More tests..

Yesterday, we found out that Matthew has to do a few more tests.  He had a couple of red flags in his test results that are making them have to look a little closer.  His family has a long history of diabetes that they want to make sure isn't genetic, because Matthew's creatinine clearance came back a little off.  He is filtering a little TOO well.  I know, that sounds like a good thing, right?  He's filtering too well, so if you take one kidney he will be fine, right?  Well, not really.  His level could indicate that he is predisposed to diabetes.  They need to do a glucose test to make sure.  If he passes that, he can be cleared.  They also want to recheck his blood pressure with a 24 hour monitor.  His blood pressure is usually perfect, even better than perfect.  But he was a little nervous in the office and it went up a little.  It happens to me all the time.  White coat syndrome, they call it.  So they are just retesting those things before they clear him.  We didn't hear about the specific tissue typing, but they did say we could proceed after those tests cleared him, so I am slightly assuming we passed.  We will find out today for sure.

In the meantime, we are dialyzing and trying to prepare for Matthew to take off work for a few weeks.  It is complicated.  We don't want to have to wait until May to transplant, but it would be best for his work.  4 months doesn't sound like a lot to wait, I know.  We have waited for over a year to get to this point, right?  Well, every day on dialysis is a risk.  My chest port could get infected any day I use it.  In fact, It is already looking a little kinked from all the clamping.  I may have to get it replaced before the transplant even happens.  This is why my doctor suggested the fistula (AND I AM NOT GETTING A FISTULA).

I am seeing my nephrologist today and will update him on all the Iowa stuff.  To be honest, I am feeling a lot better than I have in years.  Yesterday I went grocery shopping on my own.  And I carried two loads of heavy groceries up from my car to my apartment by myself.  It can't remember the last time I did that!

I have to take a moment and say thank you to those of you who have donated to our cause.  Most of the people who have sent us money are people we either don't know, people we met once, or people we haven't seen in a long, long time (we're talking 10 years for some!).  It means so much to us.  We are saving the money to help chip away at the cost of the transplant itself at this point, which will be around 6000 dollars if we include travel and lodging to and from Iowa (maybe more-depending on how long we have to stay).  Travel, room and board is not covered by insurance at all.  Also thank you Blaz Bush for making me start this blog.    I love you!

So happy Thursday everyone!  Enjoy your kidneys today, if you have ones that work!