Almost a month since I have written in my blog and not much has changed other than I know I have less energy and seem to be weaker and weaker. Still able to do much that I want to but have to rest more often. That is hard to do and makes me unhappy with myself but I have no other choice.
The last time I was checked my platelets were lower than they had ever been (8,000) but my hemoglobin had not dropped below 8.2. That is low but mine has been much lower. Transfusions got me through Christmas and New Year’s and had great holidays. Will go back Monday to be checked again and am sure there will be a need for transfusions but will not be able to have them until Wednesday because Tuesday is full of meetings and other things.

If you are not familiar with dialysis, I will try to describe about it in some of the postings. It is very hard on the body especially the heart because it makes a great deal of demands on the heart each session. My blood pressure will fluctuate dramatically. It has gone from 210/97 at the highest to 57//34 at the lowest and those are dangerous extremes and shows why it is so hard on the heart. I also have painful muscle spasms during dialysis but they have begun to last after the treatments. They are uncontrollable and if they did not hurt so badly, it might be funny to see the toes and feet draw and turn under in ways that I cannot do on my own. It is like they have a mind of their own. Then the leg spasms are like “Charley-horses” and have become so bad that the only way to get them to stop is to stand and rub the muscles. When they become so bad at dialysis, they will turn off the machine for a period of time and give me saline until I can again go back on the machine and finish the treatment.

Best wishes to each of you for a wonderful 2006!