An 'Oil' Change?

Mr. Clark started a New way of dialysis. His version of an 'Oil' Change.

The Oil change!
Take all your  *Old oil (blood) out--filter it-- put in all back in!
In 'Nocturnal' Diaysis Center, 3 nights a week. Forty five miles from our home. This is Fionia and I's   replacement for a while.

  

 'Nocturnal'  is 8 hours of SLOW blood dialysis.

 Slow makes less stress on your system. So they say.

They promised less stress on his eyes.

Eyes are affected when the blood pressure rises too high when to much fluid is taken off, too fast. The reason Mr. C is so nervous? He lost his eye sight in  AUGUST due to the Hemo Dialysis 3 hr. procedure. After he had his colon surgery. Luckily he got it back after 6 months of expensive eye injections.  

ANXIETY--uh hu!

But this is a TEST.

We will see if this makes Mr. Clark feel better.

Then the ? is... Will  #1- Fionia the Filter remains a part of our lives.

(it's amazing Peritoneal Dialysis is so routine for us. So nice to do it at home. It's become a security...and change is hard,  but He needs to feel better)

OUR CHOICE'S

 #2- 'Nocturnal' dialysis?  (in center, every where we go) 

Could even be #3 'Next stage' which is blood dialysis at home. 7 days a week but just as easy to travel with as the Peritoneal dialysis has been .

The training is intense.

(Terrifies me to death.)

We will make this decision  in 2 weeks.  

He is going to an AMAZING Brand New facility for 'Nocturnal'.

It is so new that Mr. C is Patient #3

WOW!

An Amazing Staff.

Nurse 'Liz is going to be  his 1 on 1 nurse.

We were met by our Social worker 'Kim' that introduced us to the staff, gave us a tour of the facility.

Then he hooked up for an 'Oil' Change!

A rough, rough *first night.

A shock to his system for sure.

Nausea took over and restless leg  gave him fits ( he can't stand up unless they unhook him)  
but

It is suppose to get better with time.

We can only  PRAY FOR # 4 A NEW KIDNEY!

Thankful Thursday: BIG NEWS

BIG NEWS at our house...  Mr. Clark has passed the eye exam. His eyes are HEALED!
 One more step in the right  direction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR THIS WE ARE THANKFUL!
p.s We are headed for a new adventure in dialysis... We'll keep you updated.

Thankful Thursday: Recognizing Blessings

Thankful Tuesday: TODAY IS A GIFT!

I received this in the mail TODAY!

Mr. Clark and I got to spend  Valentines 'Day ' together. We both sorta had the day off. Mr. Clark split his day and I ended up having to take the full day off. For none other than a Doctor appointment. It was the day that Fresinius sets  for the 'TEAM' to evaluate his progress. 

 The news we received was bitter/sweet?

 We are getting close to saying 'GOOD BYE' to Fionia the filter. She has tried her best to keep Mr. C. stable. The problem?? She feeds Mr. C pure sugar.

 Because this causes his sugars to be too high, Miss Fionia is not effective. 

He is blowing up like a balloon. His heart, eyes and limbs are at risk.

To understand the procedure. Peritoneal is FLUID filtering. Hemo dialysis is BLOOD filtering. Peritoneal dialysis  is like eating 6 candy bars a night! Giving him extra insulin has not touched it.  It doesn't make sense that this is the solution. Maybe it wasn't meant for a diabetic?

PD (Peritoneal Dialysis)has given Mr. Clark FREEDOM to be at home. (instead of a dialysis center).   FREEDOM to work and travel easier etc.

News today: We are temporarily??? switching to HEMO dialysis. We will be going to a center 3 nights a week. Mr. Clark can still work. He may even feel BETTER.

We are trying to be optimistic that switching to BLOOD now will be healthier for Mr. Clark.

As they were explaining it I was smiling with tears running down my face. A smile? because I felt embarrassed for crying. This terrifies me! Tears and more tears. For many reasons, 2 reasons for sure is: Fear of the unknown,  and because we will temporarily loose Nurse Barb. We couldn't be so courageous with out her!

It's emotional for both of us.

 Mr. Clark is trying to be brave. I asked him to PLEASE, PLEASE consider a live donor so we could get a kidney transplant sooner. He said I can't put anyone I love through it. (he is A+ ,b.t.w!)We've tried over and over to convince him that some one's life could be blessed if he would just reconsider. He won't.

So our next adventure will be what is called NOCTURNAL Dialysis. It is done for 8 hrs. 3 'nights' a week. The hard part will be that it's quite a distance from our house so I well either sleep in the lobby of the center or find a church member to stay with on those day's (if I'm brave)  He will start at 8:00pm and end by 5:00 am.

* NOTE: this will be temporary until he decides if this  type of dialysis is what he wants. We can be trained to do it at home. It is alot more intense. At home it would still consist of 5-7day's a week.

Here is the positive: 

 1- He won't have the weight gain.

2- He won't be packing around 1300 mls of fluid in his belly.

3- He won't have the x-tra water in his legs so his restless leg will be less painful.

He may feel much, much better.

The negative:

It will be even harder to travel. -- every where we go we have to find a dialysis center.

FYI: Dear family, Our EASTER break IS OFF :( TEARS!

He is getting a catheter put back in his chest on Tuesday.

They are keeping is PD Cathe in so that it is available if he changes his mind??

We are THANKFUL today for *OPTIONS and for the gift of life.

We should never take it for granted.

TODAY IS A GIFT

(Thanks Meg, now you know why when I received it today I CRIED even more than usual! So sweet of you my dear friend ) XO

Thankful Thursday: HEART ATTACKED!

DON'T PANIC!

The youth of our church have a tradition!

Every February

(around Valentines)

they sneak in someone's yard and plant hearts every where!

For the passed 3yrs. I've been among the SECRET ACTS.

Driving them around.

Door knocking

&

RUNNING!

It has been such a "RUSH"

(even if one of those Heart Attacks nearly got us shot at... Found out later that God was watching out for us!)

Being on the other end of it now that I'm no longer a  Youth Leader

IS SPECIAL!

TEARS because it was sweet of them to think of us.

And TEARS because I'm no longer a part of the FUN!!!!!!!!

I am so THANKFUL that I had these experiences with these special girls.

THEY ALL HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE!

Abbey, Arionna, Ashley, Rebecca, Macadi, Jurnee, Jordan, Megan, Anna, Tiara, Tyma, Rebbeca

I, forever more --reserve a portion of my heart for you!

LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU'LL KNOW! ; )

Thankful Tuesday: Finding 5 today!

1- Phone Calls & Videos of the CUTEST CUTIE CAKES IN THE WORLD

Lil Daxton in the tub wins! Kylie's HOOT,  and Maddie's LONG HAIR- she is catching Kylie! 

You know I'm homesick for them when it makes me blubber uncontrollably . Love watching them and hearing their voices. 

2- Our Hearth (HOME)

HEAVY SIGH...

The 'cozy' fireplace and oopsie Christmas Decor.

and more Christmas decor!

My Job now intel's being on the road for 6 hrs. a day.  Amazing how exhausted I am when I get home. The heat of the fireplace. Kicking off the shoes and flinging the sling. Getting in my cozy jammies and cozy-ing into the recliner causes the heavy sigh!

3- Lights on his magnifiers and a cane

Because of amazing people where Mr. Clark works his life is so BLESSED!

This is the genius creation and imagination!  Jim ( his co-worker) installed lights on Mr. Clark's Magnifier!
and a stopper on Mr. C's cane. Yes, they all look out for Mr. C.!
p.s this is another reason the company is the TOP 10 in the nation for SAFETY!  ; )

4- Good nights sleep,
for the passed week now!

5- Prayers Answered for DEAR FRIENDS

One of my dear friends and class mate who was diagnosed with acute Leukemia the first of January. She is a strong, strong person.
A few good days for her. A reprieve from a battle for life. Prayers continue her way.

Thankful Thursday: My FAVORITE THINGS!

1- 5 pieces of BUBBLE GUM,  My surprise from Quick Trip gas station, because Mr Clark says I'm worth it!

:)

2-I.V Iron, because after 3 trips to Wichita Mr. Clark's veins didn't  collapse and it was successful!

3- Back to Teamwork! I have an awesome job!

4- Routine: Oh when our day's are just routine. WE ARE THANKFUL

5- A beautiful day-- It feels like SPRING. We are expecting rain.   Excited that my tulips and daffodils are up!

6-  Test results- Our Son does NOT have sleep apnea!

7- My favorite book. The Book of Mormon. IT IS A TREASURE! We've been listening to it on the road and I keep replaying one of  my many fav. chapters. Today it's 2 Nephi 29!A free copy: HERE 

FOR THESE THINGS I AM THANKFUL!