Day + 87, Bloating in Beantown

It's offical -- I'm back in Boston. Goodbye, small town... hello big city.

The edema is back to a level where it is uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time, so the four hour ride home was not very comfortable. Add to that the packing, carrying of boxes, the unloading -- it wore the hell out of me. Thought my heart was going to explode.

I was greeted with a pile of mail that I must go through. I'm starting to get my first medical bills, my first insurance claims, and of course, my first insurance screwups. I envison that I'll be on the phone most of the day today.

Just got back from the hospital to have my blood drawn for my nephrologist here in Boston. The blood drawer (or whatever you call the person who takes your blood) made the observation that I've had my blood drawn so many times in the last few months, that I have scar tissue on the inside of my arm where I've been poked and prodded.

Although I'm not scheduled to see my doctor until Friday, I'll be calling him today to see if he can do something earlier about my edema. Although I've only gained a few pounds since I was put on the daily Lasix regimen, it has grown such that during the night it settles in my lungs, causing me problems breathing when I wake up in the morning. When I get up, the fluid falls out due to gravity and I am fine within a half-hour or so. But I would like to halt the fluid production before it gets worse. I'm even willing to go back on Zaroxalyn if that's what it takes.

Off to make a few phone calls.