Bump in the Road

It was time for my usual 3 month blood work check, and wouldn't you know, I spent a couple of days fearing I had the flu prior to the tests.  Luckily enough, it wasn't the flu but I couldn't figure out what was causing so much stomach pain.  It was so bad that if I hadn't had gall bladder surgery in October I would have sworn I was having an attack.  So I wasn't that surprised when some things in the blood work was off.  But I was surprised to receive a call from the cardio office asking to set up an appointment.

It seems that my creatin level had nearly doubled since October, which is a little alarming for transplant patients.  The anti-rejection drugs we have to take have many serious side effects and we have to monitor kidney and liver levels closely.  My liver enzymes had been up before the surgery and while they're still a little above where they would like them to be, they had dropped since October.  My blood sugar had dropped quite a bit and everything else was in good shape, but the kidneys were concerning.

I went in to talk with Dr. T today.  We decided to drop the cyclosporine and go back to taking Cellcept, an anti-rejection drug that I first came home with.  I will also have an xray and kidney ultrasound to check to see if I might have had kidney stones when I was having all the pain.  If nothing shows up to significant with those tests, then I'll go ahead and have the biopsy and annual heart cath at the same time.  I will have to have at least 2 or 3 biopsies in the next couple of months.  I'll also have more blood work ran at the end of the week.

Not thrilled about that at all as they are painful and expensive and it means more time away from work.  But I don't really have much choice in the matter.  The alternative is not great. 

With prayers and support from family and friends, on I will march.