After I had the problem breathing I found out the medical term for fluid on the lungs is pleural effusion. I had had a cat scan done as part of the screening to get on the kidney transplant list prior to the incident but didn’t get the results until after, that is when I got the term.
I was put on 100 units of Lasix twice a day and in ten days lost ten pounds of fluid. I am still feeling bloated and probably have another 5-10 pounds of fluid I am carrying around but the benefits of the Lasix seem to have plateaued.
In addition to the pleural effusion the cat scan also said I have ascites, the difference is that pleural effusion means fluid on the lungs while ascites is a build up of fluid in the abdomen.
My kidney doctor is strongly suggesting I get set up for dialysis which menas I am going to get a catheter surgically implanted in my abdomen in order to do peritoneal dialysis, which can be done at home.
She is saying even if I don’t start dialysis, it takes a month for the catheter to heal and get the training and if we wait until it is time to start, it will be too late. Better to have it and not use it then to need it and not have it.
One byproduct of having the ctheter is that it will serve as a drain for the ascites, and at this point that is starting to seem like it will be a relief to lose this fluid.
The body is such a bother but if I want to complete some projects I am working on, developing an Eco village at Madhuban being one specific one, then I do have to jump through hoops to keep it functioning, so I will for a while.
September 5, 2012 at 7:51 pm
Haribol Madhava, My Mom was on peritoneal for over five years before she got her transplant, which she is now on her 11th year. I hope Krishna plans on keeping you here a lot longer.
September 5, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Thanks. She is probably a much stronger person than I am because I am really dreading this.
September 6, 2012 at 10:57 pm
It was tough for her at first to get used to but after a while it was like second nature for her. Is the Ecovillage something in the planning stages?
September 7, 2012 at 7:46 am
Planning stages yes, though we have started clearing an old fence line preparatory to replacing it for the pasture to be used for the oxen barn planned there