(Almost) Back To Normal

I feel that things are almost back to "normal". I felt I had more energy this week and actually was up and about and doing things around the house. I did not realize how much I miss that. It seems that it has been years (actually, it's only about a year and a half) that all I've done is come home from work and crash. Being up-and-about is a good feeling. With my new dialysis schedule, I was also able to go to aikido on Wednesdays as well. It feels good to be back on a twice a week schedule.

The biggest challenge to normality are the weekend gout attacks -- I had another one this week, but luckily it was less painful than the others. Nonetheless, it still prevented me from running my Saturday errands and had spent the day on the couch resting my swollen right foot. Life will be good when the gout attacks go away.

Gout, chills, cramps, and blood -- oh my!

It feels so good to wake up and be able to stand up. You see, I've had a very painful gout attack this week, and I have had significant foot pain all week. I've been home-bound for about 2 days, had difficulty walking, sometimes needing a cane. I felt very disabled. Thank goodness for Colcichine, Tylenol and telecommuting. If not for that, I would be missing work.

I thought you are not supposed to have gout attacks when you dialyze... what is up with that?

I think the gout affected my dialysis last Monday. I was not feeling well. I can barely walk to the center. I had chills through the session -- all three hours of it. At the end of my session, I had severe cramps on both legs. My legs were so painful, that it took three technicians/nurses to ease the pain. And after that, I was so weak to clamp down my arm that blood squirted all over the place. Hubby was not too happy.

Fortunately, Wednesday was much more smoother. Everything went like clockwork.

Yesterday, the gout pain finally started to subside. I woke up, stood up, and felt very relieved... I can walk again. I was even able to go to hula class! I just have to keep healthy so I can enjoy aikido tomorrow and a possible kayak adventure on Sunday.

It's my birthday weekend!