Not for the faint of heart

Ok, here are some pics of me. While not exactly disturbing material, it is not great to look at. I will post some after pics when the weight comes off. Anyway, you can see, that my stomach is distended, and yes its painful, and while I admit to having big hulking arms, when we measured my forearms in the hospital they were 15 inches. My fore arms seemed to take the brunt of the swelling in my extremities. The last is a picture of my left hand, which was the most swollen. Notice the rippling of the skin at the wrist, my arm is at a 45 there so it shouldn't do that, and for the record, I don't think the picture does it justice. It is huge. ok pictures have been posted, be kind. Todays weight is 253. No special closing today, it is what it is. I will post later a real post.

They decided to let me go home

I made it home finally. My kidneys still aren't working right, so I have to have some blood work done on Saturday, (Karl don't faint.) What does that mean to me? Well, I can't have any lasiks- the stuff that flushes my system of the extra water weight, 23 lbs if you were wondering, and that causes a bunch of other problems. Like my body being swollen and hurting. My throat is swollen so when I cough it gags me, that one really sucks. My hands are so swollen right now that they look like I have the starting of blisters on them, and I don't have knuckles where my fingers connect into my hands. If I get a chance i will take some pictures. I don't know how my feet are, I can't see them and I can't bend over that far. Hopefully on Saturday I can start taking the lasiks. Enough of the bad stuff, I AM HOME, that is great news. Just being out of the hospital makes me feel better, I may not get any better sleep, but at least at home I know where the junk food is. I just got back from the junk food stash, and my cheese sticks are gone, and so are the ham slices, there goes my protein for the day. But I found the Pepsi and root beer, so we could still party down. I had better quit posting and start making lists of survival food for the rest of the week. One of which is Gatorade, it helps so much, so does cranberry juices. For the most part I feel pretty good, as long as I can sit and don't have to move to much or start itching very much I am feeling pretty dang good. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts, Merry Christmas, and have a lovely day.
Love Andy.

Good news bad news day

I am done with the IL2 treatment today, we only got 3 this week. But i will be going home a day earlier than planned. I will be going home on Thursday, provided we can get my kidneys working properly. One of the many complications with this therapy. But all in all things are going well. The side effects came hard and fast this time, so they spread out the dosing to every 12 hours in stead of 8. Talking with the doctors, we don't think we would have made 3 if i went every 8 hours. so from here out it will probably be 1 dose every 12 hours, if my body will take it. Thanks for all the thought and prayers, they really are felt and they help. Merry Christmas and have a lovely day.
Love Andy.

1st day 1st dose 2nd treatment

Had a rough night for not being on treatment yet. But today has gone pretty good, I did have some rigors with the first dose at noon, but that was expected. A little demoral and sleep and I am back in business (after the nap I take). Gotta run, Merry Christmas and have a lovely day.
Love Andy.

I am here or there depend on how you view it

Ok, I am in the hospital, and I have been IV'd and am settling in for the night. So I thought I would say "hey, I didn't chicken out and Peggy made me come down here." So a big thanks to Peg, and now I am ready to take my medicine. I hope everybody has a great week, and I will talk to you in a day or so. Merry Christmas and have a lovely day.
Love Andy.

Today, is a day of bitter sweet activities. (this ones churchy)

Today, is Easter, a day where the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ is experienced at our house. It is also a day where later on I will be admitted to the hospital for another round of treatment. While sitting in the hospital last time, lost in discomfort and frustrations of feeling sick and not being able to do anything about it. A peaceful feeling came over me giving me some insights to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Resurrection. That through the Atonement all things will be made whole and right. This includes infirmities, (Matthew 8:17 -That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sickness.) Another scripture in the Book of Mormon says (Alma 7:12- And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities,...) These two scriptures have helped me to realize that no matter what I go through the Lord understands with exactness what I have to deal with and can and has sent his comforter, the Holy Ghost(HG) to help bear the hard times. The HG has allowed me to feel of the prayers that have been offered in my behalf, usually at the lowest points of the treatment when I plead for help in prayer, and know that I need help to make it through the trying times. It is for this reason I thank all of you for your prayers, because I realize I can't make it through this on my own. I need my family, and you all, my friends to make it through these tough times. Thank you. I will end so as to not make this too long, but I will say in the words of one of my favorite hymns, referring to Easter. "I know that my redeemer lives, what comfort this sweet sentence gives, " I love and appreciate you all. Merry Christmas and have a lovely day.
Love Andy

New Sod in our yard

We had Sod delivered a day earlier than we planned, so sorry to those who wanted to help, we had some other people show up and help lay it. Just to make sure that i didn't do too much they had me make dinner, so to show appreciation I made some Dutch Oven taters while they were laying sod. So while they were working so was I, sort of. Any way the picture shows what they did. I think they did a great job. And the best part is, it snowed Friday night, and there are supposed to be storms off and on all this week so we don't have to water it. Merry Christmas and have a lovely day.

Love Andy.