FrankTalk.org

In the last 4 months, I've gone from around. 45-50% kidney function (GFR) to the mid 20s.
That puts me in stage 4 kidney disease and at 15%, it's pretty much curtains.
That would mean dialysis or transplant.
Good luck getting a transplant.

I'd just like to hear from others who might be in the same boat.
I have severely modified my diet and have even lost 9 or 10 pounds.
I'm now down to 148 and am 5'9" tall.

I guess best case would be to sneak up to stage 3 which is around 31% kidney function.
I at least would like to not fall any further.

So sorry to hear this. It's good that you're taking care of yourself.
Prayers that you can recover some function. God Bless.

Oh Tomas,
I'm very sorry to hear of your problem. Can you get into dialysis right away?

I consider dialysis a last resort. I wonder if it comes to that, I will just let nature take its course. I'm really hoping to creep back to stage 3 or worst case, keeping it where it's at.

hold on tomas, drink water until you burst, water, herbal teas, chamomiles, anything that contains water

Dear Tomas:

We haven’t talked in here a great deal. When we have, it’s been my experience that we agree on most stuff and both seem to be common sense, well-grounded men.

I hate like hell to hear about your ailment. I sincerely hope you get better, and soon. Despite my parochialism and staunch allegiance to the USA, I think the greatest man of 20th century was Churchill. I’d like to share an excerpt of one of his speeches, and will accompany his words with good thoughts and prayers for you to recover.

[quote] You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist, certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination.

But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period—I am addressing myself to the School—surely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force: never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago and to many countries it seemed our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of our country, were gone and finished and liquidated.[/quore]

tx, thanks for the kind words. I really don't have any answers to why this occurred so suddenly.
I have stopped drinking beer even though I had already cut down to 3 light beers a day.

I am drinking more water than at any time I can remember and feel like I'm getting a bit stronger.

I'll probably see a dietitian next week, but I really don't feel I have to give up everything.
I think (and hope) moderation will work, but I have completely given up salt (which I love), and have lost 11 pounds to 147 since the holidays, and my BP is better than it has been in years. Yesterday it was 139/67. Day before, 130/72.

We just walked 2 miles and I held up fine.

On a side note, when I was in the army, I was stationed in DC the last year and a quarter.
They asked if anyone wanted to see Ike and the president of Ireland at the airport (I worked right across the highway from the airport. Several of us walked over and provided a captive audience. It must have been St Pat's day.

On our walk back, the motorcade came along and was going to pass right in front of us.
I suggested that we salute Ike, and we did when we saw him. He didn't return our salute which he never did when not in uniform. He did give us his famous smile and I'll never forget that. It sickens me to see presidents saluting when they get on the helicopter. I guess that's just a quirk of mine.

Sorry for straying, but your mentioning Churchill brought it to mind.

Tomas: Just saw a drug commercial on TV for "Farxiga," supposed to be for pre-dialysis patients. Don't know anything about it or kidney problems, but I guess your doc knows whether it would be of any use.

(Interesting recollection of Ike.)

I've seen the Farxiga commercials also.
I guess I'll see what my doc thinks about it.
I also believe it costs about $16 a dose, but if it would keep me from dialysis, it would be worth it.

tomas, sorry to hear what's going on. Life is always handing us crap we don't want to deal with, but it's better than the other option. All we can do is deal with it, fight it or let it take us. I hope your changes help prolong any further steps.
I was just diagnosed with bladder cancer and starting a new fight myself.