Symptomatic

This has been the first real rough week in the history of my kidney disease. I've been noticing more and more a general feeling of not being well, but most of it has been kinda like that third or fourth day after you've been sick.. and you're feeling mostly well, but still feel worn out at the end of the day... but you carry on anyway.

Three of the last four nights have come with headaches, two with vomiting, one with a few hours in the hospital. I'm more tired and need to sleep longer. I've been late to work a couple times this week. At my doctor's appointment yesterday my nephrologist said she's willing to work with me for as long as she can on keeping me off of dialysis, but if it were up to her she would put me on dialysis today. officially my kidneys are now at 8% functionality.

We did a simple little test of holding my hands out in front of me with my palms facing out and we watched my fingers twitch. Apparently this is a sign of my nerves tweaking over the uremia (an illness that accompanies kidney disease). Anemia is another problem that comes from kidney disease and that has been robbing my muscles of oxygen for probably more than two years. Those who know me on FB might recall an incident while out bike riding and geocaching where I just had to stop and lay down and rest... I believe that to be the first real anemic episode related to my kidney disease. I also did a hike in February of 2012 up Mt. Chocorua and can recall as we approached the lean to where we were spending the night that I had an overwhelming desire to quit because my legs just couldn't go on. I think it took me 20 minutes to make it that last 500 feet.

But over the last four years of having kidney disease I never really felt any significant symptoms until this week. I'm not sure how I will proceed over the next two weeks... but I'm thinking my goal of not going on dialysis prior to my transplant may be a goal I no longer can afford to maintain. One unusual benefit of being symptomatic... once asleep, I tend to have better sleep than I have over the last four years... unfortunately this is due to a lack of getting up to urinate... yet another symptom of late stage kidney disease... reduced urination. oh boy... I gotta make a decision here.

My name is Bil... and I have kidney disease.