Thursday, April 23, 4pm

Havent posted much...  lately
just mentally and physically preparing for next step.....
His kidneys are rebounding, so dialysis is a few months off (hopefully)

But he will be having to adhere to a strict renal diet to keep his kidneys happy, so today
I have been clearing the house of foods he cant eat, so as not to tempt him.... he has way more will power than I do, so that is good...

Went to the grocery store today to get some of the foods he can have, That is after many hours of researching renal diets, heart diets, Warfarin diet, and still diabetic...
Phew, that leaves water.... but there are some positives.... my homemade pasta is a yes....
he can have almond milk, rice milk, but NO cow milk, NO sodas, No potatoes, no tomatoes...  NO CHEERIOS, they are high in phosphates...
If a food says ...PHOS....  then it is not good...  was reading the back od every label I picked up....

Anyway, his creatinine is dropping, they have restarted his warfarin (blood thinner) just need it to get to his range....

He will be returning to the hospital in May for the dialysis fistula graft...  he has to do inpatient since he is on warfarin, otherwise it would be outpatient
the temporary port can only stay in 2 months so they do not want to put it in until he has to have it,
And there is greater chance of infection....   the fistula will have to heal several months before it is useable..

Thanks friends for reading and caring...

Tuesday 10 am April 21, 2020

Ok.  I just talked to Larry and his Dr and APRN,
his creatinine is dropping slowly... going to let him come home after he gets back on warfarin....
dont have this mornings numbers....
they do want him to get a fistula after the elective surgery ban lifts....
Dr Raj knows our pcp....  Dr Thomas
Larry can go to Quest after release on for labs...  telemedicine visit after that
Dr Raj wants him on a strict low potassium diet

Putting sink in today, so yes it is safe for him to come home....  lol

INR 1.4 yesterday, dont know todays....

BREATHE is what I tell myself...

Tuesday 7pm, April 21

Back on warfarin....  amazingly there has been no heart problems....  one day at a time...

He almost had an emotional meltdown this afternoon...  kidney doctor had been in, WE talked, then a couple of hours later, another doctor from surgery came in saying he HAD to get the fistula surgery this week..... He lost it with her, because he had just been told by kidney doctor that they would wait.

Anyway, his lvad coordinator walked in at the end, she got upset thinking he was refusing treatment, called me...  so I called him, got him calmed down, called her back...  then his cardiologist’s partner came over and got it all straightened out,    Part of that whole problem is his glucose has been over 200, they weren’t hiving him his at home insulin dosage...  any time it is over 160, he gets horrible headache...  well Maria got that fixed, the gave him more insulin, and this morning it was down to 163,  headache gone....

So Larry knows he will need to have the fistula, within 3 months...  scans and ultrasounds are done....... In prep for that...
he was even ok IF they had done the port....

  but right now, they have restarted his warfarin tonight...  thinking to let him come home for a bit, with lab work done up here, and telemedicine visits and a strict renal diet....  kidney doctor said his kidneys are in recovery...

Minor problems here, tomorrow I get to install my new sink faucet, because the one Larry bought it just too big, and it is defective....  he bought it a year ago.... Tonight I just installed the disposal button,   wow.. I am learning so many new skills...  in my old age...

So that was today....    love you all...

Tomorrow plans are to rest up and clean house, and bathe pups...  had to cancel their grooming appointment, because LitaBit didnt make it to the vet for her rabies.....   it’s on my list...

Monday 7pm....
Inforgot to update because my countertops did get installed today...

At 10:30 am Larry facetimed me to tell me that had cancelled the port... they think his kidneys are recovering... his numbers were getting better...
Tomorrow they are still going to do a scan oh his arms in case of future fistula, but for now if his numbers keep improving, well......  just pray

He spent most of the day in his chair and other than headache from glucose he is doing well.... they will never give him his at home insulin dosages...

stay tuned....






Monday April 20, 8aM

Prayers please....

This morning the  kidney team will be putting the hemodialysis port back in his neck....
the other was done in an emergency, this one will about 6 inches away from the vein, for less infection risk

I did talk to the doctor yesterday and he said that when Larry came in 10 days ago, his kidney numbers were so high that they were off the chart, and he was amazed that he is now up and feeling as good as he is...

they will also be scanning Larrys arm to see if the fistula graft is going to be possible....
It is so scary that I cannot be there, but he is calm.....
He understands that this is the only way he can live,

we both hope that after a but of time, we MIGHT be able to do the HOME hemodialysis.....  rather than go the a dialysis center 3 days a week...

Bryan, Christie, and kids came out yesterday for a social distance visit, ho hugs, but lots of smiles...
They fished, swang, played on the beach, Madi and I played checkers, then we got carryout, fried shrimp and lobster rolls....
I enjoyed when we all facetimed Larry....
oh had weed pulling contest to see who could get the one with the longest roots, they thought it was fun....  then we used by phone app magnifier to examine those roots

Long day emotionally....  the procedure is planned for 11am, please think of him....