Spring Has Sprung....

....and I am feeling much better. The blood tests have improved, creatine is stable, hemoglobin is improved, and leg swelling has started to improve. I have started driving again, went for coffee twice this week, and walked Sadie three times working up to about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile. I know this doesn't sound like much, but to me it is the equivalent to completing a half marathon. It is great to be back doing some things "normal" people do. I will never again take things for granted...like taking a walk with my dog.

Pneumonia

Yes...Dan has pneumonia, but he is doing well.

We had one of those wonderful marital moments as we are waiting in the doctor's exam room on Tuesday afternoon. "How did you get pneumonia? You rarely leave the house," I practically hissed at him....at the sick guy who is tired of being sick. (O. K. I'm not up for wife of the year.) Well he is very immuno suppressed and that little bacteria just took hold and his body couldn't fight it off.

The good news is that Dan feels good (he doesn't look sick) and he is at home (we were afraid he would be put in the hospital somewhere.) Dr. Hranac and the UNMC transplant team agree on the antibiotic being used to fight this off and that is not an easy task since he has already taken so many antibiotics.

Ed's advice that recovery is like dancing....two steps forward and one step back is practically a mantra to me....and I will work on being a more understanding wife.

Spring Break...Good News

Since my last post, things have improved dramatically. The nephrostomy tube has worked wonders and I am recovering from the acute tubular necrosis. March 12 I had a pylogram of the kidney and it showed an obstruction of the ureter between the kidney and the bladder. I had a balloon dilation and a stent was placed in the ureter to hold it open. This all must be doing the trick as my creatine was down to 3.1 today from a high of 7.7 two weeks ago.

How things change.....a year ago today Sandy and I were in Hawaii sailing off the big island watching whales, today I feel like a whale with all the water my legs are retaining.

Sat. update

I had a new procedure several days ago...a nephrostomy tube placed in the new kidney to relieve internal pressure. So far, it hasn't worked...my creatnine has not come down. In several days, they will decide if I need to go on dialysis because the kidney will probably not recover and will have to be removed. What a bummer!!! Oh well, only time will tell. I'll keep you all informed via this blog.

Sandy will be here this morning and we are going to stay in Omaha and celebrate her birthday and drive back home tomorrow.