Balancing act

Fix one thing, another goes out of whack. That is often my experience.

I went to Boston Wednesday instead of the usual Monday so I could meet with a kidney specialist, Dr. Humphries. When I first saw the note that I was scheduled to see a nephrologist, I was taken aback due to misunderstanding the word. I thought it meant someone who studied dead people. "I think I'm still alive," I thought. Then I remembered that this was someone for kidneys and that a necrologist was for dead people. Geez.

Barry drove me in because I felt kind of shaky. My hematocrit had gone down to 24, meaning I would need a transfusion if the number didn't pick up on its own.

First I saw the kidney doctor, who was very pleasant. My ankles have been swelling, and he said that's because I'm taking in too much salt. My sodium has been quite low, so I was doing what I thought was best for bringing it up: salty snacks, salt on food and salt tablets. Melissa had said I could take two a day, and then I read the bottle and it said up to five a day. So I added a third.

That finally brought my sodium to the lowest end of normal, but apparently it was too much. I don't change my meds without asking, but I thought a salt tablet didn't count. Apparently wrong. Now I'm off salty snacks and the extra tab. I hope my sodium stays up there. My potassium, which had gone too high, finally got down to the high end of normal. I am supposed to take a sandpapery powder in water, Kayexalate, to bring it down.

He said my kidneys looked normal now but they were badly scarred from the kidney failure.

He said he'd be in touch with Melissa and Dr. Alyea and that he'd see me in four months. ("Four months!" I thought. "He expects me to be alive in four months. Cool!" Kind of depressing thought process, but understandable. I hope with time this sort of thinking abates.)

Meanwhile Melissa said my hematocrit came back up by itself to 27. My white count was stable at around 8, but my platelets had fallen from over 100 back to 59. That really worries me. But Melissa said she had talked to Dr. Alyea and he said not to worry. They've bounced back and forth before. Okaaaay then, I will try not to worry if he says not to.

Physical therapy has been going very well. My therapist said on Thursday that I was doing some balancing exercises that I couldn't have done when I came in. I like it when they bring out the toys: balls, hurdles, bouncebacks etc.

I'm supposed to do something at home every day, but going out of the house gives you more motivation. Also for some reason I feel stronger there. Often at home I get stuck when I try to get out of a chair, but at least I do get out, and I manage most days to do my mile and a half or more walk, alas, without a dog for now.