I’m nearly in the end of the plasmapheresis. I’m getting the dialysis now three times a week. Hope to get home on Wednesday.

This dialysis staff here is really remarkable. Many of them are from the Philippines, trained there, and some had great experience in Saudi Arabia. Apparently because of poor diet, there are a lot of Saudi Arabians with end-stage renal disease. Fortunately, nurses have found their way to Vermont and are extremely skilled and friendly.

Unfortunately, there’s been a little change in my kidney function. The antibodies are still present and will need immuno suppressant for a long. period of time. The drugs I’m taking it quite horrible really, such as the high dose prednisone and the cyclophosphamide. On top of this, there are numerous other drugs they give me to prevent other infections. Dessert seems to come in the form of pills.

What a crazy disease this really is. Suddenly your immune system turns on you. Whack. And then somehow we have to find a way to temperate, or slow it down. The human body is something that is really amazing. What triggers some of these diseases is still unknown which in some ways is somewhat frightening. Hopefully this treatment will quiet it and we return of kidney function.

In any regard, I’ve been blessed with continued wonderful nursing care on McClure six. These nurses and LNAs work very hard. The unit is typically full. The nurses never seem. to complain. They deserve much more credit than they get. I had nurse “Goodluck” singing to me yesterday. Kristie had the Thanksgiving night shift. Kristie is just an amazing nurse with a work ethic I’ve never seen. Her mom had just died yet she still worked her shift. There’s nothing better than a great nursing care when you’re sick.

Another great service at the Uvm Medical Center is the food service. It actually works amazingly well. There is a nice menu, with many choices, and you call ahead and, order like room service. Within about an hour, a warm meal appears, in and the food is a high-quality. I have seen no flaws in the system. It must be quite an operation to watch with all the patients that they need to feed each day. It seems efficient in that food is not wasted, as people order what they are going to eat. A plus for that !

Thank you again for your support which has been amazing. Frank.