News as at 5 August 2009

Hi All

Thought it would be a good time for a quick update of health developments. As you may know, I have been into the hospital the last three mornings to sit on a drip for an hour. It was basically a 'Red Bull' of steroids treatment and was more of an elimination process than a real hope of improving anything. They just wanted to rule out a simple rejection as the cause of these current problems, and this treatment would then have reversed the recent high (bad) numbers. However, as expected, there has been no significant improvement and they can now say with certainty that I am in end-stage renal failure as a result of IGA re-occurrence.

I now have an appointment with a surgeon on Friday, which will I think, will just be a consult on preparation for CAPD dialysis catheter insertion. I will most likely be admitted to hospital on Monday, knocked out for op on Tuesday, where they fit the abdominal catheter, then hopefully out on Wednesday. They then leave me alone, thankfully and hopefully for a week or so for things to settle and see no probs. Then they will initiate the CAPD training process...not too sure what the regime or time demand is there but as CAPD is done by the patient, we need to be fully trained on the ins and outs. While neither heamo-dialysis nor CAPD are very welcome intrusions in ones life, we are led to belive that CAPD is definately the lesser of the two evils in terms of health, diet, flexibility, independence, medicines and general well being. It does come with daily baggage though and I will need to do four fluid changes a day.

Lee will most likely come to the surgeons meet on Friday, as we intend to see the transplant coordinator as well. We want to be pro-active about this and not sit and wait for the process to run its lethargic course. We will ask her all our transplant questions, whats new, whats changed etc. and what should we be doing in preparation. We are also working on a blog site where I will update my progress, furnish information about renal issues and keep everyone updated.

I must add at this point, which may come as a surprise to some of you, but I have found a new and overwhelming faith in God, actually before all this started. I never had this relationship the first time around, nor did I have the support and prayers of a church congregation, nor those of a home-cell group. I have all that this time around and I tell you it counts for a lot - not in a funny way - just by feeling supported and cared for. Even though I still have to weather the storm ahead, one cannot deny the possible divine intervention of the position I have been put in to better handle it.

Anyway, that's the update for now. Will keep you in touch as things progress.
Love,T.