Happy Thanksgiving! I’ve been so busy thinking about the boys’ activities and my health that I didn’t realize we were already approaching Thanksgiving week!
I’ve been busy wrapping up a project at church, coordinating the photo sessions for our new photo directory. We’re all looking forward to it coming out (and finally learning everyone’s name!) I loved working with the team from Lim Design and Photography so much I wanted to follow them to their next job. Thanks, Karen, Carmen, Melvin, Uche, Dave, and Hilary! You made us all look good.
On Monday this week I joined Bladium Sports & Fitness Club in Alameda. I hadn’t attended a kickboxing class in over 8 months, and my body knows it. My muscles are weak. My arms feel heavy when I lift them. On days I have time to curl my hair, I find a wall to prop up my elbows because my arms become like lead. In Yoga yesterday, I couldn’t even hold my downward dog pose without my arms or legs shaking a bit. It’s good I found a gym I actually enjoy going to. Little by little, right? I have to get strong for surgery.
Speaking of which, I don’t have any surgery planned yet, but I found out this week there are potential donors who are testing for me! I still don’t know who they are. All I know is that they are still in the preliminary stages so keep praying! The donors in the past haven’t been able to complete the evaluation process for various reasons. UCSF does a good job of protecting the donor. If there is any potential risk to the donor, they do not approve him/her for transplant surgery.
Lately I’ve been on the phone a lot, working out insurance and other fun stuff. It’s open enrollment time at Marty’s workplace. This week my financial counselors at UCSF and UC Davis confirmed my new insurance will continue to cover all tests and treatment for my potential donors and for me. Thank goodness for our fabulous health plan. Dialysis alone costs $1,000 a day.
By the way, if you can recommend a good doctor at Kaiser in Oakland, please leave me a comment below. We will need a new primary care doc, pediatrician, gynecologist and dermatologist.
In the meantime I’ve got a great team at UCSF and Wellbound, my dialysis center.
In the next few posts I’ll give you a glimpse of my life with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
Hello Kidney! 