Written Jun 30, 2025
Hello Dear Readers,
It all started last Thursday. My right foot decided to file a complaint—painful, persistent, and just loud enough to make me pay attention. By evening, both feet looked like they’d been moonlighting as water balloons. Thankfully, the swelling usually deflates by morning, but it’s still concerning enough that I’ll be bringing it up with my nephrologist this Wednesday.
Now, if you’ve ever had kidney issues, you know the drill: when your kidneys slack off on their job, your body turns into a sponge. The fluid that should’ve been politely escorted out hangs around instead—preferably in your lower extremities. In my case, it’s like my feet got dunked in a vat of water and just… stayed there.
To make matters more interesting, there’s a suspiciously red, swollen spot on one foot. It’s not screaming “gout flare!” like it has in the past, but it’s definitely whispering it. Not fun. Not agony. Just enough to make me grumble every few steps.
When my wife caught sight of my puffy feet, her worry radar went off. We both agreed: it’s not as dramatic as the foot fiasco from a decade ago, but still a downgrade from how things looked back in March. Naturally, we retraced our dietary steps. And—cue dramatic music—I had to confess. Summer weight maintenance is a battlefield when you’ve got food restrictions, and sometimes that battlefield is paved with ice cream and pastry bites. Don’t judge—desperate times call for frozen desserts.
My wife, being the practical one, asked the big question: “What’s your eGFR lately?” That’s the estimated glomerular filtration rate, for those blissfully unfamiliar—it’s basically the Yelp review for your kidneys. She wants to know how well they’re filtering out waste these days. Spoiler alert: I’m not sure yet, but I will be soon.
So now, I’m building my checklist for the doctor: foot swelling, possible gout, and yes, an honest conversation about my summer romance with ice cream. I’ve got my stats ready too—blood pressure, heart rate, weight—the whole health dashboard. Ironically, I’ve actually had trouble keeping my weight up lately, partly because I’ve been gaining muscle (thank you, outdoor chores), and partly because summer keeps me more active.
I’m still staying hydrated (a solid 64 oz per day), but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little anxious. Still, I’ll get some answers soon. And who knows—maybe even a better snack plan.