The FNSD Sisterhood

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Smashms: Glad to hear that the infection is being managed. Your kidneys do not need any additional systemic stress.

I continue to think of you and hope that you are doing as well as can be.

How are the therapies? Are you kept fairly busy during the day? Does the rehabilitation facility have a "therapy dog?" My little maltese, Molly, has been a loving support through my health challenges. She can knowingly detect when I am at risk of an adrenal crisis.

Gen: Have you been tested for Addison's? Visit the hypocortisolism forum on MDJunction when you have the inclination.

To Good Health: Continued good health, to you.

- Karen -

[smashms]

Ladies they stopped the iv antibiotics this aftternoon. And come to find out i will be going home tomorrow night. i have progressed enough that they think i will be ok going home tomorrow and starting outpatient therapy next week. For both ot and pt. I will most likely continue here at the hospital. I have not decided yet. I will have therapy all day tomorrow then go home after therapy. Yes i am in therapy pretty much all day with an hour in between all therapy times. I am exausted by the time 3 pm rolls around.

[smashms]

Made it home friday night. Things at home have been good so far. So excited to be here lets hope i stay here.

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Smashms:
As Dorothy of the "Wizard of Oz" said: "There's no place like home."

Congratulations on returning home. I always feel better at home, away from the constant flow of interruptions and unsettling noises, and tasteless food of the hospital environment.

Do you have someone helping you get settled in at home? Someone to assist in getting groceries, prescriptions at the pharmacy, meal preparation? It can be taxing to return home after a lengthy hospitalization/rehabilitation stay.

I hope for you gentle days ahead. I have you on my prayer list.
- Karen -

[smashms]

I still live at home with my parents. I will never be able to afford to move out on my own. So they are here to lighten the load so to speak. I have a bunch of calls to make tomorrow regarding therapy and such followup appts that i missed while in the hospital. I have been in bed prettyy much all day today, not sure why just tired i guess.

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Smashms:

Welcome home !

You probably valued from a day of rest after the intensity of the many days of therapy.

That's fantastic that you have the support of your parents in residence. Family taking care of family.

I sold my house last year and moved into a condominium in the same building as where my parents reside. I live on the 3rd floor and my parents live on the 4th floor. My health was increasingly tenuous and living independently was expending all of my available energy. Living in the same building has its advantages. My parents and I share coffee every morning . . . my mother and I have been viewing the DVD series "House of Cards" together. When I have a "low spoon" day and unwell, my parents are able to offer a helping hand. I am grateful for their support and presence. I plan on helping them with their needs as they age. Reciprocity.

Continued best wishes,
- Karen -

[smashms]

Got great news again yesterday, well not great but ok news. My kidneys are functioning at about 50% now they are back to their normal so to speak after the acute failure. And i have to go back in 6 months this is the first time he has allowed me to go that long. He says that i have had a very slow but steady decline of function the last 10 years however since the afib is fixed he thinks i should stabilize he saw a pattern that when i get acutely ill and am in afib i have serious decline in function. Since that is fixed however things should get better.

[smashms]

Well it's been a couple of weeks since i checked in everything is as expected at home. Things remain stable and i am getting more and more energy back although i am still no where near my baseline. I am up for a few hours then i need to lay back down to rest and so on. I decided that i would do my own therapy at home since i have been thru it so many times i already know what to do. I am basically forcing myself to use both the arm and leg without any bracing and using them both more. To build the strength back. It seems to be working for the hand and arm but i am still where i was when leaving the hospital with the leg. I notice when i am tired it definately gets worse. Overall i am doing better however. How is everyone else doing?

[Sinfulsot]

Greetings Sisters of the FNSD. I hope this finds you well. While you accept all, do I have to make a formal petition or just jump right in? Or because I'm a boy, regardless of any petition, I don't necessarily become a Sister, maybe some sort of consort?

I'm not sure how this works...

[smashms]

I say jump right in but thats just me

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Sinfulsot:

Welcome . . . Jump right in.

This is not an exclusive gathering. Newcomers are welcomed.

The group can be retitled the "Fickle Nasty Sneaky Disease Personhood" to accommodate both male and female genders.

The group would benefit from your humor. A laugh and a smile.

Smashms:

Glad to hear that you are making gains in strength and function and that your kidney function is stable. I hope that you continue to have a smooth stretch of health before you so that you can enjoy the summer.

Summer is typically a more difficult period for managing my adrenal insufficiency. Hot days/higher ambient temperatures require more medication adjustments . . . it is difficult to find the right "recipe" of corticosteroid for any given day.

I am enjoying toying with new plantings and gardening. This week I added a Bucket 'O Mint (peppermint starter plants). Peppermint can be known to take over a garden space with sprawling growth, so it seemed best to contain it to a decorative wooden bucket.

Best wishes to everyone,
- Karen -

[Sinfulsot]

Just wanted to be sure. I have my own kidney thing going on as well. it is currently thwarting my gall bladder surgery.

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Sinfulsot:
I am sorry that you are dealing with a kidney issue and a side-order of gallbladder sludge/stones. One or the other would be ample. What's going on?

Sending you healing energy and positive "juju,"
- Karen -

[smashms]

Sinfulsot, i had my gallbladder out last year. And also have kidney issues what's up?

[Sinfulsot]

kidney: i have a ureter that is being compromised external to it. it has been an odyssey of stents, most of which were getting clogged or otherwise losing their structural integrity. So now, i have a larger stent that started as a nephrostomy and that is now going to be internalized so that i won't have the external hardware, but the larger stent is in place and seems to be working. I am still in a holding pattern regarding a second opinion on a more permanent internal solution that does not involve stents.

And you can leave the title of the thread. Something about "Consort to Sisterhood" has it's own appeal.