Behind in my work

[Bruceper]

This is just to let some people know that I am behind in my work right now. I've got some things to catch up on and hopefully I can get them done by Wednesday.

My uncle Norm passed away last week and I've been helping with things there, and my mom has been in the hospital for a week and half with kidney issues. With that, work, the release of 1.3 and life it's put me behind a few days.

Have no fear, I'll get things done as soon as I can.

[CEC]

condolences to you and your family, bruce.

[FSGDAG]

Bruce....

I'm very sorry to hear about your Uncle! My Aunt is in the same boat right now, battling cancer, but it doesn't look promising at all...

I'll keep you and your family, especially your Mom, in my prayers!!!!

[echo@]

Im sorry to here this bruce, his spirit has gone to a better place

[Dr. Jekyll]

I am very sorry to hear about your uncle Norm.

Please Bruce, accept my condolences to you and your family.

[Bruceper]

Thanks all. I wasn't very close with him, but he's still family.

[milkytea]

Sorry to hear Bruce... hope your mom gets better soon.

[Bruceper]

Well life went and done it again on me.

My mom ended up in the hospital again. This has been an ongoing issue since November, which is the worst part. But at least at this point we know what the issue is, we jut have to try and fix it.

My mom has finally been diagnosed with Cronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and is currently between stage 3 and 4. If you're not aware, stage 4 is when you start dialysis, stage 5 is kidney transplant time. At the moment the doctors are trying to control the issue with medication changes and diet. Of course that's not a fix for the issue, but it prolongs kidney "life".

Kidneys do a lot of things in the body, including regulating the amount of water in your body. If there is too much, the kidneys expel the water in urine. I noticed my mom was having issues with water retention and took her to the doctor and he prescribed more diuretics (they remove water from the body via urine).

It was too little too late, and mom ended up back in the hospital again with a litany of issues beginning with congestive heart failure (water around the heart). This is a pretty serious issue as the heart just can't work the way it's supposed to. There were three times when I was called to come for what can only be called a death watch.

Mom is a fighter though, and she made it through that thankfully.

The next issue was low blood sugars, which also has something to do with the kidneys (I'm not up to speed on this issue yet). Her blood sugars were so low that I was giving her orange juice with sugar packages mixed in it (yuk!).

My mom also happens to be a diabetic, and until this incident her diabetes was controlled by medication. This is important to note, as you'll see in a minute.

Over the next few days mom was recovering and a nephrologist came to see her (a nephrologist is a kidney specialist, not to be confused with a phrenologist which is a person who examines the bumps on a persons head). We learned a hell of a lot during that visit.

The diabetic meds and the diauretics were stopped. Apparently these drugs are very effective at what they do, at the expense of kidney damage over the long term! So the drugs that were saving her were also hurting her.

Now she takes insulin once a day instead of the meds, and we just need to watch for water retention and if we see any then it's another trip to the hospital for a day visit (which is a lot better than heart failure).

She's out now and back at home. We went to a seminar like thing that one of the hospitals here puts on about kidney issues and they went over her meds with a fine tooth comb (she's now taking half the meds she used to) and presented her with a binder of information on foods and drinks she can and can't have.

The diet change isn't drastic, low sodium and low phosphorous, but she had to give up her favorite drink (diet pepsi).

Since these hospital visits started in November the doctors have been treating the symptoms, and now finally we have the cause and can hopefully control the issue.

So there you have it. My absense is hopefully excused (I can get my mom to write a note if you'd like) and hopefully no more major issues will arise. I believe I'm actually only behind a little bit of work because from the last time this happened I didn't get much of a chance to get any work. You should hear from me today or tomorrow at the latest.

[FSGDAG]

Bruce...

I'm REALLY sorry to hear about your Mom... I can only imagine how hard and scary that can be! I hope everything works out well for her and I'll keep her in my prayers!

[piet]

I'm sorry to hear about your Mom.

Family goes first Bruce.

and i hope all goes well for her.

[Dr. Jekyll]

I am really sorry to hear about your Mom!

I hope all goes well for her...

[Bruceper]

Thanks all, I'm still behind in everything here and with new things going on as well it sure doesn't help.

Does anyone have a time stop button? Just stop it for about 48 hours (for everyone but me of course) and I should be good.

[DGTALGOODIES]

Sorry to hear that! i Hope She gets better!