Foot Surgery Update and Labs

Good news on both fronts.

I recently had labs done (although it seems like I am ALWAYS having labs done).  I’m on an every-other month schedule for blood work, but still get monthly checks on the level of BK virus in my urine. My creatinine is rock stable at 1.1, and my BK virus levels went down quite a bit since October; from 9200 to 1200, which is great! Hopefully, I’ll soon be seeing negatives. If/when that happens, it will be interesting to see if they want to put me back on CellCept. I haven’t taken it since July 2009, and there are no signs of rejection in my labs (I’ve never had a biopsy), so I’m hoping they’ll just keep me on “monotherapy” (Tacrolimus/Prograf). My Tacrolimus level is holding steady as well; 7.5 last month and 7.2 in November.

This past week, I went for my final Orthopaedics follow up from my April foot surgery. I’m walking great,and all I wear know on the left is a hard plastic shoe insert. I have to go for a slight adjustment for that, but it’s working out fine. It is a little weird being able for my ankle to bend while I’m walking, but I’m used to that now. I still wear the orthotic on my right, which keeps my foot in a set position, but I’ve been wearing that for 5 years now, so I don’t even notice that.

They did x-rays of my left foot before my appointment this week, and I was able to get a copy of before and after films, which I’ve posted below. (clickable thumbnails)

The doctor was a little disappointed that my left foot isn’t fully corrected, but I’m ecstatic with the result. He was only able to correct the first 2 foot bones, as I had an infected ulcer on the outside of my foot; doing so would have risked infection of the hardware.

I just finished a course of antibiotics.  Several weeks back, the day after the “big” Nor’easter, I was on my way into the house where I work as a nurse, and slipped on some black ice.  I landed on my back, and my elbow came down pretty hard on the road.  I had a superficial laceration of my elbow, and it hurt, but I just cleaned it out and went on my way.  2 weeks later, I went to my doctor, and was diagnosed with cellulitis of the elbow and bursitis.  The pain is finally gone, but it’s still a bit red, so I’ll have to keep an eye on it for now.

I am also going less frequently for transplant follow up; every 4 months, rather than 3, so my next appointment is January. I’m hoping that there won’t be any more repeats next year as I had this past year (unplanned surgery, acute renal failure).

On the work front, I’m switching positions within the same job. Rather than being a “float”, I’ll be working permanently at a clinic near my home.  It will be nice to have a set caseload of patients, rather than covering different offices each week.  I was supposed to also be doing case management in West Virginia (via phone), and even received licensure in that state, but that went by the wayside when I took the new position.  Ironically, I used to be a teacher in West Virginia, in the same area as the setting for the movie “October Sky”.