Kidney function IMPROVING!

[KraigG]

Had my blood work done yesterday at UCLA, and what a shock! Two weeks earlier, my creatinine clearance level had dropped to 20%, which qualified me to get on the transplant waiting list. Yesterday's results showed that it had improved to 30%, and my creatinine had gone from 3.3 down to 2.6. Yay! This will keep me off dialysis just a bit longer while I'm on the waiting list.

Wonder what caused this improvement? I'm sure it was just a fluke, and it will be back to 20% soon, if not already. But it sure made me feel better!

[-Lady Noir-]

Hey thats awesome!
I think hydration levels and blood pressure can affect creatinine. Whatever you have been doing, keep it up! 

[peleroja]

That sounds awesome; keep up the good work.   

[sullidog]

That's awesome!
Troy

[Rerun]

That calls for a HOT FUDGE SUNDEE!!

                     

[Mimi]

I have flucuated bewteen 15% and 20% for 3 years now.  My Dr says, like Peleroja, keep up the good work.

[Jean]

That is absolutely wonderful. Mine have been stable now for 9 months, and suddenly my GFR went up by 3 points. Dont know what happened there!!!! But, like you, I am glad for anything that delays the dialysis a little while. Good luck to you.

[-Lady Noir-]

Oh, Mikes function went from 5% to 9% in a month! 

[KraigG]

Yay! Thanks for the kind words, all. I hate dialysis sooo much, that this time, I'm going to avoid it at all costs!

[JennyGiggle]

that is great to hear! I pray it stays the same!

jenny

[Deanne]

That's great news! 

Did your meds change? A few months ago, I was at 20% and expected to be sent for my transplant evaluation. I was always tired, woozy, just sort of blech. Then my neph reduced my lisinopril to 2.5% and my creatinine level went from 3.2 down to 2.7. She's gradually been dropping the dose as my potassium level has been creeping up. This last dosage reduction made a big impact.

[KraigG]

I kept the kidney going for another year and a half. My transplanted kidney finally bit the dust on August 11, 2011. Just 2 days short of surviving 21 years. And just one day after a 2 day driving trip from LA to Chicago.

I realized it had finally died when I was unable to breathe while trying to sleep one night. At 3 am, I drove myself down to Chicago, and checked myself into Rush. A biposy revealed the kidney was, indeed, dead. They hooked me up to a dialysis machine the next day.

I now do dialysis in a northern suburb, 3 days a week, on the 4th shift. 7 pm.

[willowtreewren]

So, how are you doing, Kraig?

And 21 years for your transplanted kidney! 

I hope Carl's lasts that long. Dang, I hope CARL lasts that long! 

Aleta

[Riki]

Wow.. 21 years.. my 2 transplanted kidneys together didn't last that long.  I'm hoping my next one does, though

[KraigG]

I consider myself fortunate for having had it that long. While I had it, I didn't think it was that unusual.

But having gone through that experience once, I'm not anxious to go through it again. I'm giving up on relisting.

Here's hoping the medical profession can come up with something better. Stem cells, perhaps? That's what I'll sign up for.

[Riki]

I'd do it again, in a heartbeat.  I'd rather take a few pills a day than live a half life on life support like I do now

[KraigG]

But I read about so many people not surviving the complications of surgery. And the risk gets greater the older you get. Each time I went in the hospital for minor stuff, the stay got longer, and longer. And I'm not a vibrant 30 year old anymore.

Not going to risk it.

[Riki]

I might be in my 30s, but I'm far from vibrant. *LOL*

My life feels like it's on hold, and has been for the past 8 years.  Dialysis has it's own set of risks, like infection, heart disease, bone disease, blood pressure issues.  I kind of find it hard to weigh the two

I have a good many things I'd like to see and do before my eye sight finally leaves me.  I figure I might have another 15 years before it's completely gone.  I can't do those things while on dialysis.  It's why I can't give up on a kidney, at least, not yet

[KraigG]

You should go for it, as long as you're in your 30s. Live your life!

I've done it all. I had a good run

[Riki]

I've done some things on dialysis.  My best friend lives in New York.  I've visited her a few times, 5 times, actually.  Three times on PD, and twice on HD.  It's easier to travel on HD, but it involves a lot more planning and is a heck of a lot more expensive. *L*

[KraigG]

I got so good at driving long distances, I could go from LA to Chicago (2000 miles) in two days, with an overnight stop in Denver. My ankles were so swollen, I would keep my shoes off while driving, and because of the bad kidney, only had to stop every 5 or 6 hours for gas. Winning!

[Riki]

I don't drive, obviously enough.. *L*  My first trip to NYC, we drove.  It should have taken us 15 hours, but it took my bro and I about 24, because we kept getting lost.  We also got stopped at the border because bro didn't know the plate number on the car.  It was a rental.  I was a little worried at that point, because all my supplies were in the car, the lines, the fluid, the machine, and I was afraid that they would damage something while searching the car.  They didn't, though they did ask bro to open some of the boxes.

Mom and I fly now.  It's much faster, only a few hours, and we generally don't have any trouble going through customs.

[KraigG]

Obviously, I like to drive. I'm a car collector, and I used to fly out to LA, and drive home a car. usually, an old one.

Spent a weekend in Dearborn, MI long time ago, and drove the tunnel up to Windsor. Didn't need a passport then.

Can't wait until spring/summer, and the classic bike I've been working on for the past year and a half will be ready. Can't wait to see their faces when I show up for dialysis on my bike.

[Riki]

My dad would love to do that, he just doesn't have the money.  He always talks about how he'd like to go south with a flatbed and bring back a few cars, perhaps one that he wants and a few others to sell.  He used to say that that was what he wanted to do when he retired.  Now, I think he's just hoping he'll be able to retire someday.

[KraigG]

At one time, I had a classic car dealership in LA. Even got to sell one of my cars to Jay Leno