Journal: Progress

It's very strange to wake up after 9 days and to be told all the harrowing experiences you had and having been  hooked up to all the machines that were helping keep me alive while they were trying to get the Wegner's under control... I slept right through it.  And, when I woke up, I didn't really feel the effects of all that happened to me. I don't remember any of it. Although I was weak and couldn't stand or move much on my own, I felt good.

After 19 days in the hospital, I was released. We decided to bring me home instead of putting me in a Skilled Nursing Facility (nursing home) that would have been 30 minutes away.  Courtney let us move into her apt while I'm convalescing and we're remodeling our house.

My progress has been steady.  The first week I was home, I was so weak and had lost so much muscle mass (I read that for every day you lay in a hospital bed,  you lose 2-5 % muscle mass EACH DAY!) So no wonder I couldn't stand or walk or get out of a chair or hold a pen!  Ron had to help me with everything from getting dressed to going to the bathroom to getting from the bed to the wheelchair. My legs were like jello - I couldn't put any weight on them without collapsing.

By the second week, I was able to dress myself and get out of a chair with no assistance as well as get ready by myself and walk with the walker short distances.

By this, the third week, I can walk in the apt. with no walker, basically do everything independently and just need help opening things or lifting things.

So now we are just getting used to the routine of going to dialysis 3x a week: Tues. Thur. Sat for 4 hours each afternoon from 1-5 pm.  It's pretty boring to sit there that long, but it's amazing that this is keeping me alive by functioning as my kidney while mine are out of commission.

The nephrologist (kidney doctor) said he is hopeful that the dialysis is only temporary - but cannot commit to how long temporary might be - so I don't know if it's a matter of months or years.  I am currently at 2% kidney function and if I get to 5% I'd only have to do dialysis once a week and if I get to 10% I can get off it completely.

At my first appt. with the Rhuematologist, she was amazed at my progress and told us that usually her first follow up appt with Wegner patients who went through what I did would come on a stretcher. She couldn't believe that I came in a wheelchair - and was beginning already to walk.

This certainly is evidence - continuing evidence - that God is intervening, giving me strength and health  and enduring, enabling grace!