Tuesday, December 22, 2015

FIN!!!

Good (and I mean REALLY GOOD!), Morning, All!

Writing today some faaaabulous news after having my first appointment with my new nephrologist yesterday.  (The one who saved my life, nearly three years ago already and wow, moved to the Alps a couple months ago).

Not only did the new neph and I hit it off, I got some FANTASTIC news!  (After asking her about it--word to the chronically ill and wise to always ask.)

Yes, folks at home, after nearly three years of having to choke back this thick, yellow paint-like liquid twice a day, right smack dab in the middle of meals, I learned yesterday that I can FINALLY STOP!

FIIIIIIIIIINALLY!!!!!

The stuff is called atovaquone and it's an antiprotozoal agent, (given to patients on immune suppression who are allergic to Bactrim, an antibiotic).

AND THIS VERY MORNING, I ENJOYED MY FIRST BREAKY IN SO VERY LONG WITHOUT THE HORRID STUFF!!!

It. Was. Glorious.

In less fab news, the reason I saw my new neph ahead of schedule yesterday is due to some ongoing stomach, esophagus, liver-area and right flank issues that have not resolved since the renal colic in October/November.   Pain I have felt all too well before too.

Hoping that a few weeks off of this fluorescent goop will result in a marked decrease in the belly/gut/liver problems, cause really, THREE YEARS of this stuff?  It's just GOTTA be the problem, it's GOTTA BE.

In any case, soon, I'll have more blood tests and scans done to rule out stones of any kind.

And for anyone out there keeping count, this new deletion brings my daily med count down to only TWO per DAY!!!

TWO!!!

The prednisone and the BP meds and that's IT!  (Not counting vitamins or pain managment meds.)

And soon, (in January), I will be totally off the prednisone too!

To think, back when this all started I was taking 10 different meds a day, (plus chemo and other infusions), and now, a blessed, measly  TWO!

Hoping hard to soon be blogging about no more abdominal probs at all.

TALK ABOUT AN AWESOME CHRISTMAS PREZZY, and on the Solstice, no less.

So voila, I had to share, especially with those out there feeling like they might never get off the  damned med-train.

 ++++bon Holiday vibes,

: J

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Some Handy, Healing Hacks

Hello again, Good Readers,

This here is yet another post I've been wanting to write for a while, regarding some tres useful "life hacks", good not only for  people living with CKD or chronic illness, but for all folk, so here goes.

1. Keep a spray bottle of white vinegar in the kitchen.  It's great not only for Green veg, fruit and surface cleaning, but it's a formidable first aid for minor burns.  I have used it countless times after say, accidentally connecting my forearm to the upper element of a hot oven or (perhaaaaaps ; ), micro-managing failing flames in the fireplace.

Hitting a minor burn asap with white vinegar and keeping it there, (sprayed onto a tissue) for 10-20 minutes, can mean the difference between a painful, blistered burn and NOT HAVING ONE AT ALL.  In my experience.
High-fives again to ole JD who introduced me to this years ago.

2. Using antiseptic spray or hand sanitizer in place of deoderant.  I haven't used antiperspirant since being diagnosed with kidney damage and only wish I'd passed on it for all those years preceding.
 
Not only is it efficient at killing the bacteria which feed on the proteins produced when people with yellow, wet earwax perspire, (it is the waste products of the bacteria that actually smells), but it works for a good 24 hours too, in my experience.

3. This one's for dog owners, and specifically, the ones who own the floppy-eared types prone to ear infections.

Again, it's a vinegar hack.  Mix 2 to 1 white vinegar and water, soak a tissue with it and massage into the ears weekly to keep those gross yeasty beasties at bay.

This works even on our Tony here, who has been on prednisone for most of his life.

Et voilahhhh.

A lil Happy Holiday gift from me to vous.

Wishing you all a heart-warmed, safe and memorable one this year.

+++vibes,

J