Saturday, March 30, 2013

Vive les Mornings!

YES, vive the mornings and with them, the Prednisone hit that's now thankfully, down to 30 mgs/day, which allows me to actually get some things done.

Since starting on 60 mgs/day, then eventually down to 50, then 40, I have to say that at those high doses, (in relation to my body weight), the weaning was really nothing in terms of withdrawal and the fatigue and often, returned symptoms that usually go with tapering off of this powerful, hateful but life-saving drug.
When I hit the 30 mg mark however, things changed drastically and the days now go like this: I have my cherished breaky and fistful o' meds, check the pooter a bit and if the knees are good that day, (previously diagnosed osteoarthritis, due to the MPA), I put on my knee braces and hit la rue to walk hard and fast with dear Tony for a good 4 k's, which does our spirits both a buttload of good and no doubt, the ole ticker and bones too.

Then I usually have a nice hot bath, take care of whatever housely duties I can + virtual stuff and prepare the blessed luncheon.

This usually takes me up to 12:30-1-ish and little by little, by one or two pm, I hit the great wall and slowly but surely start to feel my eyes sting and water and my brow seemingly flex and twist up by itself with the burn and undeniable authority of extreme fatigue.   I observe the thoughts getting foggy and the muscles start to disagree with the bones and the coldness gets harder to shield myself from.

Gravity somehow becomes more powerful too at this point and wow, it's utterly incredible how fast I become punch-drunk-tired like I have never experienced EVER.  Partying, hangovers, jet-lag you name it--NOTHING comes remotely close this deeeeeeep drain and so I wanted to dedicate a blog post to its-----magnificence.

And if I understand things right, weaning down to 20mgs, (coming up in 8 days already--the goal being to stop at 10mgs/day), will be even more erm-----remarkable.  I think it's because my adrenal glands are no longer working normally and so my cortisol levels are not even near "the charts".   When the Pred runs out for the day, basically, so do I.  I must research this phenomenon more.

So I nap.  Or doze.   Or often just lie there thinking, observing, reflecting on things, scanning the Net on my phone, or read if my brain will allow it.  A lot of the time I'm just sorta zenning, often making mental notes for my "Positive Psychology Day" journal, (which is the practice of each day for a month, writing down five positive things and is supposed to reset things in one's brain), or petting Tone-Bone or planning wonderful snack time. 

It's a strange new life that's for sure, but wow, I gotta say that even with all the challenges, I'm so very happy to be living it.  Especially when I think of all those years of serious and crippling pain that went so horribly mistreated and so sadly undiagnosed.  Now, just knowing what I am dealing with is such a load off, I can't express.  One can't learn about what one doesn't know one has and MAN, have I been learning--and I've only just begun.  

On the subject of being happy to be alive, it's also absolutely soul-blowing how many fantastic, sweet and amazing souls have come into my life since it changed so much on January 10th.  People whom I cannot WAIT to meet in person, some whom I have already and I am so very grateful for them all.  They are showing me in no uncertain way that the Universe IS listening and wants to help me out and I appreciate it all SO MUCH.  You guys know who you are and when I'm better, look out, 'cause the hugs are gonna be off the hook! 

And then there are the more distant, "older stars", out there, dear friends and family who have been in my life for years who since the hospital have been helping me get through this crazy thing so much easier with every facebook check-in & poke, phone call, blog comment, email, postcard, message on the answering machine, audio-letter, bit of guitar playing or song sent, skype call or text or cel phone sms--to you all, I reach out across the ether and give my most heart-felt HIGH-SOUL-FIVES to!  Those transmissions are just plain GOLD to me and I thank you guys from the bottom of my mojo-tank.

I look SO forward to when my immune system is back online and if possible, I can hug each and every one of you in person as soon as I get the chances.  

You guys are like the mornings to me.

+++vibes & thanks,

: J

Friday, March 29, 2013

Scientific Salad 8: Beet Booster ®

Hello, Saladeers,

So, after getting my less than stellar recent kidney filtration rate test results back, I had to do something serious to cheer myself up and what better way than to hit the kitchen to create nourishment for the coming days in the form of another great salad.  And yes, this one's very yummo as recently, P bought me some organic first press walnut oil that is just silky smoooth and wonderful in this sweet and savory melange of veggies.

Onto the chopping board went:

1 head of cauliflower
1/3 head of broccoli
2 chopped onions, (soaked for 2 hrs in apple cider vinegar to take the edge off)
2 small cooked beets
1/4 head of purple cabbage
2 carrots
2 red peppers
1 large turnip
1 peeled pink lady apple
3 cloves of garlic
1 handful of mint
1 handful of chives
1/2 cup of raw green peas



Beet Booster Sauce:

2 tablespoons of organic first press walnut oil
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
Juice of 1 lemon
A splash of apple cider vinegar
One tablespoon of oyster sauce
Some Mrs Dash, ('cause she's so flirty in the kitchen)
A sprinkle of organic paprika
Few twists of ground black pepper

Bon ap and +++vibes,

: J

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Message in a Prescription Bottle


Hello again, dear Readers,

Well, heeeeeere it is, the letter to my former GP letting him know exactly where I ended up shortly after seeing him back in early January, before the medical poop hit the ER-fan. 

It was sent registered mail, so I'll know if his office received it or not as it must be signed for--though I do believe that his secretary has that authority too and so he may indeed never lay eyes on it, depending on her head and heart but alas, it is written and it has been sent.

Thanks again to Pascal for the supere translation job.

Voila:


Dr. R/X,

This letter is to inform you that not 48 hours after seeing you last time in early 
January and basically being dismissed with more prescriptions for the increasing 
horrible migraines I had been experiencing as well as the mounting neck pain and 
general fatigue,I found a new doctor who sent me to directly to emergency with a 
blood pressure machine reading of 225/100.

In the Emergency Room, it was discovered that I was in acute renal crisis.

I stayed the night in the ER and the next day was transported to a Nephrology 
hospital where I remained for two weeks in very bad condition and there, the 
reason for my renal failure, (I'm now in Stage 4 of Chronic Kidney Disease with 
chronic hypertension for life), was diagnosed. 

I have a rare and serious autoimmune disease called, Microscopic Polyangiitis,
a form of Vasculitis, which over the years accounted for my extreme global
joint pains, grave migraines, as well as ocular inflammation and chronic skin issues.


In all the time I have been your patient, I have shared with you repeatedly
those symptoms, as well as the swelled ankle and heart palpitation issues and
now that these symptoms have all been attributed to the MPA, I think it's
prudent at this point to note them well again.

I am currently into month 3 of a 6 month aggressive therapy involving high-dose 
Prednisone, low-dose chemotherapy and 9 other daily medications, plus vaccines. 

That will be followed by 2 years of maintenance using more Prednisone and
likely other drugs as well, which will hopefully by the end of 2 years, put the MPA 
into remission.

It is my sincere hope that this letter spurs you to consider taking more time with
each of your patients in the future, as when I think of the many symptoms I've 
presented to you over the years, along with the many signs you might have noted
if you had only  taken more time with me, I may have at the very least, been able to
avoid the extent of considerable renal damage I'm dealing with now.

I would also recommend your purchasing a blood pressure monitoring machine as 
I do not believe that your manual method is accurate considering the BP difference 
between the day I saw you and the day the new doctor got the very high readings, (she 
was using an Omron machine and I too now own the same).

sincerely,

Juanita Grande


and en francais:

 Dr Ordonnance,
 

Cette lettre pour vous informer que moins de 48 heures après vous avoir vu la dernière fois début janvier (et avoir été expédiée avec une ordonnance d'anti-douleurs, contre la recrudescence de sévères migraines, les douleurs à la nuque et la fatigue générale que je subissais), j'ai du trouver un nouveau médecin généraliste. Celle-ci m'a envoyée directement aux urgences avec une tension artérielle de 22,5/10.

Là, il a été établi que j'étais en insuffisance rénale aiguë.
J'ai passé la nuit aux urgences, et le lendemain ai été transportée à service néphrologie, où je suis restée pendant deux semaines. C'est là que la raison de mon insuffisance rénale (actuellement en stade 4, accompagée d'hypertension) a été diagnostiquée: j'ai une maladie auto-immune rare et grave appelée Polyangéite Microscopique, une forme de vascularite, qui au fil des ans s'est manifestée par des douleurs articulaires, des migraines graves, inflammations oculaires et lésions cutanées qui ne guérissaient pas pendant de longues périodes.  

Pendant tout le temps où j'ai été votre patiente, je vous ai décrit à plusieurs reprises ces symptômes, ainsi que les gonflement des chevilles, les palpitations cardiaques...

Maintenant que ces symptômes ont tous été attribués à l'AMP, je pense qu'il est prudent à ce stade de bien les noter à nouveau.
 

Je suis actuellement au 3e mois d'une thérapie agressive impliquant 6 mois de prednisone à haute dose, de la chimiothérapie à faible dose en hopital de jour toutes les deux semaines, 9 médicaments quotidiens ainsi que des vaccins.

Ceci sera suivi de 2 ans de maintenance sous prednisone et autres médicaments, susceptibles, ainsi que nous l'espérons, d'ici 2 ans, de mettre la PAM en rémission.
 

C'est mon espoir sincère que cette lettre vous pousse à envisager de prendre plus de temps avec chacun de vos patients dans l'avenir. Lorsque je pense aux nombreux symptômes que je vous ai présentés au cours des années, ainsi que les nombreux signes que vous pourriez avoir noté si vous aviez pris plus de temps avec moi, vous auriez peut-être été en mesure d'éviter l'étendue considérable des dégâts auxquels j'ai à faire face maintenant.
 

Je voudrais également vous recommander l'achat d'une nouvelle machine à mesurer la tension, compte tenu de la différence de lecture entre le jour où je vous ai vu, et le jour où le nouveau médecin à obtenu une mesure des plus élevées; je ne crois pas que votre méthode manuelle soit des plus exactes. Ce médecin utilise une machine Omron et j'ai maintenant la même.

 Sincèrement,
 

Juanita Grande

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Stage 3, Stage 4, Potato, Potahhhto...

Good Day, Readers,

I say good, because today, after a couple harder ones, it IS.

On Thursday I weaned down to 30 mgs/day of Pred, which is exactly half of what I started on back in late January and MAN did I feel it, both in the extreme fatigue dept, (felt like I had been hit by at least a Smart car, for two days).  Then there was the returned pain--in the the knees, (osteoarthritis), due surely to the ultimate anti-inflammatory drug that is Prednisone, decreasing in the ole system. Was creeping around like Mr. Magoo for many hours of the last two days.

Coupled with the physical down-ness of these past two days were the results of the latest blood tests I got back on Saturday.  Not good.  And by not good I mean a decreased kidney filtration rate enough to put my beans squarely back in the Stage 4 Kidney Disease saddle.  The other kidney-related numbers too were worse than that last test.

I can't lie and say that seeing those numbers didn't bum me out, but on the upside, at least all the electrolytes are still well within normal ranges and the lymphocytes too haven't taken any major hits since last time.

It must also be noted, (and thanks, P for doing so), that considering I'm on so much LESS prednisone, the fact that my kidney health is not much worse than it is is a positive.

I must also factor in that the previous tests that showed such improvement were done quite soon after a chemo session and this one last time, was done over two weeks since the last chemo.  No doubt, the next blood tests will fair better as they'll be done soon(er) after this Tuesday's coming chemo day.

All in all, I'm just real glad to at least so far today, (and it IS only noon), to be feeling pretty good and mostly painless.

Guess I just wanted to check in and share the ____news as of late.

Here's a pic of my bro's dog Bartly, simply because I love that sweet bastard and this pic makes me smile:
Guessing/hoping too that with each new wean down, the few days that follow will be a bit of a challenge but will hopefully get-used-able and the pain and fatigue of each adjustment will do a fade out with the passing time.  It's a learning process, bit by bit.

Funny as I've been more voracious than ever lately, hungry like the wolf MUCH more than I was back on 60 mgs of Prednisone/day.  Good thing I tend to snack on stuff like roasted green beans and rice cakes and berries.

It's great to be keeping active each day too, with long, fast Tony-walks.  It's important to strike when the iron's hot in the mornings when the Pred is still in my system.

Met a whole bunch of great dogs while hoofin' it 'round the river today.  I even met a charming English-speaking Dutch woman while on the trails and we exchanged numbers. The walks are as good for the spirit as they are for the ole ticker.

Oh, and in that dept, my blood pressure for the last month has been STELLAR.  Readings like 110/65@55bpm IN THE BED and BEFORE the meds of the day taken are the norm now and that's great to see.  My ankles have never been slimmer too.  Didn't realize there were so many bones in those things until now and I see clearly that they WERE very puffed up for a long time before the hospital crisis too.

Living, learning and healing.

'N that's all she wrote...

+++vibes,

: J

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Scientific Salad 7: Appler's Delight ®


Good Day, Dear Readers & Munchers,


I made my usual kidney-friendly salad for the next few days today, (as has become the norm), and it turned out rather nice so I'm a-sharing.

Nice as a side or a snack and would go well with just about any meat, fish or legume main dish.

Finely chopped 'n chunked were:

1/3 head red cabbage
1/3 head  broccoli
1 pink lady apple
2 carrots
1 red pepper
1 handful of chopped chives
2 tbspsl of chopped mint
A sprinkle of sesame seeds, (not toasted, but next time, I shall).




 


Appler's Delight Sauce:

Juice of 1/2 a large lemon
juice from 1/4 lime
Juice from one nib of fresh ginger, (via the garlic press)
2 big bulbs garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 tsp Fleur de Sel
A little ground black Pepper
A quick sprinkle of Paprika
Juice from one nib of fresh ginger, (using the garlic press)

Serves: Many

bon ap!

: J

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Scientific Salad 6: Flat Bean Boogie ®

Shalom, Salad-Shleppers,

Sharing another kidney-kind salad that is one tasty delight too.   I really love the addition of cooked green beans of any kind to a salad and this one is no exception.

Serve this lil deary with some nice fresh fish and it's is very complimentary.  Mix in some rice or couscous, rice noodles or small pasta and it's kidney-friendly 'n macro-fantastico as well.

Onto ye ole chopping block went:

500 grams of flat green beans, (chopped & steamed, the rest is of course, all raw)
1 large red pepper
3 large carrots
4 big cloves of garlic
1/3 head of red cabbage
1/2 head of broccoli
3 halves of organic sundried tomatoes, (again, this is the only non-kidney-friendly ingredient due to potassium content, but in such small doses, its influence is miniscule).
handful of chives





Flat Bean Boogie Sauce:


2 tbsps oyster sauce
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
juice of one lime
4 tbsps of organic apple cider vinegar
fresh ground pepper
few shakes of organic paprika

That's it, hoping it's enjoyable to you too!

+++vibes,

: J

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Cabin Fever

Good Day, Dear Readers,

Yes, "cabin fever".  That's the only term for the effect of this immuno-suppressive therapy that since I've been home from the hospital has:

a) been keeping me from being anywhere in public for too long--without donning a mask, as suggested by my doc, especially in crowded places and when doing chemo @ the hospital.

&

b), inviting guests over to visit, at least until it's warmer out and we can sit outside in the fresh air where I don't have to worry at all about catching any incubating colds or flu viruses.

Gotta say that after over 2 months of it now, I'm rather feelin' it.  Social deprivation and even missing the simple act of say dinner out or drinks at our favo wine bar with hub, (something we used to do a lot of), is sorely missed and I can't tell ya's how keen I am for this therapy to be a wrap and my immune system to be back online.

Every two weeks, I have blood tests done and watch with a bit of sadness the lymphocytes, (our white blood cells that protect us from viral and bacterial infection), dropping like flies, (gonna pick up the latest test results today).  

I can only hope that after the chemo is over and when the Prednisone is down to the 2 year plan of only 10 mgs/day, that soon after I shall see those numbers restoring themselves to--maybe not perfectly normal levels, but at least more than they are now.  The last blood tests showed them go from 1166, (normal ranges being between 1500-4000), to 598, so when I pick up today's I shall be ready for anything.

But alas, this is all normal and no doubt helping these lil kidney beans improve their filtration rate and THAT is what this is all about, so I press on, cloister on and look at the many pluses that only be cherished more if I rewind to how truly NOT fun life in the hospital was.

For instance:

-To be sick and secluded in these modern times is quite a blessing.  With email, video skype and the like, I'm so much less cut off then if this all would have happened say in the 90's, so I do have some pretty good sick-timing.

-I LOVE our little house.  Even before getting sick I was a bit of a nester, enjoying many evenings by the fire, or soaking in the bubble bath, staring up into the night sky through the big picture window above the long, deep tub and I love it now more than ever as so often I am just chilled to the bone it seems.

-My kitchen is perfect for me and I love to be creating in it, and if anything, the restrictions of this renal diet have proven to be a culinary-challenge I can rise to.   When I imagine having to follow that diet's heavy rules as a non-cook, I can easily see how it might indeed suck the big enchilada, (filled with no beans, no meat, no cheese or any of the usual enchi-suspects because those foods are not allowed ; ).

-Then there's Tony here with me all the time, keeping me company, making his silly deaf-dog groinks and grunts and whines, being a clown, being a snurrggler and in general, brightening my life like no other creature I've ever known.  Tony is home.  And he's such an incredibly well-behaved pooch, so obedient, sensitive and again, I can't laud on him enough, evidently.

Today, Pascal returned from leaving for work about a half hour later due to the trains being shut down for the day because of the weather, so it's a "snow day", in Paris and now we can spend it together.

He'll be coming with me and T to the lab to retrieve the blood test results.

<-- Here's P & T later on enroute.  I was very glad to have brought my umbrella to use as a shield as the winds were decidedly against us on the way there.

So yes, "Cabin Fever", and lots more of of it before the ole immune system bounces back some.  Looking forward to Spring and seeing some old friends again in the fresh air.

In the mean time, I remain the cloistered Juan, save for chemo & doctors apps, the odd, quick trip to the grocers, or pharmacy and of course, my treasured dog walks out in the fresh air with T.

For all of you out there living life as normal, sitting in cafes chatting with friends, going out to dinner with your better halves, laughing over drinks 'n snacks in your homes or whatever, enjoy it a lil extra for me please, as wow, it's amazing what you miss when it's gone.

+++vibes,

: J

Sunday, March 10, 2013

How it Started & More

Greetings, Readers,
(Traduction française en bas de la page.)

It occurred to me today after hearing P talking to a friend on the phone, that there are still some folks in my life who don't yet know exactly what happened to me back on January 10th, nor apparently, what's gone on up until now.

This post is just to document all of what's lead up to today and my now being a few months into the heavy treatment which will hopefully, by the end of 6 months, start to put this disease in remission.

On January 10th, I was visiting my new GP after being basically dismissed by my regular one not 48 hours prior with a few prescriptions and maybe 5 minutes total in his "care".

The new GP sent me to Emergency immediately after finding my blood pressure to be 225/100.

I stayed the night in Emergency where they discovered I was in acute renal failure and the next morning I was ambulance'd over to one of Paris' top Nephrology hospitals where, over the next two weeks, I was slowly brought back to quasi-normal while a barrage of tests were done.

These tests and scans also included a kidney biopsy and eventually, it was confirmed that the reason my kidneys are now in Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease, (out of 5, that being transplant territory), is because they were attacked by a rare and serious autoimmune condition I have, called Microscopic Polyangiitis, aka MPA, (a rare and deadly form of Vasculitis, which is an inflammation of the body's tiny blood vessels).

Over the years, this condition affected not only my kidneys, but one of my ocular sockets, (swelled up like a marsh mellow for a year and after many scans, tests and many visits to Paris' Rothchild Center, nothing was diagnosed),  sinuses, one ear, many of my joints, causing incredible pain and deterioration in the back, knees, neck and other joints.  Then there were the crippling, unbelievable migraines that happened often and with darned near every full moon.

These migraines were part of the reason for my visiting the new doctor as they had been steadily increasing in both severity and frequency in the time leading up to the night in the ER.

The Stage 4 CKD has caused chronic high blood pressure which requires life-long medications; I'm currently taking 3 different types for that daily.

The MPA treatment I'm right now in the middle of is a mix of as noted, low-dose chemotherapy, (which happens as an out-patient every 3 weeks via I/V in the hospital), daily high-dose prednisone, (which I'm now weaned down from 60mgs/day to 40), and 9 other daily meds--some of which will, I believe, only be taken until the chemo and high-dose Prednisone is a wrap.

I have of course, since returning home from the hospital changed just about everything about my lifestyle, starting with diet.  This first includes eating to offset the effects of high-dose prednisone, (which among many other conditions, such as glaucoma, can easily cause diabetes and also messes greatly with sodium levels in the body), so to keep those side-effects at bay, I eat zero sugar and very low-sodium.

Then there is the Renal Diet I follow which limits greatly many foods with high phosphorus or potassium content.  Sadly, this eliminates most nuts and seeds, legumes, soy products, whole grains, milk products plus a host of different vegetables and fruits and so many other old fav's I once enjoyed. 

I must also control the amount of protein ingestion per day keeping it to less than .6 grams per kilo of body weight max.  This protein is best consumed in the form of fish, as the diet also limits saturated fats, and thusly meat-based protein, (though I do still have organic eggs once or twice a week).  Saturated fats from vegetables even is also to be minimized, making things like coconut and it's products for example, also off the grocery list and dammit.

I basically eat vegetarian now, raw as often as possible and no alcohol either, (but that's on the to-do list, just not until the chemo is over and my immune system has bounced back some, likely in the summer.)

So there it is, just the facts, ma'am, for anyone out there still unclear on my current medical situation and treatment.

Back to it...

+++vibes,

J


& Juan mo' time, (merci, Pascal!), en francais:

Il m'est apparu aujourd'hui, après avoir entendu Pascal parler à un ami au téléphone, qu'il existe encore certaines personnes qui ne savent pas exactement ce qui m'est arrivé depuis le 10/01 dernier...

Ce blog est là juste pour documenter ce qui me met aujourd'hui à mi-chemin d'un traitement lourd qu'on m'a prescrit et qui, nous l'espérons, commencera à mettre ma maladie en rémission
à l'issue des 6 prochains mois.

En résumé, donc:
Je rendais visite à mon nouveau généraliste le 10/1, le précédent m'ayant promptement expédiée, deux jours avant,
après un total de cinq minutes dans son cabinet et une ordonnance pour de la pommade et du paracétamol.

Ce nouveau médecin, (elle), m'a immédiatement envoyé aux urgences, après avoir pris ma tension artérielle...
qui était à 225/100.


C'est donc aux urgences que j'ai passé la nuit, où ils ont découvert que j'étais en phase aiguë d'insuffisance rénale. Le lendemain matin, j'ai été "ambulancée" sur l'un des hôpitaux de Paris spécialisés en néphrologie.

C'est là, au cours des deux semaines suivantes, que j'ai
été lentement ramenée à la quasi-normale, tandis qu'une série d'examens étaient faits.


Ces tests et analyses, incluant également une biopsie des reins, ont confirmé que la raison pour laquelle mes reins étaient/ sont maintenant en stade 4 d'insuffisance rénale chronique (sur 5, où l'on nécessite dialyse et/ou greffe), est qu'ils sont attaqués par une maladie auto-immune rare et sérieuse appelée Poly-Angéite Microscopique, alias PAM (une inflammation des petits vaisseaux sanguins).


Au fil des ans, cette maladie a affecté non seulement attaqué mes reins, mais aussi mes articulations, provoquant des douleurs aiguës dans le dos, les genoux, la nuque, les coudes et finalement, la tête sous la forme de migraines invalidantes.

Ces migraines étaient en partie la raison de ma visite à ce nouveau généraliste,
comme elles étaient en constante augmentation, en gravité et en fréquence pendant la période qui a précédé l'insuffisance rénale.

Le stade 4 provoque de l'hypertension artérielle chronique, qui à son tour nécessite
des médicaments, à vie. J'en prends actuellement de 3 types différents, quotidiennement.

Le traitement pour la "PAM" que je suis en ce moment est un mélange
de faibles doses de chimiothérapie (toutes les 3 semaines, via perfusion à l'hôpital), de fortes doses de Prednisone (dont je suis maintenant descendue de 60mgs par jour à 40), quotidiennement, et de 9 autres médicaments quotidiens - dont certains qui, je crois, ne seront pris que jusqu'à ce que la chimio et la Prednisone à forte dose soient terminés.

J'ai bien sûr, depuis mon retour à la maison changé
tout ce qui concerne mon style de vie, à commencer par l'alimentation. Celle-ci comprend des repas pour compenser les effets des fortes doses de Prednisone (qui peut facilement causer le diabète, et d'autres dégâts car il change le niveau de sodium dans l'organisme),
je mange donc sans sucre et presque sans sodium pour garder ces effets secondaires à distance.

Ensuite, il y a le "régime rénal" que je suis, qui limite grandement les aliments
avec du phosphore ou du potassium.
Ce qui élimine malheureusement la plupart des noix, graines, féculents, produits à base de soja, produits laitiers ainsi qu'une série de différents légumes et fruits, et tant d'autres de mes favoris de naguère.

Je dois également contrôler ma quantité de
protéines quotidienne (moins de 0,8 grammes max/ kg de poids corporel). Il est préférable que ces protéines proviennent de poisson, car ce régime limite également les graisses saturées, et donc les protéines issues de la viande (j'ai quand même droit à qq œufs bio par semaine). Les graisses saturées végétales sont également à réduire au minimum, le lait de coco par exemple est à supprimer de la liste de courses.

Essentiellement, je mange donc végétarien, cru aussi souvent que possible, et naturellement sans
alcool (qui est quand même sur ma liste des choses "à refaire absolument", mais seulement quand la chimio sera terminée et que mon système immunitaire aura "rebondi", probablement on espère cet été.)

Alors voilà, juste les faits, messieurs-dames, pour ceux qui ne seraient pas au courant de
ma situation médicale et de mon traitement actuels.

On y retourne...


+++vibes,

Juanita