, the check-in routine was pretty normal.
Then, for my experience in the prep room. As I sort of expected, the hardest part involved the needles. First there was a needle to get the IV going. The nurse had to try that one twice because the first time, my arm was too tense (gee…wonder why). I am NOT a needle person…so that’s ALWAYS the hardest part of medical procedures for me. But in spite of that, I was finally ready to go to the O.R. I thought I asked to be sedated so that I’d be awake but not care what was going on, but the doctor apparently thought it would be best if I was put to sleep---so I was. I guess that was a good thing…except that when I woke up, my throat was so scratchy (from the breathing tube) that it was on fire. Know what I learned helps that? Ice. (hmmmmm….almost reminds me of my favorite perfume—“Fire and Ice”.)
This surgery that was supposed to take 3 hours…took more like 8 hours altogether! I checked in at 7:43AM, and got out of there at about 5pm. Everything seemed to take so long. Then, just as I had one foot out the door, the nurse had to be sure the graft sounded normal. Sorry; I’m still not sure how that works.
So I now have an AV graft in my right arm, which is slightly swollen and bruised. The doctor told me the brusing and swelling will clear up in a couple weeks. But, here I am. I’m lucky to be typing! I was told that I could type, as long as I keep my arm relatively flat and elevated…and not too active.
If you were to ask me a question about how it went, I could probably give you an answer…but since I was under anesthetic, and then took two Percocets for pain, I’m a little too loopy to remember much, other than how much of a challenge it was to stick me with the needles.
With that, I’ll close for now.
By the way..Friday, around 7-ish, we have to take my cat Muppet to the vet, so she can have a root pulled. Somehow, she apparently lost a tooth, and all that's left is the root. The vet recommended that the root be taken out, as it's a good source of infection. Poor little Mup! Well...like I told her...if I can do it, she can do it. She can go through with her surgery, just as I went through mine. Now if only I could get her to take her tapeworm med.!!
And with that, I'll close for now.

Today's my surgery...

Well, today's my surgery. I get to have one of these clever graft things put in my right arm.
Damn, I'm nervous! Looks like the doctor is actually going to have to handle an artery and a vein. That sounds like such a delicate procedure! One slip, and who knows what could happen.
Not only that, but if you refer to said picture, you can see that this will mean needles during dialysis. Two needles. Four hours a day or so. Three days a week. True, this will mean better treatment, and less risk of infections. But, I have heard of people getting graft infections, and getting injured by the needles. And, I am NOT a needle person. Damn, this is all making me so nervous!
I sure wish the doctor would give me something to calm my little nerves, because I'm definitely nervous.
I hope I'm back tomorrow, but in case not, I love you. I'm supposed to be back to normal by tomorrow night...all other things being equal. So, I should be back here then. Fair warning, though: I'll probably be somewhat loopy from whatever painkillers I'm on. That's just a semi-educated guess.
On the plus side, this is supposed to be the week I find out if my potential donor is a match. I still haven't heard from him yet. But I did hear from one more possible donor. So, we'll see.
Damn, I'm nervous about this graft surgery!
I'll let you know tomorrow how it went---so that should give us both something to look forward to!! ;-)

Good news...sort of

So "Project Jerry", for me, seemed to trigger my health problems.
Let me back-track again, though. I had been diagnosed with PKD in 1987. I did nothing whatsoever to bring that about. It was a complete surprise, and to this day, I couldn't explain it if I tried.
Good news--sort of. My phosphorus level is back down to a relatively normal level. It pays to take my phosphate binders.
But, my potassium level is still high. DAMN! I told the dietician, wouldn't it be great if there was such a thing as potassium binders...I'd be all over such a thing in a heartbeat, if there was such a thing!
The thing with potassium is, if it's either too high OR too low, it can cause heart problems. So I'd do well, I guess, to watch that.
Just think...once I get a transplant, I'll not only be nice and thin again, but also, all my levels will go back down to where they should be.
Oh, the other thing...treatment today left me with a slight headache. Since I took Excedrin before I left, I can only think of one explanation for that: "analgesic rebound." That's gotta be behind this headache. I'm not even tachycardiac this time, so I can't blame that.
That's the other thing. I've now heard of, and had plenty of, dialysis-related headaches. But I've NEVER heard of a transplant-related headache! So I can presume I'll be at least slightly more comfortable then...
That said, I'm going to catch a quick kitty nap, and then I'll be back later.

"Project Jerry"

By the way, Tony--my handsome, 19-pound cat, whom I will probably not be able to hold for a few years, got a clean bill of health today...except that he, like his siblings, has to have his teeth cleaned.
I wanted to mention something called "Project Jerry". I want to mention this just about now, because it was quite a turning point for me...one which I haven't fully recovered from exactly. The stress of it added up...and here I am. Now, my side of "Project Jerry" is as follows.
Monday, April 28, 2003, was when it started for me. I had overslept, so only had time to get the cats a quick kitty breakfast on my way out the door. (back then, I was still working full-time) I noticed, briefly, that Socks and Jerry didn't check in for their kitty breakfast the way they usually did. But, I didn't really have time to think much of it. I'd just see them later, after I got home. Well...I got home, and still no Socks or Jerry. Hmmmmm....
Now let me back up a bit, and explain something. You see, I had known Socks since he was about a month old. But Jerry, I'd known since the day he was born. So, naturally, Jerry's being missing hit me a lot harder than Socks. Not that I didn't miss Socks quite a bit, but Jerry was one of my special little angels. I remember thinking I should do a few things to try to lure Jerry back, from wherever the hell he was. So I fed the outdoor kitties, gave them some milk, and swept the patio. I knew that my Jerry--if he were around--would have come running from almost anywhere to catch the broom...so I swept.
As nothing was bringing my little furbaby back, I went for a long, long walk through the neighborhood. I looked for Jerry. I called his name. I checked every single corner that I could legally check. Nothing. By the way, Socks was just another missing kitty that I really didn't have the time or the energy to deal with. If he'd come home, I'd have welcomed him with open arms. But I had only enough resources to focus on one--Jerry.
As hard as it was for me, I had to keep going to work during the week. That first weekend, we visited the Chula Vista Animal Shelter. Don't ask me why. Maybe because it was right nearby. But...not nearby enough. When we were there, they were not only of no help to us whatsoever, but also, they gave us bad information. "Oh, he wouldn't be here," they told us. "You're not in our jurisdiction." I wanted soooooo much to give THEM a "jurisdiction"!! I was thinking, too, that if Jerry were still in our jurisdiction, he would have come back home already on his own. SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, took him from me.
But, thanks to that shelter, we went out to the County Animal Shelter the rest of the weekends. And during the week, I took my search online. Every day was one more day without my little Jerry. Like I said, I had quite a bond with him by then. So, naturally, I felt like the mother of a missing child. Remember that he disappeared literally overnight on April 28.
Memorial Day weekend was rough. VERY rough. At one point, Jerry's sister Muppet was in the kitchen with me...and she looked at me as I took a kitchen knife and put it to my wrist. I truly considered doing something with that knife. But seeing this little girl kitty, who needed me just as much as her missing brother did, somehow stopped me. Thank goodness, by the way, because in spite of everything I'm going through now, I'm glad I've stuck around.
Wednesday, May 29, 2003: I went to work (again). I resumed my online search for Jerry. Only that day, I decided I was going to ignore the ill advice of the Chula Vista Animal Shelter. That day, I checked THEIR online listing of cats. This took me to something that was then called 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com (last year, it changed to Adopt-A-Pet.com). I put in my search criteria, and there...one of the first cats I saw...was Jerry!! It HAD to be Jerry, I thought! Now of course, Jerry has a twin brother--Tony. And there are others who look like they do. But this one was, without a shadow of a doubt on my part, Jerry. You know how you can generally tell one person or animal from another by the way they look??? That's what I mean. I could tell by the eyes that it was Jerry. He was thin as hell, and he looked rather sad. But it was him. (see above picture). A relatively new organization called PAWS had rescued him from the Navy base, if you can believe that. Now let me explain one more thing. The Chula Vista Animal Shelter was only 3 miles from the house. The Navy Base was 14 miles away!!!!!! Any wonder why I felt like I did the right thing in not believing that "not in our jurisdiction" story?????? Because if I had, I'd never have found the little guy. So, once I saw that picture, I e-mailed and called everyone I had to...and that night, my Jerry was returned to me, safe and sound. See??? It paid to stick around, at least that long.
Meanwhile, that degree of stress for a month must have essentially worn me out, because a month after Jerry's return, I managed to have a gallbladder attack. It was when I got that diagnosis that I also found out that my kidney function was only 15%. But, since I happened to have Kaiser at the time, I didn't get to start dialysis, as I probably should have way back then. That came years later.....toooooooooooo many years later.
So, that's "Project Jerry" for ya. Boy, have I been through a lot. But, the other thing is, I've lived. And that's one thing I'm really, truly missing just about now!!! :-)