Update #14 - The Winner Is.....

Okay...this is pretty amazing...as I mentioned, Karen's creatinine level had dropped from approx 3.5 all the way down to 2.0 in less than 24 hours.  We eagerly awaited her results from her 6 a.m. blood work this morning.  Her creatinine level was 1.2!!!!  NORMAL kidney function for you and I is 0.5-1.3.  That's it!  Karen has "NORMAL" kidney function!! 

Now the rest of her body needs to catch up!

So people probably want to know who won the "Creatinine Level Challenge"....none other than....with a stunningly accurate guess of 1.2....Peter Schaaf!  Many of you may ask yourself, "Who's Peter Schaaf?"  Well, that's a great question.  I think the following link answers that question better than I ever could.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrLrb3CY7_8

Some may think from the video that he looks like he's changed since high school.  Well...I have a funny story about that:

In 2005, the family and I were stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, AZ.  Following our move to Arizona, we looked up Amy Schierenbeck, as she was on old friend from high school.  She invited Karen, Austin, and I (Lena was still just a bun in the oven) over for dinner one night, and mentioned in a brief conversation that Peter Schaaf also was living in the Phoenix area.  When we arrived at Amy's house, I went to drop some stuff off in the kitchen, where a middle-age man stood that I did not know.  I reached out to shake his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Bob Ungerman."  He shook my hand and said, "Hi Bob Ungerman, I'm Peter Schaaf."  What made it special was the WAY that he said it...almost like, "Hi idiot, you've known me for 20 years."  Oops.

So Peter, congratulations.  As you can imagine, Karen is absolutely ecstatic about speaking with you.  The first time I asked, "Do you remember Peter Schaaf?"  She looked at me, then passed out from pain and nausea.  A few hours later I asked again, she said, "No," then asked me to get the nurse.  She's not saying it explicitly, but I think she's trying to tell me that she's really excited about your upcoming conversation.  Be sure to send me you phone number soonest.  I think she's going to ask for it any minute.

Today is much better than yesterday for Karen.  She has already taken two walks, and we have two more to go.  I had to coerce her into the first one, but the second one she asked to do herself!  She said she feels better when she's walking, rather than laying in bed.  She has been complaining of a headache, which may be from being stiff from laying in bed.  That or the fact that she just had a kidney transplant.

Karen's mother and sister came to visit earlier.  It's hit-or-miss with Karen right now.  Sometimes any talking saps her energy...other times she seems a bit more content.  I think she had a little of both during her "visitation".  Hopefully she will feel a bit better tonight, so she can talk for a bit before Jenny has to travel back to Florida tomorrow.

I don't think Karen is quite ready for visitors.  Definitely not tomorrow...possibly on Saturday...I would think definitely on Sunday.  Still no flowers, and further discussion with the nurse says even when we are in the hotel (and at home) flowers are not a great idea.  They are worried that some germ/parasite/bacteria/fungus/etc? could be on the flowers, and end up infecting Karen.  I'll keep asking the question, but hold-off for now.  A couple bouquets arrived before I sent out the "no flower" message.  They are sitting at the end of the hall.  When we go for our walks, we get to see them.  They always make her smile.

Bottom line, she's getting better.  The pain and nausea are subsiding.  She's walking more.  She's talking more.  And she's smiling more.  Which I love.

Cheers!

-Bob