Blog Break (Updated)

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I have been diagnosed with hydronephrosis of the left kidney. Stage 3, but the kidney is functioning. The obstruction is partial and the cause is unknown (side effect of last fall's chickenpox vaccinations, congenital condition, other damage to the ureter).

Personal Update

Finally! 

Some good lab numbers from a physical!

 For the first time in over two years, my GFR, a value indicating the kidneys' filtration rate, is approaching normal. Click directly on the graphic below to enlarge it:

I've been feeling so much better, and the numbers here show why.

This round of health hell, which began in September 2016, is over — at long last. So grateful for my wonderful urologist and surgeon, who turned around my terrible numbers so that I could avoid dialysis.  The November 2016 surgery to remediate hydronephrosis was a resounding success!

Personal Update

(For politics, please scroll down)

(This post serves as the explanation for my pulling back from the blogs and for my use of comment moderation here when I am typically a staunch supporter of freedom of expression)

hydronephrotic kidney

I'm going through hell here.


Grinding pain since June 9. As yet, no end to this pain is in sight.


My usual blogging activities have been curtailed and will become even more curtailed.

Personal Update

(For politics, please scroll down)

Note: I foresee that I will be a while before I get back to blogging full steam ahead. This post explains why. My dear friend Warren will be taking up my slack as he finds time to do so:

Yesterday, I saw my kidney surgeon for a follow-up visit to my November 21 surgery to address hydronephrosis of the left kidney — that diagnosis determined in early June (although I'd been having off-and-on nebulous symptoms since at least March). The doctor has now increased the dosages of my various medications so that I can get better rest and walk more comfortably. I'm also allowed, at long last, to apply heat to my abdomen to bring some relief to the cramps caused by the ureteral stent, required after last week's surgery. What a relief applying heat is!

Tell you what: kidney disease, the resulting pain, and the surgery to correct the problem drastically interfere with life! All this makes you wish that your mother had never met your father!  Both politics and blogging take a back seat.

Down For The Count (Updated)

I'm having some health problems and am in a great deal of pain (lower left quadrant of the abdomen).  The pain (renal colic) has become severe enough that I'm missing the last day of classes of this school term.

I'm now in pursuit of a definitive diagnosis and treatment.  And relief!

A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis has detected an abnormality of the left ureter.  Today I'll be spending the day in the urologist's office and in various labs. Part of the time, I anticipate having access to post any comments trapped in moderation.

Back whenever.

Update (June 10, 2016)

I have been diagnosed with hydronephrosis of the left kidney. Stage 3.

Nuclear imaging on Monday, June 13 to evaluate the output of each kidney. Cystoscopy and ureteroscopy on Wednesday, June 22 — if not sooner.

Back When I'm Feeling Better

(For politics, please scroll down)

Still dealing with health issues: namely, bilateral hydronephrosis, with the left kidney in crisis at this time.

What misery!

I am scheduled soon for a nephrostomy.

This procedure, if successful, serves two purposes: (1) to drain the kidney so as to save as much kidney tissue as possible and (2) to ascertain if all the pain I've been having for the past several months stems from a blocked ureter or from nerve damage to the kidney itself.

If the former, I will be undergoing ureteral pyeloplasty in a few months. If the latter, I will be undergoing a nephrectomy in a few months.

Comments intermittently on moderation until I recover from the nephrostomy.

This is the summer from hell.