Sunday, May 30, 2010

The beat goes on.

Today (may 30)

The day is young. 9 am. I usually let the day transpire then blog it but I had a better night, not good mind, but better, longer periods between bouts of pain. The solution was to empty the bladder at each sitting. Until last night I was content to simply ease the pain then get off the pot. I can only assume that what was left exacerbated the irritant. There is a point during urinating when nearly empty that give a sense of well being more profound than simple relief.

so forward to the rest of the past - a long entry

24th mon Last day chaos -

creatinine 100 now well within the range 60-120

Finally I can sleep on my side and got a good six hours between blood pressure readings. With Felicity gone I have nowhere to walk to but have to anyway. There is conjecture about my release today or tomorrow. The surgeon who did the extraction half of the op came to see me and suggested it but left no notes and now my file is gone. taken for admin purposes which could indicate going home. I have no clothes however and though the catheter has been removed I still have a wound drain and bag attached - I'll place and order for dinner and for tomorrow's breakfast and lunch just in case ,

Miri who is looking after Felicity in the apartment keeps ringing to find out but no-one will make a decision. In the end they turn up anyway. Felicity has to go for a short walk every day as part of her recovery so when they got halfway to hospital they decided to go on and get a taxi back. While they were en route the wound drain is removed and I get my marching orders but they unknowing do not have my clothes. Luckily Errol is coming in. He gets rerouted via the apartment - I may just get out of here after all.

5pm Dinner arrives, the nurses tell me it's unlikely to go this late, may as well enjoy the meal.

After dinner Errol & Kyle along with Miri and Felicity arrive and things happen fast work certificates are signed and I'm released, free at last,

I mentioned having a hot flush rush up my face when I lay down, rationalising it as the better ability of filtered blood to transport heat around the body. Miri, quick as flash said, ‘Menopause, you have Felicity’s kidney. Much laughter ensued.

25th

I have had some difficulty with nocturnal peeing overnight. It stings and trickles and makes my scalp tingle. It only happens overnight not in the daytime. I shall have to ask what’s going on.

Day 1 at the clinic. Take a card and wait. The doctor sees you first for and problems and asks how you feel (I forget to ask about peeing). First up he writes up a new folder with details of what drugs you take – I of course only had a vague idea and had left my chart home (I’m new at this). Weight and BP get taken and you get two blood forms to take to the nurse who also takes a urine sample. I end up with three holes; two in one arm - one in the other. The bandaged wound drain hole had shown signs of slight leakage when left the apartment to walk the two and half city blocks to the RAH. It was almost running down my leg when I arrived and has been replaced with a drain bag glued over the hole by hand heat. I was supposed to take my morning pills straight after the bloods, which is why you take them with you, but I forgot and no one mentioned it. I didn’t think about it until I was struggling home in the rain. I think they might take better care of ‘first clinic’ people – show them the ropes

Today my daughter Miri who has been looking after us took us home to Strath for the extra things we needed reading lights, and big pillows so we can read in bed, our bedroom HD TV/DVD player (no subtitles on the cable TV provided), and trust me recovery without reading or TV will drive you nuts, the 15 minute walk to and from is about as much as exercise as one can tolerate at this stage, and finally raincoats. While home we collected mail, paid bills online, and answered email (especially those enquiring after our health – they know who they are and they are and their thoughts are appreciated). Other friends phoned and sms'd us. We had lunch there an I opted for a vegemite on a piece of toast left over from our . My brother Ian called in. My other brother Brian can’t. He has a cold and I as an immune suppressed tranplantee need to stay away from sick people, except of course daily, when I go to the hospital.

26th

It is now one week since the operation and I feel good, almost. Last night was terrible I got up to pee and couldn’t. The problem seems to be clots from the healing junction where the kidney’s out tube has been sewn onto a hole made in the bladder getting jammed in the urethra. It takes the pressure of a full bladder to clear them, which I didn’t think I had; I had emptied before going to bed. I was on the point of ringing the hotline when I felt the tingling scalp of an urgent call and this I stood up for a gravity assist and streamed away. The relief was palpable. For me, the secret is to drink plenty going to bed, hold it and walk around a bit when I wake then stand when urinating. (At night I usually sit so that I don’t need to put on a light).

Day 2 at the clinic

I was reassured by the doctor, my problem was normal and lasts a couple of weeks, the bag was replaced and I managed to take my pills. I took a book for the waiting and despite arriving 15 mins early I was number 6 (not the village); yesterday I was number 2.

Today I’m back to writing this blog, which I will post as soon as I have broad band access, Miri and her husband Jason are out shopping for one now

I'm now up to date though all of the above is subject to change without notice - I can see gaps in the retrospectively written story and I would like it to be as complete as possible with pictures so that anyone contemplating the same journey will have some idea what to expect

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