1. I had blood work done last Thursday and have been waiting for the results to come floating into my inbox. The notification came today.
All my markers improved. My kidney function gained three points since my last blood work -- I improved from 14% to 17%. My creatinine and BUN levels dropped some. The spike in glucose in my July blood work was gone. My potassium levels had dropped, my CO2 levels were back up to normal, and everything else was in range.
I've had a lot of reasons for getting out on hikes so often. Yes, I've hungered to be in the natural world and I've been trying to get back to taking more pictures again, but I've also come to believe over the last several years that walking, hiking, and biking helps keep my diseased kidneys functioning at a more stable level. I don't really know the difference between cause and effect and correlation when it comes to hiking/walking/biking and my kidney function, but I'm going to keep myself moving and I'm going to continue to tell myself that the moving is helping to keep dialysis at bay. I've also been continuing to eat a reduced amount of meat. I've been mindful of eating smaller amounts of high potassium foods. I am enjoying all of this. It's been good for my body and my spirit. I know I'm not well, but I feel great. These blood test results encouraged me to keep doing what I'm doing to keep my spirits up by enjoying the way I worship, the food I'm eating, the music I listen to, the ways I keep my mind active, the glory of the outdoors, and the company I keep with friends and family.
2. I went on my first hike since the exuberant Bowzer knocked me over on the Pulaski Tunnel Trail eight days ago. I drove up to the Coal Creek Trailhead where I knew if I hiked the lower part of the trail, I could test my toe on some moderate inclines and I knew that it was a modest distance to the bridge that crosses Coal Creek before the trail ascends into the mountains.
I was right. This hike was a good test for my toe and I didn't risk overdoing it. I remembered to bring poles along and started to get a sense of how to use them, a good thing.
We've had some rain recently and some cooler weather. These conditions have had an electrifying effect on the Coal Creek basin. The trail skirts rock slides and these rocks are now covered with moss. In fact, everything along the trail like the mossy logs and the creek side foliage radiated varying shades of green. It was stunning. Several times, I stopped and marveled at the varying degrees of light and the union of water, rocks, logs, foliage, and trees, on their interdependence. I experienced communion today. There were moments when I, as a sojourner here, an outsider, felt at one with all that was growing, flowing, resting, and dying around me and my thoughts moved to how I, too, like the forest, am growing, flowing, resting, and dying in union with the world I move through every day.
3. Back home, I peeled of my left shoe and sock to inspect my injured toe. It was bleeding lightly. I cleaned it and put bandages on it. Otherwise, my toe held up pretty well. The hike didn't anger my toe; there was no increase in inflammation or swelling. I only had a couple of incidents on the trail when I jammed my left foot against a rock sticking out of the trail or as I descended a couple of spots when I felt any discomfort. I was heartened that my hike today had raised my spirits and invigorated my heart and lungs, but not at the expense of further damage to my recovering big toe.
No comments:
Post a Comment