Updates

Two weeks ago, we thought my dad's days were numbered. After a three-day bout of vomiting, he had been refusing food and meds and his mental faculties were very impaired. Out of nowhere, on the fourth day, he asked for food and started climbing out of the hole. I still have a hard time believing what followed -- three days of absolute lucidity, normal eating (and med-taking), longer periods of alertness and even a few short sessions on the exercise bike.

I spent those days in a constant state of "holy shit."

He has back-slid a little; the gastro-intenstinal upsets keep coming and going, and he's not eating anything like normal quantities. But the lucidity has stayed and it's possible that he could regain some quality of life for some period of time.

Mind. Blown.

***

So in the midst of this, I had my bi-monthly blood draw and my kidney function has slipped to 18%. Yesterday, I got some mail:

"Dear Ms. Fischer:

We are pleased to inform you that your name has been placed on the UNOS kidney transplant waiting list on January 21...."

It's going to be a fun year.