Test Results and more Questions

Ugh! This morning after breakfast I went out front and raked the leaves from the walnut trees and then went out back and dead headed the roses and picked tomatoes and raspberries. I ate all the raspberries that I picked and a few of the cherry tomatoes but the rest of the tomatoes I brought into the house.

I had used about a dozen cherry tomatoes in my hash brown potatoes and also mixed in some yellow pepper and green onions and I put some hot salsa on top of my egg beaters so I got plenty of vegetables in my breakfast.

After I took the tomatoes into the house I changed into some shoes and took my self for a walk, but not until I took some pain meds. This was one of the first walks that I have had lately where I did not get really sore about half way through my walk. I did feel a little twinge but nothing too bad and by the time I finished with my walk it was not bothering me.

Moral to this story I guess is stay doped up! I do not like having to take so much Vicodin, but right now it seems to be the only way that I can function to any degree.

Speaking of medications I got called back today about the blood work and everything looked pretty good except my potassium is a little low so I need to double the potassium-chloride that I already take. So not instead of taking one 20MEWQ only in the morning I now also have to take one 20MEWQ in the evening as well.

I guess that some of the problems with my chronic radiation proctitis (kind of like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has caused low levels of potassium. The radiation proctitis produces conditions that can cause potassium deficiency like diarrhea, excessive sweating, and use of diuretics (for my blood pressure). I also may have to cut out coffee for a while as I understand that it helps deplete the potassium level, bummer!

The same conditions that cause potassium deficiency also effects the magnesium levels in the body and magnesium and potassium go hand in hand so I might need to take a magnesium supplement as well. I guess that is something else that I should talk to the doctor's office about.

Right now I am waiting for another call from the doctor's office to see what he wants me to do about the Lotrel that has probably helped cause me feet swelling. Well, I need to get my feet up again so I will wrap this up for tonight.