Nephros Writes

Yesterday I launched my new blog "Nephros Writes". It's where I'm going to start publishing stuff about the stories and poetry I've been working on, along with occasional commentary and reviews of things I've been reading, watching and listening to. Basically stuff that up till now has largely resided in my notebooks or in half-finished drafts, and stuff that doesn't really belong on this blog which is mainly about my CKD and other gripes about the 'real world'. I started by republishing the poem I wrote back in October about CKD.

Trawling the January sales

I hate others buying me clothes, my size and shape means getting clothes that fit nicely, or that aren't hideous can be challenging. I can't trust standard sizes, because they're not really standard, and you can't trust the cut without trying on, many a time I've found a pair of trousers that fit my waist but then have inexplicably narrow legs, as if designed for a ball shaped person with pipecleaner legs! So every year I tell people not to buy me clothing as gifts, and every December this is ignored, and every January I take the unwated clothing back to be refunded or exchanged.

So over the last couple of weeks I've made my annual January trip to the shops. I don't like shopping, bookshops excepted, but it's a necessary evil and I could do with a few new shirts for work. I was hoping to snag a bargain amongst all the seasonal shite and leftovers hauled out of the store room; the better quality, well designed stuff that looks good year in year out generally stays full price, but you do get the odd bit of luck. Sadly, I didn't have any luck. There was no shortage of shite on sale, but one thing that stuck me looking at shirts is how many, nominally good quality shirts there were on sale, but in unusual sizes. I typically take an 18 inch collar regular fit shirt, tailored and slim fit are too tight for someone my size (slim fit is for bean poles, tailored fit is basically slim with regular shoulders). There were an awful lot of slim and tailored fit shirts on sale with 17 to 20 inch collars, which when you think about it is a pretty niche market, Okay, you might get some roid head musclemen with slim wastes and big necks who rock a tailored 17 inch collar shirts, but a slim fit shirt with a 20 inch neck?  

A reprieve of sorts

Okay, I had my Nephrology appointment last week and the result was something of a reprieve. I weighed in at 114kg, reflecting too many sweets and not enough exercise over the holidays, but the main thing was my GFR had gone back up to 31. Last time out it had dipped to 25, raising fears I was sliding towards failure, but the consultant now thinks my kidneys were 'too dry' when the previous test was taken. It doesn't stop the inevitable, but it pushes back the horizon and I’m grateful for that.

I had been a little worried the test results had been compromised. The day after bloods were taken I got a call from the surgery saying one of the four vials had been damaged in transit and 'could I come back for another test'? At the time I was on the M40 heading north for New Year, so that was a negative. Fortunately, it seems the damaged vial was one of the less important tests. My blood pressure is good, so my medication has been left alone, but I’ve been told to watch my potassium levels as they’re on the high side. The potassium may well be the culprit behind my muscle cramps and probably means the end of peanut based treats.

Whilst I was there I handed in my fourth semen sample for andrology analysis; twelve months on and I’m still don't waiting for the all clear from my vasectomy (although I do know my fertility is severely limited).