Henry Feeser's Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) journey

This Cound Only Happen To Me!

January 17, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

I took our “new” Ram 1500 truck to a windshield repair place for an estimate on fixing the many (5 or more) fairly severe rock dings in the windshield. The estimate was close to $200 since there are so many, and a little over $300 for a new windshield, which is what they recommended, and I’m going with it. We took our golden retriever Dickens to Canine Fitness Camp a short distance away Wednesday for a romp with other dogs when I noticed an 8-inch and growing crack in the windshield on the right side. Earlier in the month while traveling on a Fort Worth Zoomer we were behind a truck that threw up a rock into the windshield. At the time nothing resulted a couple of weeks later it did. Talked to “our” windshield guy for $411.xx We are replacing the windshield with our “new” 2023 BMW 330xi. Both of these replacements will take place next Tuesday.

I am having extreme difficulty with an Amazon provided getting a handle on our order for a set of side rails for the truck. The Amazon status is and has been in a do-loop going round and round bouncing back and forth between at seller’s dock and held up due to weather. I tried talking to the firm selling the product and got back shipping is Amazon’s problem. On the Amazon site, they have recognized the delivery is late and state that if I do not have it by Jan 17 I can thereafter request a refund. This in no way helps me receive the product which is the single most critical thing I need for the truck since it is a 4WD and higher and difficult to get up into.

Funny Thing

January 13, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

Yesterday I dropped by a windshield shop near us to get an estimate on repairing multiple rock damage to our new truck’s windshield. Pricing was $65 for the first repair, and $25 per repair afterward. Since at least five damaged places that require repair, that pens out to $165 going in. The shop would not repair any windshield requiring more than five places needing repair. Since our truck has 184K miles on it, the windshield is also kinda pitted in places. Bottom line, it turns out that a new windshield is more cost-effective and effecting repairs to the old one. As a result, I have scheduled a replacement for next Wednesday at 1300.

I have noticed an unnatural humming in the drivetrain of the truck while driving it A search on Perplexity revealed the front driveshaft universal joint has what is called a needle grease fitting in it. This fitting requires a special tool to inject grease that not all shops have. Additionally, not all shops, in fact probably the majority, don’t even know the grease fitting is so fitted and miss it in normal grease jobs leading to eventual failure such as I may be hearing now. I’ve instructed our new mechanic to completely check out the u-joints on the drive shaft and replace them as needed.

I’m going through all the thought processes to construct a 100-foot-long railroad tie border along the back of our property. The current flower bed there slopes decidedly down toward the back fence and we want to build it up so it is more level with the backyard. I’ve sourced the ties and have lined up our lawn crew to provide the manual labor to place the ties and lug the fill-in. I’ve purchased two manual hooks to pick up the ties and place them. I have yet to buy the posts etc for the three trellises we are going to build out of cedar fence slats. More on this project later as we progress.

Life In The Fast Lane

January 13, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

This coming week, I have scheduled three of five doctor appointments plus taking the truck in Wednesday afternoon for maintenance. My doctor’s week begins Tuesday with a dental appointment at 1045, a Supply Delivery and heart follow-up at 11:30 on Wednesday, a meeting with my financial advisor on Thursday, and a meeting with my dialysis team on Friday at 0845. We meet with our financial advisor every quarter via video conference, and once a year around my birthday in person where our lunches are on the advisor, in theory at least.

I dropped in our new mechanic’s place this past Saturday and checked it out. Mostly new equipment with lots of experience so I could find a goto place for our auto needs. Up to now, I have accomplished all of the required maintenance by myself but at 86 I’m ready to have a professional take over AND I want something and/or someone in place to take care of this aspect of living in my demise.

This morning coming off the cycler I reminisced to my wife about the music I listened to as a youth. In 1953, as a lad of 13, R&B was just starting to hit the airways. In Springfield, Ohio where I grew up, there was a Friday night dance named El Sombrero held at the YWCA that was free and very well attended. Songs that became mainstays of the R&B movement we often previewed there. The local Catholic Churches on occasion sponsored dances and often brought in aspiring young groups that when on to fame and fortune. It was a great time to be young and growing up. One of the first songs I recall. was “Shake A Hank” by Faye Adams. It was subsequently recorded by many artists but, IMHO, none matched the original. I’ve embedded it below for your entertainment;

Cycler Acting Up -> Again

January 10, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

Last night, I did everything per usual, setting up my assigned Liberty Cycler as provided by Fresenius. There was nothing unusual. I went to bed at about 9:30 PM and turned the Cycler on as usual. What was remarkable was that about midnight, I had to get up and potty. The procedure to accomplish this for us, due to the shorter cycler cassette line is to pull the wall power plug and let our UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) take over so we can wheel the cycler closer to our center bathroom where I can stretch the cassette cord out and do my business. So far business as usual. When my wife and I moved the Cycler back to its normal position in the bedroom she noticed that the Cycler was still on the hookup stage and had not started draining my static fill. This took place shortly after midnight which meant that I had lost several hours of Cycler time for an unknown reason. i know I heard the cycler start its normal drain and fill routine, but neither of the 6-liter bags we use showed any sign of being deployed. So I restarted the process and stayed awake reading until I had received an initial drain and fill then went to sleep. I was awakened around 0830 with the third drain and fourth fill finishing up. I hit the OK button bailed on the fourth dwell and went right to the fourth drain so I could get up at a decent hour.

This is the second time that this has happened. No, I haven’t reported same to “tech support” but if when it happens again I will. Along these lines, I wonder what Fresenius is doing in response to multiple complaints about the shorter cassette lines? Hum?

Still Having Birthdays!

January 9, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

I am authoring this blog on 01/08/2025 for posting on 01/09/2025. Today, 1/8, is my 86th birthday. It seems like yesterday I learned to ride a bike in Springfield, OH, where we lived on Mound Street for the first 17 years of my life. After that, I went off to college in Las Cruces, New Mexico, to return after a semester to Wittenburg in Springfield, which I then left after two semesters to join the US Navy, and I never looked back from there.

Today, my wife took me out for a birthday lunch at Hoffbrau, where I had a great rib-eye steak. Our family—son, wife, and stepdaughter —met us there, and they brought me presents consisting of great socks and a must-wear felt cowboy hat. Now I can be all Texan. Bought myself a small greenhouse to start plants in as a birthday gift to myself. My wife is scheduled to make my favorite dessert – lemon meringue pie. You can’t have any!

But you know what, dialysis aside, yes, I’m now officially a year older but none the worse for wear. I’m getting more steady on my feet and more assured in my stride. I’m coming back and should be in fine shape for warmer weather here when it breaks.

I Continue To Live The Dream

January 8, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

Every day, I feel better and better. At some point, I will have to declare that I’m fully recovered and back to some degree of normalcy. Case in point I went to the local Heb store today. It was hectic probably due to shoppers stocking up for the great blizzard of 4 inches or so expected Thursday/Friday in our environs. I drove our new truck and had to park about a block from the doors. Handled the walk in the cold and distance without any trouble or qualms. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish such a feat a couple of weeks ago. So, bottom line we can recover from whatever. My stomach port is completely healed. Whatever is in the magic stuff Fresenius provides is indeed magical.

Today I completely ordering a bunch of parts for the new truck. I ordered the driver’s side buckle for the seat belt. The spring in it is weak so it doesn’t always return from being pushed down to release. I ordered a cold intake kit to make the engine breathe a little bit better and add a few HP in so doing, along with a dual exhaust system to improve breathing and also improve performance. I also ordered a chip that plugs into the OBDII port to up HP and increase MPG. Today a nav system I previously ordered arrived that is based on Android 13 and ups the stock 5″ screen to a 9″ screen with increased capabilities. I also have a side rail kit en route to make it easier to get in and our of the beast. I’ll be glad when it warms up and I can clean the truck better than the host used car dealer did. Off to shower and accomplish my static fill.

Living The Life

January 7, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

I am feeling better day by day. I have started doing most of the PD tasks that my wife took over during my recent health downturn. I look forward to the time when I will be able to do them all for myself. I am also able to do more outside work. An example is although it is cold here in North Texas, I checked the tire pressure on our new truck and did a couple of other “outside” tasks. My son’s family presented me with a new battery-powered heated vest for Christman and I have been trying it out – it works well and I am enjoying it very much.

First thing Monday morning, we received a notification that our bank in Pecan Plantation was going to be closed because of the weather. When we got up at about 0830, it was bright and sunny, and the temperature was 22F. A few minutes later I received a call from my dermatologist wanting to reschedule my Thursday afternoon appointment. I checked the weather app and saw that we are to receive snow and/or freezing rain on Thursday which must be why the schedule changed. The seat belt release button on the driver’s side seatbelt is sticking down which means the belt latch is hit and miss to close and capture the seatbelt. I sprayed some WD40 on it but don’t know as of this writing whether it is cured or not.

So the weather if the big local news, as is my continued progress back to health. Let’s hope the health trend continues!

Off To A New Week In Which To Excel

January 6, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

Looking forward to this week. I only have one doctor’s appointment – Thursday afternoon with a new one for me dermatologist. I’ve seen him once before when he performed Moh’s Surgery on my left temple. Labs are back – no great surprises there – more of the same.

Friday our son and I traveled 80+ miles from his digs to North Dallas where we viewed, drove, and purchased the 2017 Ram 1500 Tradesman truck we were considering buying and did so. We then both drove back to our digs in Pecan Plantation after which I drove him back to his place in Palo Pinto, TX. Lots of driving but we got it all done. The truck is in great shape and everything works as designed. I previously mentioned it is high mileage but has been maintained including a new engine, battery, tires, etc. Since it is a 4WD it is a little high for me to get up in so I have ordered side rails for it which I will install as soon as the weather warms up again – we are due for a cold spell here in N. Texas. I also ordered a replacement 9″ Android 13 navigation unit along with fungibles like oil filters etc. The hood has some bumps in it, and the body has some scratches, but I will work through all of this in due course. More about this as we progress.

Underway As Before

January 3, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

If nothing had changed on a US Navy warship underway in hostile waters, the first log entry for a new watch section was always “Underway As Before.” That log entry matches what’s going on with me now. I have recovered from whatever was ailing me, and have fallen back into the routine of doctor appointments sprinkled with doing jobs around the house.

Thursday’s Fresenius lab visit went smoothly. My current dialysis nurse, Cindy, has been promoted to area supervisor and is in the process of breaking in her relief who I met during labs. I was able to stop by the Granbury office of my cardiologist and made the follow-up two-week appointment with his Nurse Practitioner. That leaves one more new appointment to make, which is with a new local neurologist to investigate the calcification of veins first reported by my dermatologist.

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicle/730965743?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email_marketing_crm&utm_campaign=at_na_na_vdp_interested_ctr_na_na&utm_content=button_na_atvdp-stillinterested_na_na_CRMATVDPINTERESTED_vdp&lnx=CRMATVDPINTERESTED&emid=e3b0c44298fc1c149afbf4c8996fb92427ae41e4649b934ca495991b7852b855I’ve had my eye out for a new work truck for some time. Found a 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Tradesman in Dallas. It has lots of mileage on it but is a single owner, the engine was replaced some 60K miles ago and is otherwise well-maintained. I called, put $500 down via credit card to hold it, and am driving some 78 miles today to see it and probably close the deal and have it delivered to our home in Pecan Plantation. You can see details of the truck here.

Looking Back to go Forward

January 2, 2025 / Henry Feeser / 0 Comments

Well, the New Year is behind us. As with the past twenty years or so, I went to bed early and was not bothered here in Pecan Plantation by fireworks. Upcoming this week is setting up a couple more doctor appointments, a dialysis lab tomorrow, and assorted other tasks. I’m looking pretty seriously at a 2017 Dodge Ram single-cab Tradesman 4×4 for hauling stuff for the house. We’ll see how that works out. So far my wife’s new 2023 BMW 330Xi is performing very well. I’ve just about got all the bells and whistles under control which is a good thing.

I thought I would include in this blog a video which is below concerning the heart procedure I just underwent for increased clarity. They did enter via my groin area, and I did undergo four hours of laying flat in bed after the procedure. I took the bandage off after 24 hours, showered, and am no worse for wear. In this regard, the human body is a wonderful thing.