December 31, 2019
I met with Dr. F again to go over the lab and urinalysis results. She stated that looking back through all the labs I had provided her, my kidney function actually started to decline in 2016. It was still within the normal range, but my creatinine had made a significant jump in 2016. Hmmm… 2016 was when I wasn’t feeling right, something was “off,” and I started getting the lines in my skin from the sheets during the night. Was that related? That was probably around when the leg cramps started too. Was that related? Or was I just making those symptoms fit this new information? Who knows.
She said I needed to have a kidney biopsy. It was the only way to be able to determine exactly what was going on. I said absolutely. Again, I was now NINE months out from my initial episode with no definitive answer. It was long past time. She said that kidney biopsies generally go smoothly and that none of her patients ever had an issue.
But, and it’s a big BUT, do you know what they do if the kidney doesn’t stop bleeding after the biopsy?
THEY HAVE TO REMOVE YOUR FREAKIN’ KIDNEY!
For reals. There is no other option. Well then. That wasn’t what I was expecting to hear. She said the only time she had heard of this happening is with people who are hemophiliacs. Part of the pre-procedure lab work would include a measure of the clotting factor of my blood to rule out any potential problems. Onward and upward.
Hemoglobin: 9.0
Protein in the Urine: 7986
Low, Low, Low 