Bronchoscopy and such!

It's been a crazy, busy weekend, so I haven't gotten around to posting about my bronchoscopy/doc appt last Thursday. Since I had to go see the doctor that day in clinic after he did my bronch, I got to Duke early to get my blood work, chest xray and pulmonary function tests (pfts) done. I had just done all of this 3 weeks earlier, and that's when they determined that I needed to be bronched because my numbers on my pfts were very low for me. I was very tired last Thursday, because I had only gotten about 2 hours of sleep and then I had a 2 hour drive to Duke, so I just knew my numbers weren't going to look good. I was wrong!!! Here is the improvement on my lung function in just 3 weeks.....

8/7/08              FEV1     67% (my normal is 75% or higher)                                  FEF25-75%    47% 

 

8/28/08           FEV1     79%                                                                              FEF25-75%    71%

All of the other numbers were higher too, but these are 2 of the most important. If your FEF25-75 is low, then that might be an indication of chronic rejection. My pulmonologist was amazed at these results. He said that he can never figure me out anyway. :)

He went ahead with the bronch even though my numbers were up, so that he could go ahead and "clear" me for kidney transplant. I had no infection or rejection!

We discussed my insomnia... it seems to be one of those problems we are always discussing now. He gave me a new med that didn't work, so I got ANOTHER new med yesterday, and had my first good night's sleep last night, so hopefully this is the one.

My weight is down to 97 again. I was up to 102 at one point, but now I just think that was fluid instead of mass.. unfortunately. I see my nephrologist next week on the 16th to discuss whether or not I want to have dialysis before transplant. I also see the surgeon at Duke on Sept 22nd. She will be the one performing my transplant. I am not sure if a date will be scheduled then or not. If I decide to do dialysis first, then it probably won't be scheduled yet. I'll keep you posted on that.

Other than that, I enjoyed this weekend with Casey so much. We ran around and shopped and played for 2 days (and I probably overdid it) and then we hung out at home (mostly b/c of my pain) for 2 days. I didn't feel like getting online much, plus I like to save my blogging when Casey is sleeping, at her dad's, or in school. I hate taking time away from her.

I was just bragging last week to a friend of mine how my fibromyalgia might be going into remission like it did last year, but this weekend told me... "NOT YET". Unfortunately, I was in a lot of pain all weekend. I will be seeing the rheumatologist in November. 

I have so much to do around the house, but I will definitely be pacing myself the next few days, hoping that the fibro pain starts to lessen.