Most of the time when I write here, I’m writing to the wider blog reading audience. For this post, I’m writing mostly to myself, as a kind of journal entry. Yesterday and today I had some health news and I wanted to jot down a few thoughts while it is fresh in my mind.
I have two health issues….
Kidneys
My kidneys have suffered damage from urine backing up from my bladder over an extended period of time. The problem started to unfold in Spring 2017 when my Doctor did some tests in trying to find out why I had hypertension (raised blood pressure). He couldn’t figure out why I had hypertension as my lifestyle is so healthy and everything was in order apart from my kidney function (creatinine) readings which were getting higher and higher though 2017. Luckily for me I’d had annual health checks over the years which included creatinine and this had always been very low, indicating my kidneys were working well. He said my vegetarian diet was good for my kidneys!
Eventually (in December 2017) my Doctor referred me to the hospital for a non-urgent appointment in April 2018. You can read all about that through some of my earlier posts starting here.
Since my release from hospital I have been monitored by the Renal Unit in the hospital. Before each appointment with the consultant, I have some blood samples taken which are reviewed. I was hoping my appointment yesterday was going to show some further progress in terms of my kidneys recovering from their ordeal, although I had been told beforehand that my kidneys will never fully recover.
Now to the actual appointment. The waiting room was almost full with many ill-looking patients, mostly for the diabetic clinic happening at the same time. After checking in, everyone is weighed with blood pressure and temperature measurements being taken. We waited almost an hour before a harassed-looking nurse announced to everyone the renal clinic was running 60 minutes late. Grrrrrr.
Eventually I was called by a consultant who I hadn’t seen before. A short, stocky middle aged bearded Doctor with a stethoscope hanging around his neck. He introduced himself, shook my hand and took us to his tiny office and found a chair for Rachel and myself from the corridor. He started by saying my case was infamous having been referred by my Doctor for entirely the wrong reason. If you remember, my Doctor had referred me because of the creatinine readings and hadn’t considered urine retention or even bothered to examine me. I got the feeling he was not impressed by my Doctor.
The middle aged bearded Doctor started by asking how I was, whether I have had my prostate operation etc. Then he went into some details including my all-important creatinine reading is currently 180. Three months ago it was 183 so it has hardly changed. Back then his colleague said he was hoping the creatinine would settle down at around 160 but after four months my kidneys are unlikely to improve further.
I was starting to warm to him. He was going from simply being a machine-like Doctor to a human with a certain warmth and willing to have a conversation. There didn’t seem to be any hurry and so I asked what the exact diagnosis was and what the prognosis was.
The bad news – I have is kidney damage and the performance of my kidneys are less than 50%. This is equivalent to stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease. Another measure is the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) which is 33 (normal range is 90-120). The border with stage 4 CKD is 30, so I’m not far off that. Stage 4 is apparently where problems start to emerge.
The good news – providing my kidneys don’t suffer another “hit” I should be okay in the long term. Having said that he confirmed I am now in the system for life with regular watchful monitoring. They want to see me again in another three months but I can get in touch with him at any time. I don’t have a disease which is causing kidney problems and getting worse. My kidneys are simply damaged, so they will hopefully hold up well.
I asked what I can do to help myself and I explained I am always a hopeful person, always looking for the best in situations. He talked about the over-riding need to stay out of hospital as much as I can and to stay healthy. In fact if I can maintain my current good health, I should be okay. The main points, which he wrote down (see the scrawly photo) are:
- Maintain a normal blood pressure. This is slightly “chicken and egg” as my damaged kidneys will cause raised blood pressure on their own. However, keep active, be fit and avoid salt.
- Don’t get fat. I’m a good weight right now with a healthy BMI of 22.5
- Don’t get diabetes. Getting diabetes is a way of my under performing kidneys causing other problems and then the start of the slippery slope downwards. As he said that, his eyes glanced in the direction of the waiting room and the mass of diabetic patients.
- Avoid NSAIDS. Apparently that is Non Steroid Anti Inflammatory Drugs such as Ibuprofen and these are bad news for dodgy kidneys. I have no need of them anyway, so that’s not a problem.
I said that I am looking forward to running again once I’ve got rid of my catheter (I have had problems with it which don’t fit with being sporty). He encouraged me to do what I can, including marathon running. He actually said one of his other patients who is at stage 5 (end stage, produces no urine) has run the London Marathon this year. So go for it if I can!
So all in all, that’s not too bad.
Prostate
A shorter update here. I have been waiting for my Holep operation for four months now. I’m almost at the stage where I could exercise my legal right to have the operation at the 18 week stage. However, following some recent scans, some further investigations are required before the operation. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Overall
What a summer this has been! Even though the kidney and prostate issues bother me, I feel so blessed and thankful for what I have.
Everyday I am thankful I have been able to step back from work (the benefits of FIRE) and it is only now that I am realising how much pressure and stress I was under. It seems I was working at the very edge of my limit for so long and that was starting to drag me down. So the timing of FIRE has been amazing.
This summer is another reminder of valuing each day of our lives, to make each day count for something. I regret the thousands of days which have gone by and I can’t remember them through being on the work treadmill.
All this simply makes me think of the future and how to make it matter even more. Feeling wistful now….