7 months after my transplant, I am slowly falling to bits. My new liver is doing great, and although they are keeping me on high advagraf levels (back to level I was on post transplant), everything seems to be going well in that direction.
Now I need new glasses (will probably get varifocals), hearing is failing and now need to be fitted for hearing aids, and due to lack of calcium over the last three years I am having to have all my teeth extracted and will need dentures, and my hair is thinning quite quickly now.
Looks like my bedside cabinet will need an upgrade to take all the extra that I will need to put on it when I go to bed, but at least my liver and other main organs are all strong.
Thinks positive, I will have better sight, better hearing and a decent smile, and as I approach 50 in eighteen months, I can cope with a few aids, at least now I have that option, I would not be here without my donor.
George
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George_2017
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Hi, glad you are doing well. I am over two years post transplant and also so very fearful to my donor, their family, and all the medical teams that helped over the years. Agree with you about feeling like falling to pieces post transplant but it’s more all due to severity of how ill we were before and being so ill we didn’t deal with those issues before. I have a real great post transplant team helping me at Kings through all the ups and downs as well as in this forum. But as you say we still here and are able to deal with these issue and such a bright future we can now plan for.
Varifocals at your age is normal. I refused them though as I can’t get on with them. My teeth are also poor, thinning already thin hair, painful articulations esp fingers (side effect of advagraf), symptoms a bit like if I had a stroke ( slurred speech and a problem with my foot) which are due to HE damage but hey ho I’m alive! I find so many positives that these problems pale into insignificance.
I must admit that it is in the past 5 months or so that life has got so much better.
I am 15 months post transplant. I hear you loud and clear!!!!!
I guess everyone is just a little bit different in their experiences of healing after transplant. I agree a lot has to do with how ill you were pre. Very emotional times up and down. You must talk about it -and get your feeling out- I did with a therapist with the transplant team and she reassured me these feeling are all normal. Your body has gone through such a trauma itself ( body, mind and soul). On top of this the medication side effects. What I can tell you is it gets better my friend really better! It's very hard at times but worth the effort to talk and talk and get help if you need. Physically I lost almost all my hair (I'm a woman ) it was so so hard but you work through it. Now today I have all my hair and its thicker than before. My skin and nails better than ever. You need time, give yourself time to heal . There is no set time line this X and your healed. Have you written your letter to the donor family yet? I found that very therapeutic . There were days I cried and cried - I did not know why. It's part of healing trust me everything you are feeling is absolutely normal!!!! I just turned 51 and I feel great! My relationship with my husband is wonderful I feel sexy again because this Is who I am and I'm proud of it - huge scar and all. My relationship with my teenage daughter is wonderful -she saw her mother dieing and fought to stay alive and received a gift of life and she sees me today living life. I wish you all the best! Keep moving forward - you are normal - here to talk anytime. X
Der George, I'm pre transplant and had to wave bye bye to many teeth, lost another tooth last night. The plughole in shower blocks with hair so I get my hair done foŕ mè? I'm 48. Your not on your own I'm sure. I have ďegenerative spine ďìsease so walking is bad and had a stroke in March! Phew, that post to you just now has worn my brain out. I'm so pleased you had your transplant às im ñot listed yet, so, try to ķeep positive and all the best, Julie xx
Hey george, hi there! Balding looks good on most men as it's called the distinguished look.false teeth will take you back to looking like a teenager with perfect teeth .glasses are so in trend right now. Sounds to me like you've had a updating of slight mechanical works.so pleased your new liver is doing well too .so your new life begins.whats on the agenda?? How are you going to celebrate?? New hearing aid so maybe theatre or concert.?? Once your used to the new you ,I would make every anniversary date of my new things a reason to celebrate in open way or other.not only do you have renewed hope but a brand new life to celebrate the occasions.Im wishing you everything you wish for yourself now.Take care and let me know how it all works out. I'll be following you xx
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