Back From NIH

Where do I start? I got back from DC on Friday. I had to be at NIH at 7am for bloodwork. I set a record for myself. 32 vials of blood taken from one vein! Yikes! After bloodwork I had my bone density scan. That was perfect. Then I had an utlrasound of my kidney. It looked good, great blood flow and it is still the same size, which it really good. Then at 2 I met with Dr. Kirk. I love that man. We talked for about 1.5 hours about everything. He said my labs were really good. I have no viruses, infections, cancer or anything to be concerned with. My kidney function continues to be excellent, but I do have some protein in my urine, and slightly high cholesterol. He doesnt want to treat it, but instead wants me to make changes to my diet and exercise more. We talked alot about pregnancy. He seems pretty excited in helping me thru this. He has a good friend that he went to medical school with that works at UofM. He will be calling him this week and wants me to be seen by only him for all my kidney/pregnancy issues. I am so happy, because I have been having a hard time getting someone to call me back from the U. I will be starting on Clomid soon, but Dan has to get his stuff tested first. They want to make sure there is nothing wrong with his swimmers first before I go on anything. I asked him if this is wise for me to be persuing pregnancy and he said "after you have your baby, you will look back and say it was the hardest thing you have ever done" Then he said if he had any doubts about me and pregnancy, he would advise me otherwise, and he isnt. So all in all it was a great visit. I am still scared, maybe more so now, but its ok. I knew it wouldnt be easy.

Then at the end of the visit, Dr Kirk tells me he is leaving NIH, so he can take the research I was part of and bring it mainstream at a hospital in Atlanta. I pretty much lost it. Crying all over the place, making a fool of myself. He told me that I would always be his patient and I can see him in Atlanta, but it still was such a shock. He was the reason I loved NIH so much. He is by far the most amazing doctor. And he is so normal. He answers the phone when I call him, he answers every email I send him within an hour, and he always has me call him by his first name. I feel like a teenager leaving home for the first time. The thought of not having him to turn to whenever I am freaking out is so scary. I remember calling him one time right after transplant at 2am scared that something was wrong with my kidney, his words were "OK Becky, come in off the ledge, its going to be ok" I'll miss him alot.

Well, I guess I will be making an appt for Dan this week, and probably starting clomid in May.