Friday, October 11th. I can’t believe it has been a week since I last posted something. I am glad to report that this week has been a much better week for Ms, Kate. It has been a week of appointments though. Wednesday, she had a nephrology appointment. That is to check the functions of the kidneys. The nephrologist informed us that she is in Stage 4 Kidney failure. This was the first we had heard about a kidney failure at all and apparently she has been in stage four since June. So we were in a state of mind that said “what else?????” They tell her that her heart is operating at 30-35% and have her wearing a life vest defibrillator, and now she is in stage four kidney failure. 

Today she had her regular scheduled appointment with out family doctor and he spent a good deal of time talking to her about all of this. He said yes, —- her heart output is bad and yes the numbers indicate that she is in stage four kidney failure. However —- he says that the specialists who see her and advise on the results of stuff fail to consider the mitigating factors that can affect all of those numbers and systems like having four major surgeries this year and five or six hospital stays where doctors constantly change around  her medications. So yes —- her health is not good and she has several things going against her; —- but she is not in the crisis that the specialist doctors who walk in and see her for five minutes make it out to be. He has her starting heart repair therapy and we hope that will increase her heart output and she can take off the life vest. We left there today feeling much more positive about her whole situation. 

BTW, I had my annual physical today and the doctor said he couldn’t find a single thing he could fuss at me about and that I am in excellent shape for an 80 year old guy. Thank you very much God!!!

Yesterday, Kate and I went to the orchard ut in Posey County and picked up a half bushel of Golden Delicious apples. So, there will be a couple of apple pies baking in the oven before this weekend is out. 

That catches you up on our week. Congratulation to my former parish churches. Their new pastor starts this coming Sunday. May God guide him as he starts this new ministry. 

Peace.