And the Birthday Looms

I still haven't come up with any kind of resolutions for the rest of 2026. Whenever I think of my July 1 birthday I find myself reminded of the July 22 surgery that started what has been politely called (not by me; I'd likely be more impolite) a year from hell. I've said all along that the ureter--now kidney--damage bothered me immensely more than the nerve damage. The nerve damage has required physical therapy, something I've done for multiple other injuries or surgeries. I'm used to it. I know how to make it work--do what my therapist tells me to do and not do what they tell me not to do. I have control. I had anything but control over the ureter-kidney deal. Well, I did have control over the decision to try for an autotransplant that turned out not to be feasible. I can't fault the surgeons there; if the kidney wasn't fit to be put back in, I'm glad they didn't try. 

So, I now work at keeping the one kidney I have left as healthy as possible. The nephrologist I saw told me that a big part of that is simply keeping myself as healthy as possible. That, along with no longer using NSAIDs, drinking at least two liters of liquid daily, and keeping my daily sodium intake under 2,000 mg (that's less than is in one teaspoon table salt). While I had no definite plans to take up kendo again, the thought had crossed my mind from time to time. While I could certainly still do sword forms, partner work and definitely sparring would be very bad ideas. I'm not sure how much fun that would be, though it's definitely something I'll keeping mind.

This weekend, I look forward to getting into a swimming pool for the first time in over a year. Spouse and I will be in Newport News for his pre-hip-replacement lab work, and I persuaded him that what could have been a one-day trip should involve an overnight at a hotel with a pool. Even if it's full of screaming children, I plan to get in, possibly swim, at least float, and, at the suggestion of my wonderful physical therapist, just walk a bit. The little things I look forward to now.

And now, noting that they can indeed be little things, I'll get back to thinking about those resolutions.