Sunday - still no dialysis. My blood results yesterday were very promising. My creatinine levels are almost unchanged from Thursday suggesting that my kidneys are trying very hard. However my phosphorus levels are rising which means that I have to go on a special diet. The renal diet is quite weird as it is not like any normal diet. At the moment my potassium levels are ok but if i add that into the diet in then becomes very strange. At the moment I have to reduce or cut out

• milk, yoghurt,ice cream
• cheese except goats or cream cheese
• no brown rice, bread or pasta
• chocolate
• nuts
• self raising flour and baking powder (so no to most cakes and biscuits)
• pate and any offal
• seafood
• peas and pulses
• what looks like a random list of vegetables!
• cola
• sausages, ham,

etc etc..... I am also going to limit tomatoes and bananas and oranges and soak my potatoes for 2 hours before eating to help keep my potassium low. I also have to boil veg and not steam. There are other things which I have forgotten at the moment. This is going to be quite a change in my diet and feels at the moment that if I like it I probably can't have it!!!! Still it is a fair exchange for not having to do dialysis.

I am still in shock and can't quite get my head around what is happening. My mind is whirling and I am finding it hard to concentrate on anything. It feels so impossible that this has happened. Tomorrow I will go to the dialysis unit maybe for the last time before being transferred to the care of the pre-dialysis team. Wow! Who would have believed this time last week that I would be saying that this week. Of course it is still early days and it could all change at any moment. However I am now hoping!

Today - church and cooking this evening for everyone my first proper renal meal!!! I will have to plan meals very carefully from now on. Probably no going out for meals for a while until I can work out what I can and cannot eat. Paul will be happy with the money saving! Maybe it would be better if I didn't eat for a while - that would be the safest idea!!!!

Thank you so much for all your texts, emails and messages. I have, as ever, been amazed by your support. I will continue to let you know what is going on and value your thoughts and prayers. I love the thought that so many of you are walking around with many parts of your body crossed for me - a very funny image!