YAAT

I was informed by my dialysis nurse Cindy that on Wednesday I am to participate in Yet Another Adequacy Test (YAAT.) For the uninitiated, this means that on Tuesday I start collecting my urine, and use only 2.5% solution for dialysis, all of which will be collected and taken to the Fresenius Clinic on Wednesday. I will have a blood draw at the clinic, and all this “stuff” will be sent to the lab where they will calculate a Kt/V based on these biologicals. Hopefully, this latest measurement will be improved over the rounded 1.8 number I have been exhibiting indicating that my latest dialysis prescription is an improvement over past ones.

Today, Monday my BP is hanging in there in the 100/60 area. Since BP is such an important and central measurement in our overall health, not just those of us on dialysis, below I’ve included a copy of the handout provided by Fresenius relating to this subject. Note that the target Systolic range Fresenius suggests is between 100 and 140; they do not provide a target Diastolic range, which I have operationalized as above 60. I know when I’m below this number I start to feel it. See the PDF embedded below.

The lead photo is to remind me that I have not always been subjected to the restraints of dialysis. It is a picture taken about 10 years ago of our sailboat, a 1988 Catalina 30 tied up at the main pier of Padre Island Yacht Club in Corpus Christi, TX flying flags in memory of the person we bought the boat from. Times were different then, a venturesome life embedded in my memory. Sometimes thoughts and memories are the medicine that guides us over, through, and around rocks and shoales.