Jim, I don't remember your religious preference, but you have my wishes for
good fortune and an understanding of the tremors (and hopefully a
solution). When you can't do something you love, it can be hard to face the
day. Sounds like you're doing everything right, though.
On Sat, Jul 12, 2014 at 1:23 AM, DOPR Dragon dopr5dragon_at_gmail.com
[SkunkworksAMA] <SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
> Morbid as it may sound, having followed you for long enough to get a grasp
> on the history, I've kind of been waiting for the other shoe to drop. You
> never seemed to bounce back fully after the transplant and seemed to go
> from one health issue to the next.
> I'll keep fingers crossed that you can get to a stable point again.
> You've got people in your court, even if all we can offer is moral
> support.
>
>
> On Fri, Jul 11, 2014 at 10:10 PM, a_change_of_plans_at_yahoo.com
> [SkunkworksAMA] <SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> I've been pondering writing about this for the past few months, but
>> wanted to wait until additional testing was done and other affairs were in
>> order. As some of you may have noticed, I haven't been posting much
>> lately; in fact, I haven't even been online much lately. I have not drawn
>> anything for months, though not for lack of trying.
>>
>> As some of you may know, I got a kidney and pancreas transplant in 2007.
>> Despite a strict diet, consistent exercise program, and careful monitoring
>> of weight and medications, the kidney started giving up the ghost back in
>> 2012 (remember when I started having all those problems?), and is failing.
>> The doctors believe it was due to an unknown auto-immune virus hidden in
>> the donor kidney, as only the kidney has been affected.
>>
>> My current weight is 153 pounds, which is pretty normal. I've started
>> rebuilding muscles lost over the past year (multiple surgeries did not
>> permit me to continue my exercise program), as the doctors plan on grafting
>> an arteriovenous fistula into my left arm at the beginning of August. Once
>> healed (and built up), this will allow IV's to be inserted to allow
>> dialysis, which will probably be starting later this fall/early winter.
>>
>> At the last check-up, my Creatinine level was 7.66 mg/dL. The acceptable
>> range is 0.67-1.17 mg/dL, so I'm obviously WAY over the line. Blood Urea
>> Nitrogen levels should be between 7-18 mg/dL, but mine was 91 mg/dL.
>> Again, way out of the park. Protein concentration in the urine should be
>> between 0.0-11.9 mg/dL, but mine was 305.4 mg.dL, which means the filters
>> in the kidney aren't doing their job. The doctor said my kidney function
>> is at approximately 8%, much to my surprise, as you'd never know it by
>> looking at me or by asking how I felt. No swelling, no nausea, none of the
>> shit usually associated with reduced renal function. The only problems
>> I've been having are hand tremors (cause currently unknown) and a short
>> supply of energy.
>>
>> I've submitted information to the transplant center to apply for another
>> transplant. The doctors and I are hoping my excellent clean health record
>> and impeccable monitoring of my diet, weight and other such factors will
>> play a big part in moving me up the line. I'm otherwise in excellent
>> health (remember, I was on the waiting list for the kidney and pancreas for
>> only 3 weeks before I received my first call due to my otherwise excellent
>> health), and am a far cry from most of the patients I see at the doctor's
>> office (sickly, old, or morbidly obese people who pay little mind to what
>> they are putting into their bodies). If I'm lucky, a suitable match will
>> be found and I'll be able to get the defective kidney replaced.
>>
>> Before anyone says "Hope you get better!", let me just state that this is
>> NOT something you "get better" from. You either get a transplant, or you
>> die. Pretty simply math. The best I can do is try to keep my system as
>> stable for as long as possible, at its current state, pending dialysis or a
>> new transplant.
>>
>> Since most of this year, and a fat chunk of last year, was spent working
>> or going to the hospital for various invasive surgeries, I haven't done any
>> drawing for quite some time (aside from that little comic I drew a few
>> weeks ago, which was pretty crudely-drawn despite taking a damn week to
>> draw). Because of my hands acting up, any fine motor skills are pretty
>> much impossible with them now. I totally botched the Lori outline picture
>> for the dakimakura, but recently sent off two new, penciled versions of the
>> picture to a fellow artist of mine in Florida who does excellent inking
>> work. I've known him since high school, and have seen him perfectly pull
>> off Jim Lee and Todd MacFarlane's art styles. I included copies of the
>> other B&W dakimakura pictures so he could see how the inks are done. He
>> told me to give him a few weeks and he should have it done (he works a
>> regular job and is doing this as a favor for me).
>>
>> So until either my health situation improves or my hands quit acting like
>> epileptic Parkinson's patients, I'm afraid I won't have any sort of new
>> artwork to offer. There are two chapters and several other individual
>> pages from the Skunkworks compilation which may have met their demise in
>> the shredder a couple years ago (without me realizing it). I have not been
>> able to locate these pages. I will likely try to redraw them, but may have
>> to have someone else ink them. I might ask my friend Adam to do that if he
>> doesn't mind (and is available).
>>
>> So that's what's been going on, and why I've been so quiet lately. I've
>> already got my funeral shit taken care of, and my living will is done, but
>> I'm still working on some of the stuff in my Last Will. Just in case, you
>> know. Might as well take the opportunity to get all that shit done now so
>> I don't have to worry about it later.
>>
>> While sorting through things, I've also set aside some more unpublished
>> art from years gone by, which I'll likely post and/or auction off. Still
>> waiting to refresh my Furbuy account, as the M.O. I sent them went to the
>> wrong address and another one has to be sent out.
>>
>> So stay cool, enjoy the days and nights, and I'll try to get something up
>> here soon. My friend Brian suggested some art tips to help me with my
>> hands, so I'm gonna try those out to see if they'll do any good. Here's to
>> hoping!
>>
>> --JMH, still not dead yet, but damn if the ol' Reaper isn't trying his
>> best!
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
--
Zach Collins
http://twitter.com/strikingdragon
http://siege.livejournal.com
Received on Sat Jul 12 2014 - 18:45:57 CDT