Tell us about Len's checkup

petey. I was going to post last night but we were so tired. Long, long day. We were up at 5 and gone before 8. The trip up to DC was actually kind of pleasant for a change. We got to the hospital about an half hour early and the receptionist told us that our normal transplant coordinator was with the doctor because they had problems with a patient. Well, God smiled on us and we got Emma, we told her we had another appointment after them so she handed Len a urine cup and said we'd draw he's labs instead of him waiting at the outpatient lab center for over an hour. She lets me draw from his graft which he just loves. She went over his medications and the antibiotic that Dr. Gill put Len on for the horrible cold he had. She said it was great that he is so attentive to Len's health. They also stopped his Valycte, he was on it a year, one less pill. After we were done with the coordinator, we met with the Transplant Social Worker (I'm normally not crazy about Social Workers for many reasons) but she is the same one Len had right after his transplant, and she is great. We ask her about his Social Security disability and being afraid they would stop it. She went and got his paperwork and said that since Len was dual eligible (other health issues), that he will continue to receive it. You could tell by the look on Len's face that hearing that was a great relief. She explained things very thoroughly and explained Medicare and Tricare For Life to us. We left her very happy. Our next stop was Dr. Paul (trauma surgeon), who operated on Len about 21 times to save his life. He had a waiting room full. Our 1:00 appointment didn't happen until 2:30. We talked about Len's progress for about 15 minutes and I told him about the pain in the lower belly and groin area and all the test all his doctors have performed. Dr. Paul examined Len, he read Len's file from other doctors and test results and said the pain is coming from the super sized kidney he received. Dr. Paul asked Len about what relieved the pain and explained why it is happening. I swear I love that man. Dr. Paul had said for a long time that he didn't want Len to fly with all the bowel surgeries he had, so we ask again and he said that Len could fly short distances. Yeah!!!!!! Dr. Paul is going to talk to the GI and transplant doctor and we are suppose to call him before we make any flying arrangements. Hell, we can do that. Our final stop was to the Veterans Hospital that is within walking distance from Washington Hopsital Center. Len receives VA disability (service related) and Len has been worried about them stopping his disability. We talk to a Veterans Service Officer and he said that Len will continue to receive his benefits. Oh, thank you God. Len has been so worried about trying to go back to work at 60 and being so tired all the time. We had a very productive day. The trip home was horrible. Bad accident that we were just stuck in for an hour and rush hour to boot. We were so glad to get home and we both thought we'd sleep like the dead, but didn't. Still felt like we were in the car moving. Today, I have done NOTHING....... The transplant coordinator just faxed me Len's labs a few minutes ago. We are so happy and tomorrow we are going to sit down and try to make some plans. One of them is to go to North Carolina and meet Marsha and Marvin and see about flying to Texas to see our aging friends that can't travel anymore.

Len's numbers from yesterday. Creatinine 0.09 - BUN 15 - Total Protein 7.5 - Albumin 4.4 - Calclum 10.3 - WBC 8.35 - Prograf 5.4 and No protein in urine. These are the best labs that Len has had in almost 8 years. I am so relieved... We have been told that whatever we are doing to keep it up.

Sorry this is so long winded. I just had to tell you. petey, were you an angel in a past time?