Passing tests

Today was the monthly meeting with my nephrologist, Dr. Assefi, and apparently the last for a while, as he turns my care over to the transplant team next week. He said that my labs were excellent, which I found a bit puzzling. What they always seem to leave out is the obvious "all things considered" and the fact that my kidneys have failed. My kidney function test, where the normal range is .51 to 1.41, a cadaver is probably 9 and I clocked in at 8.7 wouldn't strike me as excellent. I guess what he was trying to say was that other than the obvious, I am pretty healthy. But he has done a great job managing my kidneys by drugs in the last 6 years that I've been going to him so I owe him and Porche, his nurse, a big thanks for keeping me off dialysis and ready for a transplant.

He also said that the last half dozen of his patients that had been transplanted by Innova Fairfax all went home in 4 days, rather than the 5 that we'd been told. So that was good to hear. One less day surrounded by sick people is OK by me.

Jen was in yesterday for her meetings with her surgeon. She passed all her tests and was cleared to go next week. That was also great news, she's been working very hard to get into the right physical condition to do this and she met their goals! (like there was any question -- when Jen sets her mind to something, she get it (note to Steve)).

Tomorrow is our final round of counseling and tests! This has been a long journey and we're almost there. They take another set of xrays of me, run a final EKG, pull labs, and walk us through the when/where/what of next Wednesday. Jennifer has questions ready, like, can I bring my own PJ's, can Gordon bring in Starbucks the next day. I meet with my surgeon, Dr. Piper, tomorrow as well.

gc