Update for Y'all

I know I haven't been blogging a lot lately and I hope that you can all understand it takes energy for me to write and energy is something I am in short supply of at the mo, so thank you for your patience and support. I have lots of people message me and ask me about my health so I thought I'd give you all an update.

KIDNEYS

My kidney health has been quite stable recently. My GFR (Glomeral Filteration Rate) or kidney function is somewhere in the region of 25-30 % Although this may seem very low, it is actually quite good considering the damage my kidneys have suffered, however this can vary depending on other factors, such as how hydrated I am. I take water tablets to stop fluid from building up in my tissues and to aid the flushing of waste products such as protien from my system and I am on a strict fluid restriction regime of just 1 litre of fluid per day (torture) As things stand I am not on the transplant list but when my GFR drops below 20% I will be placed on the list. It really frightens me that when my GFR is that low, that I will be so unwell, that I won't be fit for having such a big operation. I also have to closely monitor my weight as a slight increase can indicate a decline in GFR or decrease can point to being dehydrated. It's a balancing act.

I need to have 2 kidneys and a pancreas so that means I will need the organs from a deceased donor and that is something I will deal with when it comes to it, but speaking truthfully, I don't really have any feelings about that right now, maybe I will when it happens.

I met a really lovely girl called Rihannon who had read my blog and said that I had inspired her to become an organ donor and she even register to become a bone marrow donor! I can't tell you how moved I was to know that my words had urged her to do that, and to know that one day she will save a life! Wow. Big up Rihannon and everyone who has registered. <3

EYES

I have been having some laser therapy to correct my diabetic retinopathy and although it was successful, I had a vitreal detachment and a large heamorrage in my right eye. I had to undergo indirect laser to remove the blood unfortunately this treatment wasn't effective and the next step is an operation to directly remove to blood and the vitreol jelly within the eye and replace it with silicone to stabalise the retina and decrease the chances of retinal detachment and further bleeding. I am really afraid of losing my eye sight and totally petrified of having the operation but I know I have to take the chance because right now my vision is really distorted and blurry. I should be getting the date for my operation within the next few weeks, so keep your eyes peeled (pun intended)

HEART

When I was in hospital for my second episode of Nephrotic Syndrome during a routine scan of the heart I was found to have an irregular heart beat and further test showed that I have something called Mitral Regurgitation in one of the valves of the heart. I was started of Beta-Blockers and Diuretics and sent for MORE tests. Bleurghh.

I have just had a 24 hour cardiac scan attached to me to monitor my heart rate over time and last week I had MRI stress scan. This was by far the worse thing I have had for a while, this is a test to see how the heart reacts under extreme pressure, firstly you are strapped in to the bed, a heavy plate is placed on your chest, you are put in that god forsaken tunnel of the MRI scanner and then they give you this drug which I can't remember the name of, but it is the sort of drug that makes you think you are going to explode! The moment it went into my vein I started to panic, I couldn't breath and my whole body was throbbing, burning and aching, I didn't know whether to scream, cry or shit the bed! But they did warn me it would be hideous, and asked me to remain calm and try to withstand it for as long as I could and because I am such a teachers pet (or doctors) I lay in total silence and stillness until it was over. When it was over I thought I was too, I think it must be as close to a heart attack as you can get. But an hour later I was out shopping and having lunch with my mum so I won't complain too much.

Still waiting for the results, I will keep you posted.

LOVE LIFE

Nothing to report.