Getting closer...

So today was Neil's appointment with his nephrologist here in Columbus. He goes to Dr Saunders and let me tell you.. we just love this man! He is so funny and spends a lot of good quality time with us!

Overall the appointment was ok. They checked his BP... 151/104.. YIKES! And he's gained some weight, but that can be attributed to him feeling better and eating more as well as the fluid in his legs that has been building up. His Creatinine is 7.5!!!! This kinda made me nervous but he said it's not much of an increase over the 6.8 that it was in early July. Last we had been told was 6.3 on the 6/3/09 appointment so it did seem like a big jump to me. He didn't change any meds except to increase the Lasix for the swelling.

I guess the big thing he told us.. or big things are..

* if we didn't have a good donor list going with several people on the list to be worked up, he would be referring him to a vascular surgeon for a shunt for dialysis today... but since they are working with 4 people and we have a long list, he said it's ok to not do the shunt right now (WHEW!) Now we just need to make sure our donors get on the ball with getting their paperwork in and do all the testing as quick as they can so that we can avoid the big "D"...

* he said he'd ideally like to see the transplant happen this year!!!!! I'm a teacher and I plan so I like hearing that he's also thinking forward and 'planning' when he'd like to see it happen. HOWEVER.. I asked him to clarify if he meant 'this year' as in 'by the end of 2009' or if he meant sometime in the next year from today... and of course he meant, by the end of 2009...
WOW.. deep breath.. ok.. hmmmm... exhale...

So.. I feel better knowing that he has this 'target' time frame in mind.. and of course it all depends on getting a live donor to be a match and making sure they comply quickly to get the tests and paperwork in... but I am starting back to school in 2 weeks and need to make sure I have a plan set for who is going to go where/do what/sub for me etc when all this goes down. Oh and I'm supposed to start classes at Ashland for the 4th/5th grade endorsement... which might not happen now.. need to talk to my professors about that when we start.. And I might as well get this out of the way right now.. anyone willing to watch our dog, Mojo, when it happens? If my parents can't make the trip up, my mother-in-law will come stay here and take care of the kids but she can't take care of the dog too.. so yea.. if you really want to help.. offer to take our sweet, loving, precious puppy for awhile! :)

I think that's it for now.. follow-up with the Dr is in 2 more months.. hopefully by then, we'll know if our original 4 are a match or if we need to move on!

Oh and thank you to all of you who have been reading and either responding privately in email, posting comments on here or talking to me in person.. I really appreciate the love and support.. it keeps me going!!!!!! XOXO