2 Weeks Post Op

All going really well since my operation. I'm up and about and almost pain free. I've been getting out and about in a wheel chair - Joybelle pushed me all the way to the Ridge & Furrow yesterday evening in the sunshine for a meal and a pint.

The one issue since the op is my haemoglobin levels which have still not returned to normal. It's currently 7 when it should be closer to 12. This has the effect of making me feel very anaemic and tired and is the result of significant blood loss during the op.

During the week after my operation my daughter Joy was able to stay at my house which meant she was free to visit and facetime me every day. She also stayed for the first few days when I got out of the hospital which made it a really memorable and special time.

Last week I had my back assessed because I was still getting some pain. The consultant arranged an xray which was quite ammusing as you could see all my metal clips - there are a bunch inside me where the surgeon cut my kidney away as well as the 34 down my front holding my wound together. I'm hoping to get a copy of the xray and will post it here when I get it.

From the xray the consultant could see that between lumber 4-5 my disc has significantly eroded, he thinks this has been caused by my lack of mobility and having to sleep on my back over the last two years due to my enlarged kidneys. No repair is possible so I just need to adjust my lifestyle to live with this, but he has suggested a course of 'core strengthening physio' once i have recovered from my op. But since having my kidney out the back pain has significantly reduced although I might have episodes of more severe pain on occasion in the future.

I'm currently on dialysis at GRH but later on after dialysis I have an appointment up on the renal ward to have some of the staples in my tummy removed.

Thank you for all your ongoing prayers, the following were all answered
That swelling and bruising went down quickly, pain manageable and Blood pressure back to normal.

Please continue to pray for:-
1. Haemoglobin goes back to normal quickly avoiding the need for a transfusion
2. Energy levels increase.
3. That physio course can commence soon.
4. That back pain does not increase and that the disc improves against medical opinion.

Love Rob & Joy