Well, I finally came back to make an entry. I've been very selfish with my time these last few months. When I have free time, I just want to read, or play with clay, or surf the web, or hang out with Luke, or just watch a little TV. I forget that I set this up and had a goal.


But I'm here now for a moment to make an update. At work they finally officially gave me the promotion, so I'm no longer "acting" Area Manager, but actual Area Manager. I hired my first employee - an Administrative Coordinator 4, which is basically a support person that acts as receptionist, and all around clerical person. We only have one so we needed someone good. I'm happy to say she seems to be working out well. She's smart and pleasant and enthusiastic, so she's already doing more than the previous girl who had been here three years and was totally familiar with the job.

The rest of the office is coming around and getting over the resentment they had about me being given this position. All except one, but she's a hateful person and nothing will win her over. She's the one who said I got cancer because I wasn't "right with God." You just can't win over someone like that. With her, I just had to lay down the law and make sure she understands she's not going to win in battle of wills with me as I have all the power now.

The other desenters have either quit or have realized they really didn't want the manager position after all. And they see the improvements that are happening in the office that have been long overdue. It's amazing how much cleaning up the office, and getting repairs done after years of neglect, can lift morale in an office. Also, I have one person working from home now which the previous manager would never have allowed. And I managed to keep us from losing a worker who was moving to Lafayette, by arranging for her to continue to work for us, but from the Lafayette office. This is big as we're short four workers and Jindal's idea of governing is to not allow us to replace workers we lose. Four workers is a lot in a small office. It's not easy to spread out that much work to the remaining eight workers.

I am getting a new worker after all, I found out yesterday, but I don't get a choice in the matter. I was informed by the powers that be, that a manager from another office has moved to Natchitoches and agreed to take a demotion to work in my office. So I'll be supervising a man who has been the manager in another office for years. You may be wondering why he would want this transfer - well he's the pastor of a church and has been "called" to this area. This doesn't bode well for me, I've got to tell you.

Okay, enough of that. I went to the nephrologist for a two month checkup. The good news is that the efforts I've been making to lower my phosphorus have been working and my numbers have gone down some. All I can really do is continue what I'm doing and hope it's enough to slow down the kidney failure long enough.

I was better prepared to ask questions at this appointment. I asked if I had to wait two years to have a transplant or if I had to wait two years to start the process. Since it takes so long to jump the hoops before you get to the actual surgery, I was wondering if I could get all the screenings and stuff out of the way, so when I get to the two year mark it could be set up to happen. The doctor said there was no reason to wait to start the process and in fact, that would be the best thing as it takes months to get an appointment with the transplant surgeons. They have to do evaluations of your fitness for a transplant and counseling and screenings for matches for anyone willing to donate a kidney to you. Everyone has to be evaluated for physical and mental fitness, etc. The whole thing actually takes years.

My point is that the nephrologist has submitted my name to the transplant specialists and told me to expect an appointment in a couple of months. He said I should hear from them by early Jan. Perhaps, I can get it set up and ready before August 2010, when I'll be permitted to go ahead with the transplant. Wouldn't that be cool? That is, of course, if we can find a match. Otherwise, I can't get on the list until 2010 and really organs go to those with greatest need, so it could be a long time.

They do the transplant surgeries in New Orleans, Shreveport and Dallas. I was quite surprised that they do them in Shreveport.

So, if you are one of those that has offered a kidney then you may be hearing from me in the next couple of months to find out if you were serious. I'll find out when I go for my first appointment what the whole procedure is.

And now I must go to work and put out fires.