I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Transplant Discussion => Topic started by: BASSMAN on August 05, 2010, 04:37:06 AM
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I just wanted to send you guys a note to let you know what is going on. The surgery has not gone without complications. Immediately after the surgery my kidney function returned to normal. A few days after surgery my kidney function started to decline slowly. The doctor order an ultrasound which showed a collection of fluid around the transplanted kidney. This fluid was putting pressure on the kidney and was affecting the kidney function. The doctor decided to remove the fluid by inserting a needle and draining the fluid off. The fluid was sent to the lab for testing and was determined to be lymphatic fluid. The fluid was sterile. No bacteria or infection in the fluid. This condition is a common complication called a lymphocele. It is lymphatic fluid leaking from lymph tissues that were cut during surgery. I have a test tomorrow that will determine if the fluid has returned. In some cases it has to be drained several times and an iodine solution has to be injected to stop the flow of lymphatic fluid. Once this condition is corrected my kidney function should return back to normal. I could also have a drain tube inserted for several days or weeks. I will know more tomorrow as to what action they will take or if it has stopped leaking. I feel good, Better than I have in years. I do have quite a bit of pain at the incision site and the pressure of the fluid was causing a lot of additional pain. I am tolerating the anti-rejection drugs very well though they give me tremors. My hands shake a little but not too bad. (a common side affect of the drugs). So far, they believe that this is not a rejection episode. If the fluid is stopped and my kidney function still declines they will do a biopsy to determine if there is any rejection going on.
Colleen is doing a little better every day. Her pain is more severe than mine. Which is normal for the donor to have more pain than the recipient. They have to really get into the donors abdomen and stir things around to get the kidney out.
Thanks for all of the thought, prayers and well wishes! I will keep you posted!
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Thanks for the update and continued improvement for you both as you return to "normal". :2thumbsup;
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I am glad they took car of the leak right away. Yes, it's not uncommon but can be bad if not dealt with quickly. I know a couple people who had drains and now, years later, they are just fine!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Tell Colleen she ROCKS!!! :bow;
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I feel good, Better than I have in years.
All the other stuff will pass. This is what is most important. I am so very pleased for you and am eagerly awaiting further updates!! I hope your wife will get something expensive and sparkly out of this deal! :rofl;
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Please do keep us posted. Like getting info straight out of the horses mouth so to speak.
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I just wanted to send you guys a note to let you know what is going on. The surgery has not gone without complications. Immediately after the surgery my kidney function returned to normal. A few days after surgery my kidney function started to decline slowly. The doctor order an ultrasound which showed a collection of fluid around the transplanted kidney. This fluid was putting pressure on the kidney and was affecting the kidney function. The doctor decided to remove the fluid by inserting a needle and draining the fluid off. The fluid was sent to the lab for testing and was determined to be lymphatic fluid. The fluid was sterile. No bacteria or infection in the fluid. This condition is a common complication called a lymphocele. It is lymphatic fluid leaking from lymph tissues that were cut during surgery. I have a test tomorrow that will determine if the fluid has returned. In some cases it has to be drained several times and an iodine solution has to be injected to stop the flow of lymphatic fluid. Once this condition is corrected my kidney function should return back to normal. I could also have a drain tube inserted for several days or weeks. I will know more tomorrow as to what action they will take or if it has stopped leaking. I feel good, Better than I have in years. I do have quite a bit of pain at the incision site and the pressure of the fluid was causing a lot of additional pain. I am tolerating the anti-rejection drugs very well though they give me tremors. My hands shake a little but not too bad. (a common side affect of the drugs). So far, they believe that this is not a rejection episode. If the fluid is stopped and my kidney function still declines they will do a biopsy to determine if there is any rejection going on.
Colleen is doing a little better every day. Her pain is more severe than mine. Which is normal for the donor to have more pain than the recipient. They have to really get into the donors abdomen and stir things around to get the kidney out.
Thanks for all of the thought, prayers and well wishes! I will keep you posted!
Thanks for the update. Sounds like a minor bump in the road but it sounds like you are still on the positive side and that is good. Keep positive and know that we are praying and thinking of you and Colleen often.
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Best wishes as both you continue your recovery.
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Thank you all for your well wishes, thoughts and prayers!
An upadate.
My creatinine continues to rise. I am at 1.8 now. The fluid has returned. I am going to have it drained again and possibly have a drain installed as well as a biopsy to check for rejection on Tuesday. I still feel good except for the fluid that is causing pressure and pain.
Colleen continues to improve each day! I will give her some kind of special gift for sure. It may well be sparkly and shiny.
Thanks again and I will keep you posted!
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The shaking goes away as they lower doses and you get used to it. I was still jittering a bit as much as 4 months later, but not enough to really notice, and it's faded completely since then.
Have you got one of the horrible little JP drains that look like a grenade attached to you on rubber string? Those caused more pain for me than anything else!
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You will be just fine. Things will even out. One day at a time. Give Coleen our best!
:pray;
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I hope the fluid clears and your kidney begins to functin well soon.Take care.
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BASSMAN
As far as the creatinine goes, in four months mine has bounced around between 1.3 and 2.2 all due to reactions to prograf, lisinopril, etc. I have had two perfect biopsies during that time so post-transplant creatinine to kidney function is not always a direct relationship.
Ed
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BASSMAN
As far as the creatinine goes, in four months mine has bounced around between 1.3 and 2.2 all due to reactions to prograf, lisinopril, etc. I have had two perfect biopsies during that time so post-transplant creatinine to kidney function is not always a direct relationship.
Ed
That is good info. Very encouraging. Thank you!
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:2thumbsup; Thinking of you BASSMAN! :waving;
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I had a drain tube put in today so I have this bag of lymphatic fluid hanging off of me. They will keep it in until it stops draining. If it doesn't stop draining they will inject an iodine solution to stop it.
On the upside my they lowered my Prograf to 4mg twice a day and dropped my Prednisone to 15mg once per day and my creatinine went down from 1.8 to 1.6.
Thanks okarol!!!!
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Keep on trucking Bassman here's hoping for a speady recovery for you and colleen. :cuddle;
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good luck and best wishes
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Thank you all for your encouragement and support.
The fluid seepage is slowing it has gone from 300 mil a day down to about 20 mil in 4 days. I have an appointment Tuesday so I hope it stops by then and they will remove the drain. It's a drag for sure but I am staying indoors right now anyways. IT'S 109 DEGREES F TODAY!!!!
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Wow that's hot. Nice you have no fluid restrictions! :beer1; Keep your fluids up now!!
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Wow that's hot. Nice you have no fluid restrictions! :beer1; Keep your fluids up now!!
I am drinking like a camel headed out on a long trip.
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After my first transplant, I drank a lot of chocolate milk.. was great for me, no so great for those around me.. *LOL* I'm sure the air around me was a bit brown, but I didn't care. I was happy, so I could live with the stink....
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An Update,
I still have lymphatic fluid collecting around the kidney. They have tried needle aspiration and it did not work. Then they tried percutaneous drainage and it did not work. We are now doing percutaneous drainage with a sclerosing agent. They removed the drain bag and left the catheter in place. Colleen draws the fluid out with a syringe and then injects betadine into the lymphocele. We do this twice a day. We are getting out much more fluid than was draining into the bag. This is supposed to stop the lymphatic fluid from leaking. We have to do this until it stops leaking. If it doesn't then I will have to under go another surgery to stop it.
Colleen is improving a little more each day.
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Oh man, why can't it be easy? Is the idea that the fluid build up is going to stop by healing? I read a bit here http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/443490_13 and it sounds like you're doing all you can. But what surgery might take place (besides a peritoneal window?)
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Oh man, why can't it be easy? Is the idea that the fluid build up is going to stop by healing? I read a bit here http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/443490_13 and it sounds like you're doing all you can. But what surgery might take place (besides a peritoneal window?)
The betadine is supposed to cause the lymphocele to scar up and quit leaking. Laparoscopic drainage into the peritoneum would be the next step. Peritoneal window sounds like the same procedure. It is done under general anaesthesia. They will give the betadine quite a bit of time to work before going to the next procedure because of the risks associated with surgery.
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Hope this works for you. Some things take time & it is worth waiting so you don't have to do any more surgery. I'm glad to hear your honey is doing so well.
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When Gregory got his kidney, it leaked too, but that was because the urether didn't work. At any rate once they'd sorted that out he's been going fine and you will too I bet. I hope you heal now and this leaking business eases off. Its okay to leak a bit while you're healing but then enough. Are you still feeling well otherwise, like you said earlier?
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I got the drain catheter removed yesterday. I will have an ultra sound in two weeks to make sure that the leaking has stopped. Fingers crossed!
Creatinine still 1.6.
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I've got my fingers crossed for you, too! Let us know when you have the ultrasound.
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fingers crossed, check!
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I got the stint removed and I am a little sore from that but everything is looking good. I still have a small collection of fluid around the transplanted kidney but it is much much smaller and they will just watch it for now. It is not causing me any problems now. Colleen is doing great, she has kidney function as good as someone with two kidneys.
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Playing catch up on posts-------so glad things are going a little smoother. Not looking forward to the stent removal, but I think you guys have it worse! Sounds like you doctors are on top of things and that is good. :2thumbsup; Keep healing, resting and renewing.
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Congrats on your transplant! I was amazed at how much better I feel even though mine was preemptive too.
I could not believe the size of that thing!! I thought it was a little stint but it is about 5 inches long and curled on the ends. They squirted some lidocaine into my urethra and then clamped the end of you know what for a couple minutes. I got to watch it all on the screen. I was amazed at the clarity of that little camera they shove up inside you. It hurt a little and it stung every time I went to urinate for the rest of that day but it was back to normal the next morning. Felt like a bladder infection. I asked about peridium but they did not want me to take it. I guess they didn't want it going through the new kidney..
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5 inches !!! camera????? Thanks Bassman for the visual!!!! Mine comes out in October. I'm not going to worry until then.
I am enjoying reading your posts. Keep them coming. You are helping me.
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Check them out.
http://www.google.com/images?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1024&bih=598&q=ureter+stint&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
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Oh my!!! I thought we were friends!! Those pictures really didn't calm my fears!! Just don't think about it, just don't think about it...........
I can do this! I guess I don't have any choice. My husband said they would have to knock him out. :rofl; You sure do lose all your dignaty during this, don't you. :rofl; :rofl;
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Oh my!!! I thought we were friends!! Those pictures really didn't calm my fears!! Just don't think about it, just don't think about it...........
I can do this! I guess I don't have any choice. My husband said they would have to knock him out. :rofl; You sure do lose all your dignaty during this, don't you. :rofl; :rofl;
Paris, i about worried my self crazy about the the stent removal,it was nowhere bad as i thought it was gonna be.you will do fine, im sure you are like me been through worse! dont worry yourself for nothing.hope you have positive thoughts :cuddle;
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Those pictures would scare anyone!
Paris, the distance is shorter for women.
Jenna's stent removal was a little tug, out it came, no pain.
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I am sorry paris. I didn't mean to scare you, just prepare you. I won't post one of the cytoscopy but I did read this.
The doctor will gently insert the tip of the cystoscope into the urethra and slowly glide it up into the bladder. The procedure is more painful for men than for women due to the length and narrow diameter of the male urethra. Relaxing the pelvic muscles helps make this part of the test easier. A sterile liquid (water, saline, or glycine solution) will flow through the cystoscope to slowly fill the bladder and stretch it so that the doctor has a better view of the bladder wall.
As the bladder reaches capacity, patients typically feel some mild discomfort and the urge to urinate.
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I'm ok Bassman! Just the 5 inches and a camera !! I did birth 4 children so I will revert back to my breathing techniques and "deliver" a stent! :rofl; :rofl;
Thanks Chris and Okarol -- Thanks for the comforting words. :cuddle; I will let you know when this happens so you all can think good thoughts that day :2thumbsup;
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:2thumbsup; Please add to the Honor Roll!
http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=18641.0
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My creatinine
7/23 day after transplant creatinine 1.2 lowest creatinine level reached
7/28 creatinine 1.4 prograf 4
7/30 creatinine 1.59 prograf 6
8/03 creatinine 1.75 prograf 10.1
8/06 creatinine 1.81 prograf 14.4
8/09 creatinine 1.57
8/12 creatinine 1.6 prograf 10.1
8/17 creatinine 1.65 prograf 7.9
8/30 creatinine 1.65 prograf 9.8
9/16 creatinine 1.8 prograf 10
9/24 creatinine 1.49 prograf 13
9/29 creatinine 1.41 prograf 9.3 lowest level since 7/28 5 days post transplant
currently 4mg Prograf bid 720mg Myfortic bid 10mg prednisone once a day
some labs are missing but a good log to show the progression of things.
Things are looking up!!!!
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Outstanding!!! It is always wonderful to hear good news around here!!! Is Colleen still wearing her sparkly kidney?
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Every single day. She doesn't take it off. She sleeps and showers with it!
Good Idea!!!! I actually planned on doing that even before the transplant.
I have never had a piercing or tattoo but I want a tattoo so bad. I swore I would never get a tattoo unless it was to commemorate something really big, but I don't want to risk the kidney.
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:yahoo; Great to hear you're doing well!
I hope Colleen is feeling fine too. Did she have any trouble in her recovery?
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:yahoo; Great to hear you're doing well!
I hope Colleen is feeling fine too. Did she have any trouble in her recovery?
No trouble it was uneventful, just the usual discomforts. Her creatinine is .9.
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:thumbup; Good to hear you are both coming good.
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this was great reading... Glad i got in on it late so i didnt have the worry with ya..Thats not so nice to say now is it.. I just mean, i would of worried, and it seems now, it would have been for nothing :yahoo; So happy for the both of you!!!
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Its good to hear good news. I am glad you and Colleen are in good shape. :2thumbsup;
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LAB REPORT
Creatinine 1.45
Prograf 10.1
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LAB REPORT
Creatinine 1.45
Prograf 10.1
I hope that's good...I haven't a clue! :2thumbsup;
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Creatinine looks great. Congratulations!
What's your Prograf target, Bassman? Can't help but notice how the prograf and creat numbers rise and fall together....
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Creatinine looks great. Congratulations!
What's your Prograf target, Bassman? Can't help but notice how the prograf and creat numbers rise and fall together....
10 is my target right now.
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Lab Report
creatinine 1.65
Prograf 10.2
got chewed for not drinking enough water
BUN elevated and urine too concentrated
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:beer1; :wine; There's water in beer and wine hehehe
It was hard for Jenna to drink so much water, because she was never thirsty.
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C'mon Bassman - drink up!!!! I've been following your recovery: think of me as your cheerleader (sadly I'm a bit too old for the short skirts but I do yell a great 'C'mon'!) :cheer:
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How do you feel when your Prograf level is in the 10's? I can always tell when my level is up there (9-10) because I feel like I have a sunburn and like I could shoot fire out of my eyes. I do well in the 6-8's, which is where he wants me.
Congratulations BTW!!!!! :2thumbsup;
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I am still at the 8-10 prograf level. I have had the dosage changed 3 times to find the right level for now. Yes, the drinking can feel like a job somedays! I always get in between 70-80 ounces, but they tell me to try for 75-100 ounces a day. Yuck! I think that is why I'm not hungry! I was reminded not to drink just water; to mix some milk, light juices,etc. Just water messes up the electrolytes (or so I have been told :rofl;) Luckily, I love milk (I think of Rerun every time I have a glass of milk!). Remember the days when you could eat or drink anything and never gave it a second thought!? :rofl;
I like seeing your labs. It helps me feel I am on the right path. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. :2thumbsup;
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:beer1; :wine; There's water in beer and wine hehehe
It was hard for Jenna to drink so much water, because she was never thirsty.
I love beer and wine but I am abstaining for now.
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C'mon Bassman - drink up!!!! I've been following your recovery: think of me as your cheerleader (sadly I'm a bit too old for the short skirts but I do yell a great 'C'mon'!) :cheer:
That's what I need a cheerleader!!!! Thank you!!!! Let you hair down and put on that short skirt anyways!
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How do you feel when your Prograf level is in the 10's? I can always tell when my level is up there (9-10) because I feel like I have a sunburn and like I could shoot fire out of my eyes. I do well in the 6-8's, which is where he wants me.
Congratulations BTW!!!!! :2thumbsup;
I get slight tremors, hot and tingly feet. He wants me at 10 right now.
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I am still at the 8-10 prograf level. I have had the dosage changed 3 times to find the right level for now. Yes, the drinking can feel like a job somedays! I always get in between 70-80 ounces, but they tell me to try for 75-100 ounces a day. Yuck! I think that is why I'm not hungry! I was reminded not to drink just water; to mix some milk, light juices,etc. Just water messes up the electrolytes (or so I have been told :rofl;) Luckily, I love milk (I think of Rerun every time I have a glass of milk!). Remember the days when you could eat or drink anything and never gave it a second thought!? :rofl;
I like seeing your labs. It helps me feel I am on the right path. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. :2thumbsup;
I am more than happy to share my experiences. I figured someone might want to compare lab notes. Thank you for taking an interest!
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Oh yea, I forgot to mention,
I am now off of Nystatin. Acyclovoir and Bactrim.
Current drugs
Prograf 4mg bid
Myfortic 720mg bid
Prednisone got lowered to 7.5mg once a day
Niphedipine 90mg once a day
Pepcid 20mg once a day
got my flu shot yesterday
De da de da de da.....That's all folks!
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Lab report for today with my local neph.
Creatinine 1.42
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:clap; Bravo!
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Today's results
Creatinine 1.38
Cholesterol high - added Zocor
Magnesium low - added Magnesium supplement
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Still going down
Today's lab
creatinine 1.2
prograf 12
down to 3mg Prograf twice daily
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:bandance; Great numbers!!
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Yep!
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Great to read that everything is continuing to go well :thumbup;
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How are you feeling, apart from numbers, what's it like to be bassman these days? And how is Colleen?
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Mind you, the numbers are :thumbup; :thumbup; :thumbup; *great* to hear too.
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1/12/11
Creatinine 1.3