Inching

I didn't want to jinx myself, so I've held back on posting about it, but it appears that my kidneys are continuing their healing process. It has tended to be a "two steps forward, one step back" routine, but the numbers show they are moving again, if only a little bit. I've been able to better tolerate the all-day sitting than I had in January, and I've even been able to skip the water pills for a couple of days at a time. I still have edema throughout my body, but it's at a lesser intensity than it has been in the past.

Of course, this progress is coming while I stick with my low-sodium diet. I've found that all it takes is one day of cheating, and I will still swell up like a balloon. So there's still a long way to go.

When I see my nephrologist in two weeks, I will tell her about my intention to start taking bromelain. Bromelain is a composition of protein enzymes. It can be found at most health food stores. There is more than anecdotal evidence that bromelain can help digest amyloid in the body (I wasn't able to find a link on the Internet to the study). As an enyzme, it doesn't look like it there are major side effects, and at the very least, help with some forms of protein digestion. I'm all for natural remedies -- especially if it helps me get off the conventional ones.