About Me

My photo
Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Commercial Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Heart and Kidney Update after Hyperkalemia

 The week before Christmas was the worst one for me...
Suddenly got so weak and sick—vomiting even after three sips of water!
SO, I learned to lay low and REST and pray.
Because I still wanted to make it to Florida—where I'd booked us already in October—those 7 free nights for points.
And YES, I did make it to drive to Florida on December 26, and I only needed REST, vitamin D from swimming, walking and biking.
Eating healthy and finding my way out of this.
Well, my nephrologist had SHOCKED me on December 19, when he delivered the news that from 28% kidney function in June, now it only was 25%... and I had a heart murmur!
~
While I was sick, I called my nephrologist's office twice but no person on the line!
A nurse on a recording and she never bothered to call me back.
But I started analyzing things on my own and learned a LOT.
This by the way is me on the scale before breakfast, on my B'day and in my B'day suit—haha!
49.7 kg or 109.5 lb.
Just wanted to SEE if it was true what I felt...
Yep, only 66 cm or 26 inches.
Aha—that's WHY my 28 inch low rise jeans from Australia (Last Call by Neiman Marcus) FELL OFF MY HIPS!
Pieter solved it, by adding 3 more holes in his former belt that I used...
Guess the week before Christmas I suffered from Hyperkalemia and for that I've drastically changed my diet.
I knew that I had to limit my potassium intake but since my kidney function went down—it is even more serious to strictly adhere to that!
Hyperkalemia from any cause may produce nausea and vomiting... as published by healthfully.com
Guess that was also why it was affecting my heart, causing palpitations when running up and down the stairs and very much I felt it in Colorado at the high altitude pedestrian bridge...
Pieter said, he's having that problem already very long and that's why he alters his pace and needs frequent rests.
Weakness, dizziness, lightheadedness all have been felt.
Sure, as being advised by the Mayo Clinic—I knew already those 3 points:
Avoid products with added salt.
Choose lower potassium foods.
Limit the amount of protein you eat.
The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that as potassium increases, people are likely to notice muscle aches and cramps, fatigue, weakness, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, nausea...
Mayo Clinic about Kidney Disease Symptoms.
Loss of appetite I've never had and I sure hope not any decreased mental sharpness...! 
All the REST—YES except swelling of feet and ankles.
Such lists are helpful in knowing what to avoid!
No more coffee...!
CHOCOLATES! Good grief... and even salt substitutes!
Sure milk I have not taken for quite a while, only Trader Joe's soy milk as that has the LOWEST percentage of sugar—another thing to watch being diabetes type 2.
With fruits I'm fine—still a lot left to enjoy!

But I'm feeling a LOT BETTER since I've altered my diet.
Not for losing weight but purely to SURVIVE just a little longer...

Maybe this will be helpful for others as well.
My singing with the choir goes better—as I have more breath!
AND on February 1st my housekeeper started and that is super as now I find more time for doing the laundry, the shopping, the cooking + biking!

There is hope and with lots of prayers we have made it this far and even together in a blissful relationship.
May God grant us some more time together—so grateful for everything we lived through and for the fond memories and many friends all over the world!

Related link:
{Cashmere Words of Wisdom & Update} | previous post shortly after Mom died from Chronic Kidney Disease—she had almost 7 years of dialysis...

24 comments:

  1. Oh my! All the foods to avoid are things I eat daily. And people already ask me the question "what do you eat" when they hear I am plant-based. Glad to hear you are doing much better. I think you and Pieter are very good at making the changes needed and managing your lifestyle in a way that is conducive to maintaining health and happiness. When I had the heart arrhythmia for several weeks in 2021 the doctor told me to reduce stress, caffeine and to eat bananas and kiwi even though all my numbers checked out perfectly fine. The symptoms listed above could be related to many different causes so it's not always easy to figure out exactly what's best -- but definitely we have to listen to our bodies and intuition. And take our health into our own hands when the doctor's office isn't answering calls. Take care and enjoy your bike rides.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Tammy,
      Yes, both of us have made rigorous decisions throughout our lives and we stick to it. You have to have that Discipline! You learned also to look out for yourself and to drastically change certain things. Coffee for me is out but I sure enjoyed having it. Listening to our bodies and following intuition is the best as nobody else is going to do it for you!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  2. Quanto sei magro!Spera che ora tu stia bene.Auguri per la tua salute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cara Olga,
      No, non sono magra, ma sono sempre stata bella da costruire, mai grossolana. Mi sento molto meglio, quindi vai avanti.
      Abbracci,
      Mariette

      Delete
  3. I am praying for yours and Pieter's good health.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Victor,
      Thank you and you can omit the 'good' as just health will do for keeping us alive 😏
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  4. Mariette, I'm really glad you're doing better. I applaud you for doing research and changing your diet. ♥

    My mom's kidney function is down to 15.5% (actually up slightly from her previous test). She does NOT bother to make any diet/lifestyle changes. However, she has a host of other serious health issues and weighs 78 pounds or less now, so perhaps she thinks it's not worth it. She could be right, she has endured stoically in severe chronic pain for many years. (Five discs in her back have disintegrated, among other issues.) She has declined dialysis, btw, as the "cost" to it outweighs the benefit in her case. (She's 82 now.)

    Anyway, I hope YOU have many more years ahead with Pieter! You have a terrific mindset, are active and proactive, and are doing all that you can.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Kim,
      At the moment feeling a lot better and I hope I can stabilize myself a bit.
      Your Mom is certainly in the end–stage and I too don't want dialysis as it is only prolonging your life and you have no freedom whatsoever. Admired Mom doing that but I will not.
      Your Mom's weight shows she's very frail. Life is not always easy and sure not the final stage for so many suffering any chronic illness.
      Prayers is all that can support her and the rest is up to our Big Physician...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  5. Praying for you and Pieter, Mariette. Stay healthy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Martha Jane
      Thank you and we try very hard to delay our decline...
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  6. Espero que tenga mejorĂ­a, con un buen tratamiento.
    Besos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Querida AntĂłnia,
      Mejorar no es posible, pero si no me deterioro demasiado rĂĄpido!
      Abrazos,
      Mariette

      Delete
  7. Oh Mariette, I had no idea the severity. I knew you had to eat a restrictive diet due to your kidney disease. I will keep you in my prayers. At least you are starting to feel some improvement due to a diet change. That's good. For the last few days I have been having stomach issues. I have GERD and I no longer have a gallbladder - but have been having some awful stomach cramping. Yesterday I threw up. So my son, the dietician suggested more fiber and to go at it slowly. I don't know what is going on - I'll get it checked out.

    You take care and know I am praying for your health daily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Debby,
      Well, I am very happy the way I am feeling now! This drastic diet change has worked miracles so far and I hope I can stretch my remaining time. Thanks for your prayers—welcome offer as that is something that really helps.
      It sounds though that you as well need my prayers for feeling well again.
      Wishing you to feel well soon!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  8. Dear Mariette, I'm so sorry that you are going through all of this. My dear mom had kidney failure, and we all took care of her. It looks like you have a lot of information regarding your symptoms. I do hope you get the right care and treatment for what you are going through. Sending you comfort and love this Friday afternoon.

    ~Sheri

    **My friend's blog, Afternoon Coffee and Evening Tea is on my side bar (first one). I have a hard time adding links on my blog, but I probably should learn to do that. ; )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Sheri,
      Sounds like both our Mom's lived through the same problems... My Mom passed away on January 27, 2015 after almost 7 years of dialysis. She was a trooper!
      Found your friend's blog and I've sent you an email with little tutorial. You can still add it and it is real easy!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  9. Hello Mariette! Happy to stop by and say hello! I am so sorry to read of your struggles with high potassium, and having to be so careful what you eat. It is good to have the information available though about how to help your body the best you can. You will be in prayers that all will continue to go well! Blessings and hugs to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Marilyn,
      Thank you for your visit and I've been first to your blog.
      Yes, finding healthy food to eat is complicated and eating out is out of question! At least for the fast food varieties.
      Trying hard to live as healthy as possible and of course with the help of prayers!
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  10. I am praying and have been praying for you and Pieter ever since I learned about your health issues.

    Sending you lots of hugs, prayers and positive vibes, dearest Mariette.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Veronica,
      Yes and you have been quite a support during my final trip back to The Netherlands!
      That is very much appreciated and sending you lots of hugs for doing so, from both of us.
      Mariette and Pieter

      Delete
  11. I read every word and see everything that you have shown us you are going through. It requires extreme care and discipline. I know you have that discipline. If I don't know anything else, I know that to be true.
    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Katie Isabella,
      Thank you and yes when having no other choice—the extreme discipline and care kicks in.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete
  12. Despite your dietary restrictions, it is very good to be aware of choosing foods according to your physical contribution. That's the only way to stay healthy.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dearest Christina,
      At least by living with an even more strict diet—I feel a lot better and my nasty killer cramps at night have vanished, so now I know what caused them.
      Trying hard to slow the kidney decline down—that is all I can and WILL do.
      Hugs,
      Mariette

      Delete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...

Copyright:

MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS © 2009. All rights reserved - Text and images may not be copied for distribution or sale.

213 Countries visited with 277 flags since:

free counters

Total Pageviews

Blog Archive

Google Analytics

Labels

4th of July (8) Accordion (8) Advent (24) ALL SAINTS DAY | ALL SOULS DAY (2) Aluminum Roofing (11) Amaretti cookies (15) American Airlines (4) American Mushroom Institute (2) Angels (123) Angels We Know By Name (12) Archiving (32) Arizona (19) Australia (25) Auto Immune Disease (12) Ava Grace's closet (10) Baccarat Crystal (65) Backyard Wildlife HABITAT Certificate (8) Barlow Tyrie Capri Lounger (2) Bathing Suits (10) BB and L (4) Belgium (2) Benjamin Moore (14) Biking (34) Birthdays (39) Blissful Relationship (130) Blog Award (20) Blog Pageviews (15) Blogger I Admire (33) Blogger Tips (27) Bobèches (6) Bok Tower (3) Bridal Gowns (6) Britex Fabrics (12) Britex Notions (10) Bulgaria (3) Burberry (33) Burberry Tuxedo (6) Bypass Surgery (8) Cable Car (5) Camille Tharaud (9) Campbell Soup (42) Canada (31) Canada Rail Vacations (4) Candles (40) Carbon Footprint (10) Carillon (2) Cat Nurse (1) Cathedral/Basilica/Church (96) Ceramic Chandelier (6) Certified Podologist (2) Chanel (20) Chaperon (5) Cherubs (20) Childhood (19) Chile (7) China (15) Chocolate (33) Christie's (30) Christmas (63) Christofle (28) Christofle (Memoire) David Rosenberg (11) Chronic Kidney Disease (15) Citizen Journalism (10) CitizenM (2) Coffee Cup (5) Colonnade Outlets at Sawgrass (8) Communism (15) Conference (35) Congress (29) Consulting (153) Costco (2) Countries visited (38) Courtesy (1) Croatia (1) Curaçao (14) D.S. Mullis (Author) (1) Dad (119) Damixa (7) Danish (6) Daughter (68) De Gaerde (1) Declaration of Independence (6) Delft Polychrome (1) Delftware houses (11) Delta Airlines (11) Denmark (2) Dessert (10) Diabetes (13) Diabetes type 2 (22) Diabetes type 2 Recipe (10) Dialysis (13) Dieng Plateau (2) Dining with Royalty (1) DMC (28) DNA (6) Doensen Sfeerhaarden (2) Domain Name (1) Door DÊcor (1) Doris Plaster (1) Down Duvets (6) Dupuytren's Contracture (3) Dutch American Heritage Day (5) Dutch King's Day (5) Dutch Queen's Day (4) Dweilen (3) Easter (27) Eco Friendly (31) Eco Storage (4) Edible flowers (11) Education (82) Edward Bok (6) Energy Star (10) England (17) Escada (143) Etiquette Training (5) Fairmont Hotels (16) Family (165) Family Memories (122) Filet Lace (12) Filet Lace Embroidered (4) First Lady Melania Trump (3) Fleur de Lys (11) France (6) FREEDOM (12) French (71) French Country Style (55) French Lavender Sachets (5) Friendship (279) From Pilgrim to President (2) Genocide (2) Georgia (36) Georgia State Flag (4) Germany (12) Gero Zilmeta 528 Menuet (17) Gevaphone (4) Gift from Blogger Friend (36) Gillis Video (7) Giovanni Raspini Charms and Co (42) Giovanni Raspini Silver Desk Items (11) Giovanni Raspini Silver Frames (11) Giovanni Raspini Silver Gifts (17) GIVEAWAY (23) Going Green (36) Graham H. Boonzaaier (5) Grand Canyon (4) Graze Picking (1) Hand Crocheted (106) Hand Embroidered (28) Hand Knitted (29) Hand made Lace (23) Happy New Year (10) Hawaii (5) Healthy Heart (21) Healthy heart recipe (27) Healthy Living (74) Heart Attack (19) Heeroom (13) Helicopter (2) Hermès (2) High Tea (8) Highlights of the Mississippi Cruise (8) Holocaust (1) Hong Kong (7) House Blessing (2) Hungary (16) Hurricane (4) Hyatt (122) I Will Follow Him (1) India (44) Indonesia (23) Interlock Metal Roofing (15) International Workshop & Seminar (2) Irok gallery (13) ISMS (34) Italy (58) Japan (7) Kashmir (9) Kichler Xenon Under Counter Lights (2) KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (57) Kruisherenhotel (1) Lace (6) Lacquered Brass Window Decorations (14) Lampe Berger (11) Lampes Berger A Century of History by GÊrald Vilcocq (10) Language (73) Last Call by Neiman Marcus (24) Lavender Sachet (4) Le Chameau (2) Le Jacquard Français (37) Leather Coat (4) Leather Garments Factory (12) Leather Shorts (2) Leather Skirt (3) Leather Vest (5) Leprosy Infection (5) Leprosy Project (10) Leprosy STIGMA (8) Limburg (51) Limoges (18) Limoges Table Lamp (7) Log Cabin (6) Logee's (12) Maharaja Amarinder Singh of Patiala (1) Mainstream Media (1) Margraten (6) Marl Caves (12) Mason's Patent Ironstone Mandalay (18) Maximum Baggage Weight (10) Meeting Blogger Friend (9) Mega Task (46) Memorial Day (8) Mexico (25) Miele (18) Millinery (13) Mom (135) Montblanc pens (1) Moral Compass (19) Mushroom Cultivation (72) Mushroom Editorial Review (24) Mushroom Quality Criteria (24) Mushroom Technology Transfer Seminar (10) Mushrooms Canada (4) Mushrooms in our Garden (21) My Boots (26) My French Connection (2) My Hats (18) My Publications (7) My Sewing Creation (55) Nativity Scene (6) New Netherland (3) New Orleans (11) New Orleans School of Cooking (2) New York City (28) Organ (15) Original Content (32) Ormolu (6) Our Balcony (17) Our Bathroom (8) Our Bird Feeders (10) Our Bird Houses (16) Our Bridges and Wood Trail (60) Our Canine (31) Our Dutch Clock (3) Our Felines (169) Our Fiberglass Window Boxes (34) Our Flower Bulbs (69) Our Flowering Shrubs (135) Our Flowering Trees (31) Our Flowering Vines (37) Our Flowers (63) Our Fragrant Flowers (175) Our Garden (60) Our Garden Critters (81) Our Gazebo (57) Our Greenhouse (22) Our Home (163) Our Life in Indonesia (76) Our Life in Italy (36) Our Magnolias (56) Our Palm Trees (20) Our Pet Squirrel (1) Our Pond (28) Our Pot Plants (52) Our Rose Arbor (5) Our Rose Suite (17) Our Roses (61) Our Shrubs (7) Our Trees (55) P.J.C. Vedder's Memoirs (278) P.J.C. Vedder's Publications (87) Patio (35) Pearls (28) People to People Citizen Ambassador Program (28) Plagiarism (6) Poem (1) Poinsettia (7) Poland (1) Pond's India (23) Pre-Diabetes (9) Prednisone (9) Princess Diana (10) Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold (32) Quotes (65) Religious Paper Lace (2) Relive (54) Replacements Ltd. (19) REPOUSSE Silver (10) Resilientista (31) Ristorante da Maria (35) Romania (5) Romantic Boxes with Pansies (2) Romantic Rose Boxes (7) Rose Jewelry (10) Rose silverware (65) Rose Stepping Stones (5) Roses (6) RÜsle (7) Rotary International (6) Royal Mail (1) Saint Nicholas (13) Saint Valentine's Day (14) Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th (12) Santa Barbara Plantation (3) Santa Claus (12) Saving Energy (18) Scraped Content (9) Serbia (2) Servitude (1) Silver Knife Rests (19) Sinden Award (13) Singapore Airlines (1) Singing (38) Sinterklaas (10) Skiing (5) Socialism (8) South Africa (20) Spain (1) SPAWN MATE SYMPOSIUM (2) Spectrenoir (94) Storage and Organizing (6) Super Power Readers (4) Sweden (2) Switzerland (13) Table Setting (32) Taiwan (3) Tanner Krolle (4) Tavel (1) Tea (25) Tea Cup (15) Thailand (2) Thanksgiving (12) The Bridge (13) The Netherlands (22) Theodore Haviland France (2) Toile de Jouy (5) Tornado (3) Toyota RAV4 (14) Transparent Acrylic Bolts and Nuts (3) Travel (436) Travel by Rail (25) Tropical Thunderstorms (4) Uncle Bo Whaley (18) UNESCO World Heritage Site (22) United States Citizenship (12) United States Flag (14) Vases (101) Viking River Cruise (10) Vintage Lampe Berger (13) Vintage Woodworks (34) Vinyl Picket Fence (22) Water Control (20) Wedding (13) Wedding Anniversary (22) WeFie (14) WGXA.TV (3) Wolford (22) Wool Fedora Hat (8) World Bank (2) World Leprosy Day (4) World Polio Day (3) Writing (100) Yves Delorme (8) Yves Saint Laurent (3) Zegna (13)