Monday, July 21, 2014

Four Year Update

It's been a while! I just wanted to give you all a little update and let you know that I'm doing just fine and so is Debbie. My life is pretty normal. Here's a quick rundown.

Staying hydrated- I still carry my water bottle with me everywhere. I could probably stand to drink a little more water, but I do okay. If I'm having a cocktail, I always follow it up with a glass of water.

Exercise- I should do more of this! I have no issues with working out. Yoga is my preferred method, but I avoid hot yoga-- doctors orders. A good rule of thumb- if your sweating, keep a water bottle handy.

Pain- It's pretty much non-existent. There is no pain when I apply pressure like there used to be. Sometimes, if I haven't done yoga in a while and I'm doing an up-dog or cobra, I can feel that the area is tight, but it's nothing inhibiting and stretching is so good for the tightness.

Scar-Still there and ugly, but I rarely even think about it. I was just thinking the big one sort of looks like a belly button now. The other two are barely noticeable.

General health concerns- I don't take ibuprofin. At all. I've learned to deal with Tylenol, but rarely have to take it. I also watch my diet. I don't eat a lot of meat (though I'm a big fan of Five Guys Burgers), and I go very light on the salt most of the time. I don't eat much junk food or fast food (except Five Guys). I'm not a health nut, but I do prefer clean, healthy food.

The UTI scare- TMI, I know, but due to over-prescribed antibiotics for acne medication (about 5 years worth), my body became dependent on the antibiotics to fight of any stray e. coli. When I stopped the meds, all hell broke loose, and I had infections on a monthly basis for about a year. This had nothing to do with my lack of kidney, but since I only have one, it put me in a very dangerous and stressful situation. Frustrated with the additional antibiotics and temporary fixes I was being prescribed, I did major research what was happening inside my body (disturbing) and looked into natural remedies. I came across something called D-Mannose which can often be purchased in health food or vitamin stores. After taking it for about 6 weeks, I was cured. Just a note, because it's not a drug, major studies on this remedy are not funded and info is hard to find. But it is there if you look. I did find one source that suggested that large continuous doses may not be good for kidneys, but you don't need to take huge doses of the stuff.

Okay, so that's all for now. Thanks everyone who has sent messages and watched the videos I posted about the experience. If you have gone through the process, I encourage you to document it. Get in touch, and I'll promote your blog. I'm a firm believer in helping educate people about this process.

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