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Comment by Joan Denoo on August 20, 2014 at 9:29am

Carl, this dreadful news must have hit you hard, even though your body was probably sending you messages for some time. I am so grateful the doctor caught it before a heart attack or some other dastardly event. You are a smart fellow and know how to research and ask questions and seek information so that you can take as complete control as possible. 

The trick now is to feel that you are not a victim, but a warrior taking on a challenge of a lifetime. Each day, each moment, you have things to do to help correct the malfunction of your kidneys. It is very easy to fall into a depression, I did, and get help with that immediately. Don't think it will go away with positive self-talk. Depression is far more insidious than that. 

I/we am/are with you, dear friend, able and willing to read whatever you feel like pumping into the computer. We are survivors. More importantly, we are the thrivers of the world. We flourish in the face of illness, disaster, misfortune. Life is more than our illness. 

It is a good idea to get help with panic attacks. It usually takes only short term care to get over them, but it does require a skilled practitioner. 

Comment by Plinius on August 20, 2014 at 3:20am

That's horrible news, Carl! I hope you feel better already now your treatment started!

I hope your check up brings good news, Mindy!

And thanks for the info, Joan! Your country has got a recipe for disaster, and I hate to think that our government wants to copy that recipe.

My pc is away for repair - I forgot to copy favorites and e-mail adresses, so I hope it will be back soon.

And I surely have the most nervous black cat in the world; last Sunday there was a big fire some  7 kilometres away, but the smell of it was in our house when we came home. Dido had been worrying and he couldn't pee once more. Luckily I had the medicins for it! 

Comment by sk8eycat on August 20, 2014 at 12:48am

Oh.  I thought you said (some time ago) that you had once flown into BUR, and had to take a shuttle (or something) to OC or LAX.

In any case, get well, wave as you fly over....OK?

Comment by The Flying Atheist on August 20, 2014 at 12:10am

Joan, for quite a long time I've been experiencing muscle weakness, especially in my knees and legs.  Over the past two years I have fallen or tripped easily.  I just found out this is due to a particular enzyme not being flushed out of the body by the kidneys.  I've also had bouts of panic attacks and racing heart beat and hypertension.  I've also had no energy and was very lethargic.   

A couple of weeks ago I was ordered to the emergency room by my doctor after some lab results came back.  I was having kidney failure.  I also had an extremely high potassium level which was giving me an erratic heart beat.  I was on the verge of having a heart attack as a result of the kidneys not getting rid of excess potassium.  Lucky this was all caught in time before any of this became fatal.  I was pretty close at that point. 

My condition was stabilized in the hospital. Now that I'm home I am recuperating, but it will take some time.  I'm still feeling very weak.  Side-effects from my drugs includ horrible insomnia, shortness of breath, terrible swelling in my legs and feet and a general feeling of lethargy and lack of concentration.  I also have an insatiable thirst which causes me to drink a lot which then causes me to urinate frequently. 

As of today I'm at the half-way point of two months away from work.  Hopefully during the next month I will continue to progress nicely as the medication side-effects start to diminish.

You are correct, Joan, this condition is mainly controlled by eating a low-sodium diet and keeping my blood pressure down   

Sk8eycat, hopefully one day soon I'll be back flying over your house.  However I've never flown into Burbank.  We only fly into LAX and Orange County out of Chicago O'Hare.  Believe me, If I flew into Burbank, I'd pick you up and take you to lunch. 

Comment by sk8eycat on August 19, 2014 at 10:30pm

Carl, Ohhhhh, no!  Will you be able to go back to work eventually....when they get the meds and disease under control?  I'm selfish; I hate the thought of you not flying into BUR anymore.....

Comment by Joan Denoo on August 19, 2014 at 9:59pm

Mindy, these sound like dreadful conditions. Yes, I would worry about the reflux potentially causing changes to the cells in your esophagus. Good to have it checked, again, and again, if necessary. 

Have you found any strategies that seem to help? Eat small bites, for example, or chew your food thoroughly, drink lots of water, are the first things that come to mind. 

Your Rx, Nortryptylene, lists a lot of unpleasant side effects. Oh Goodness! My disease was easy compared to yours. I surely hope you get it under control. 

Comment by Joan Denoo on August 19, 2014 at 9:29pm

Randy, what a lovely phone call to receive. A five year old boy is pure joy, inquisitive, likes to mimic grandpa, experiments with thoughts and things. You are enjoying him at a perfect age!. Another couple of years and they go into that know it all phase. Enjoy this period of development while you can. 

Comment by Joan Denoo on August 19, 2014 at 9:23pm

Chris, we are in one heck of a mess in this country. The Poor, down and out people, unemployed or underemployed, begin to feel the pinch of fewer social services, fewer accesses to resources for education, and apprenticeships for employment. There is a rabble rousing influence who take to the streets now that it is legal for open carry of guns. They prance around as if the world owes them a living and they are going to shoot first. 

Set that against the new militarization of the law enforcement, with heavy weapons, army like training to control the "enemy" and the "stand your ground" laws that grants immunity from prosecution if a person feels threatened and shoots a person perceived to be a threat. 

We are going to see some ugly shootings with all these guns floating into hands of disgruntled people. 

5 Disturbing Facts About The State Of Stand Your Ground On The Seco...

"The Stand Your Ground law has now been infused into the self-defense jurisprudence in Florida and elsewhere, and comes into play in countless trials. But those who avail themselves of the law’s most expansive protection may be granted immunity by a judge before trial even begins, or may not even be charged at all." 

Comment by Joan Denoo on August 19, 2014 at 9:11pm

Mindy, my thoughts will be with you as you go for your upper endoscopy. Remember that worry is a useless feeling unless you have something to worry about. Thankfully, you are following up on a symptom that continues to plague you. Once you have some answers, you cant get down to the miserable work of doing what you have to do to take care of it. As I remember, you didn't get a definitive answer last time you had tests. I do hope you get a solid diagnosis and treatment plan. I will be waiting with you those three weeks until diagnosis. 

Had to look up Nissen Fundoplication; Oh gracious, how many ways can a body go haywire? One article stated after the procedure to not eat solid foods for a while. Do you have a good broth recipe? If not, I have a wonderfully healthy one, either chicken or vegetable. I make it all the time and freeze quarts of it to use throughout the week, usually in sauces or for cooking potatoes or rice. But it is a wonderful healer for any kind of recovery. Let me know if you want the recipe.  

I have very little experience with reflux, so can't really know what you are experiencing. Whatever it is, I hope all goes well and you have a full restoration of comfort and health.

Please give your husband a greeting from me for his 48th birthday! 

Comment by Joan Denoo on August 19, 2014 at 8:56pm

Carl, terrible news about your stage three chronic kidney disease. May I ask, what were the presenting symptoms? I'm so sorry your medications have "terrible side effects"! 

Will your work restrictions last for long? 

Chronic Kidney Disease

According to the articles I read, diet plays an important part in treatment, much as diabetes. 

If you are anything like I am, I go on the hunt for information as soon as I learn there is a problem. These two sites are only two of the many Googled items. Of course, remember to be a discerning reader, there is a lot of poppycock on internet sites. 

National Kidney Foundation 

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