Hi, everyone. Wow, I think we may be past the worst of it now. We have had a few up's and a few downs.

The biggest "up's" are that Rich is now able to drive, so I don't have to take him to his clinicals, and the fact that last week was the final week that he needed to have 2 clinicals a week. Each clinical is about 4 hours, so even though Rich can drive into Grand Rapids himself, I still have to leave the office, drive downtown to St Mary's for the clinical, (it is essential that I am at the clinicals) and then drive back to work. He is still having two labs a week. The down was that when we went in last Friday, we found out that his creatinine had gone up again. Our hearts sank thinking, "Another hospital stay."

Fortunately they did not put him back in the hospital, but decided to see what his levels were for his Monday labs. We have so much to be grateful for as they did go down slightly by Monday, so no more hospital talk for now! !

This is the the first week that either of us have felt that we have had any time to breath. Rich is starting to have a little more energy again, and I know it did his heart and sanity good to be able to go to church on Sunday. He was pretty tired after church and went right home to go to sleep! He felt much better when he woke up.

I truly believe that things will start to get better now! We have been holding at 21 different prescriptions for almost two weeks now, so it is getting a little easier to set up Rich's daily meds.
Also, our very dear friend, Shirley, printed off a cookbook for us that tells all the different quantities of potassium, phosphorous, sodium, carbs, protiens, calories and fats for each recipe.
I have spent the last month trying to calculate all of this from 5 different charts~! Meds and meals have felt like a full time job. Plus working 40 hours~! No grumbling involved, but I have felt bad that I have not had time to post anything on the blog.

So all the positive things?
Rich can drive.
Creatinine levels are evening out.
Less clinicals.
Meds are holding.
Meals without hours of calculating.
More energy. (For both of us)
Our faith which has gotten us through all of this~ ~ ~
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And Ingrid, who has made such a sacrifice, based on her faith.

Our love to everyone!
Rich and Rita