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Sunday, January 30, 2011

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.

6 comments:

ccr in MA said...

Wow. Some roller coaster life can be. Fingers firmly crossed for you.

Oonie said...

Do you need us to get tested for donating? Send details by email if that would help.

Sue said...

oh Ruth.

good and bad

best to you and yours

i will be in touch

Lora said...

gosh. I don't even know what to say.

I'm sorry for all the bad stuff, and happy for all the good.

Love to you.

Crystal said...

I just stumbled upon your blog...somehow. My best wishes to you for your road ahead.

The post-transplant world is definitely its own beast, but the joys are unspeakable too. (My daughter--a nearly four year liver transplant survivor--shows me every day)

Take good care!

Christine said...

What a ride.

Stinks that your kidney function dropped again, but good for the waiting list. That's a crazy road to travel, and post-transplant itself involves a LOT of dr. visits and repeated bloodwork and sheesh the pills. I'm in awe at what my MIL still has to do. But she's made it, she's making it, and will make it for years to come.

Still thinking of you. Good vibes for you and your dad and the rest of the family.

And an apology for not responding to your email. I hardly check that account anymore as earlier last year I started moving everything over to a new one because Hotmail sucks, as does spam and viruses/hackers using your email to send more spam in your name. Things in my neck of the woods have been crazy since April, starting with colicky baby, a baby who still wouldn't sleep, and whaddyaknow -- a baby who still sucks at naps. So tired and crazy and straight up fog-brained needless to say. One day I might get back into blogging.