Just venting…
Hi all, I hope everyone is doing good.
As for me, I’m feeling pretty down today. I had an appointment with a kidney
specialist today. I’m still trying to make sense of what she told me.
The reason why I went to this specialist was because my creatinine test for the
past few months has been slightly above normal (1.4, 1.7, 1.5, 1.6) and the
tests also show that I have anemia, and no dr seems to be able to figure out
where the anemia is coming from.
She mentioned something about my kidney function being somewhere between 50 -
70%, that’s where I felt a sudden fear, then I started to feel my sugars drop.
The kidney specialist told me that she needed to check how my Erythropoietin
levels were, I had no clue as to what that was. She explained what it meant.
When I got home I pulled out the medical dictionary: Erythropoietin: a hormonal
substance that is formed esp. in the kidney and stimulates red blood cell
formation. I’ve had anemia for 3 years and no one ever told me that the kidneys
may have something to do with it, go figure. At this point I don’t know if the
kidneys are causing the anemia, but it would have been good to know that it was
possibly coming from there. Well, I had some blood work done I should have the
results within the next week or so.
I have other complications from having diabetes for so long, it will be 32 years
this month. Diabetes has been like having a full time job for me. If anyone were
to ask me what diabetes means to me, it means having a sleeping monster inside
of me. I sort of feel as if I make the wrong move the monster will wake up and
do some big time damage to me, it really sucks. The testing my sugars, charting
my sugars, keeping up with doctor appointments, getting misleading info from the
doctors, at times all this can be so frustrating, it seems like I can’t enjoy
life, at every turn I get reminded that I have diabetes.
I was diagnosed with diabetes the same week that I turned 1, what a birthday
present that must have been. My sugars weren’t in good control until I was about
14 and by then I had some complications. From 14 on, it was a struggle being on
NPH and Regular insulin. Sometimes my sugars would range from 20 something to
400 and something in one day. My blood sugars have been in better control in the
past four years, ever since I was put on an insulin pump. I’ve brought my HA1c
down to 4.9.
Thanks for listening, God bless you all.
Taty
January 6th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Taty,….I can appreciate your down feeling and I’m sure we all go
through that from time to time.
Yet, if you get into that mode it may help if you remember that there
are always two ways that you can go. One is what you are doing now
and it is not going to make things any better for you, rather you
pull yourself more down with it. I know it is not by choice but is
it really? You do have a choice…… The other thing you can do is
try to think in a more positive way, something like ….it could be
far worse, or glad I don’t have Cancer or Wegener’s Granulomatosis
for which my wife is now under observation for. These people would
gladly change with us, any time! So your choice is between the two,
and I say the positive side offers far more than the negative side.
Now, I know, it is easy talking about it but not to do it. But if
you consider what I talked about, you will agree that the positive
side will always win!
There, are the two ways, I wanted to mention to you, really there are
no other!
Positive, (today) John.
a kidney specialist today. I’m still trying to make sense of what she
told me.
test for the past few months has been slightly above normal (1.4,
1.7, 1.5, 1.6) and the tests also show that I have anemia, and no dr
seems to be able to figure out where the anemia is coming from.
between 50 - 70%, that’s where I felt a sudden fear, then I started
to feel my sugars drop.
Erythropoietin levels were, I had no clue as to what that was. She
explained what it meant. When I got home I pulled out the medical
dictionary: Erythropoietin: a hormonal substance that is formed esp.
in the kidney and stimulates red blood cell formation. I’ve had
anemia for 3 years and no one ever told me that the kidneys may have
something to do with it, go figure. At this point I don’t know if
the kidneys are causing the anemia, but it would have been good to
know that it was possibly coming from there. Well, I had some blood
work done I should have the results within the next week or so.
will be 32 years this month. Diabetes has been like having a full
time job for me. If anyone were to ask me what diabetes means to me,
it means having a sleeping monster inside of me. I sort of feel as if
I make the wrong move the monster will wake up and do some big time
damage to me, it really sucks. The testing my sugars, charting my
sugars, keeping up with doctor appointments, getting misleading info
from the doctors, at times all this can be so frustrating, it seems
like I can’t enjoy life, at every turn I get reminded that I have
diabetes.
birthday present that must have been. My sugars weren’t in good
control until I was about 14 and by then I had some complications.
From 14 on, it was a struggle being on NPH and Regular insulin.
Sometimes my sugars would range from 20 something to 400 and
something in one day. My blood sugars have been in better control in
the past four years, ever since I was put on an insulin pump. I’ve
brought my HA1c down to 4.9.
January 11th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
sorry to see u so down taty. i was away for 2 wks so must have missed
ur message earlier. u r rt dm is a sleeping monster. its not going
anywhere so what’s the point. u just got married so that is a happy
place in ur life. I close my eyes just thinking about the
complications u face but we have to go on and on and on and
on….giving up or accepting defeat is not part of our mantle we are
fighters. kidney damage will have to be controlled i know the bs
readings 20-450 in a day i’ve been there. the down feeling has to be
replaced by a fighting spirit taty life has to be lived until the
last god given breath. look around ur home, husb, somethung will
bring a wamth to ur heart and u will carry on. cheeky
January 19th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Hi Cheeky and John, Thank you so much for your encouraging words. You are
right, I should not let this obstacle defeat me or get me down. My husband, Rob,
has been a great source of support for me, and so has my family.
I’ve been praying strength and courage to help me over come this obstacle.
The kidney specialist would like to do a MRA (magnetic resonance angiography),
she wants to see if I have a blood clot in the kidney arteries (I had a blood
clot in my right leg about 3 years ago.) If this is the case, then some kind of
a angio-plasti procedure should be able to help. She called me on friday with my
blood test results, the Erythropoietin was within normal range, but she feels
that it should be above normal, so they plan on giving me some shots to help
out. According to her, blood test results also showed that my anemia is getting
better, ever since I’ve been taking iron pills. She’s surprised at how well my
blood test show that I’m doing. She told me that whatever I’ve been doing all
these years must have been the right thing.
I will continue to pray, to look deep within for strength and courage, and to
keep my spirits up.
Take care, Peace and Health to everyone.
~Taty
January 20th, 2007 at 1:56 am
Hey John, Thank you for your kind response. I feel better emotionally, I’m
waiting to see what I’m really up against here, maybe I worried a little too
much without getting all the facts. Unfortunately, I don’t have all the facts
just yet, but I’ll do my best not to over worry. You are right, I need to be
positive, it’s extremely important to be positive.
Take care and Peace and Health to you and everyone. ~Taty