Folks, I got me a kidney!!!!I got the call about 8p.m. Thursday. This is a direct product of the new project I mentioned that you can read up on at 34lives.com . I was only on the UNOS list for two weeks, and had only heard about 34lives 8 days ago!!
Im sore. I'm getting up and walking every few hours. Making urine(!) and it's clearing up. I'll be back on solid foods tomorrow. The aides tell me I'm making nearly 70 ccs an hour, which is fantastic. I guess transplants can cause a small bit of hyperglycemia. I had a unit of insulin (told you it was a little) for the first time ever. Blood glucose came down very soon after.
I can't begin to tell you just exactly how exciting this whole thing has been. I'm really hoping that I'll get a chance to go home over the next few days. The wife is thinking maybe monday. I don't know myself, I'm thinking maybe a little longer.
I'll be certain to get more information to you guys once I get home and I'm working on my own computer. Working with this tablet is a little bit of a pain in the butt.
G
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PeaB4YouGo
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Apparently, I'm dealing with a slow kidney. I had never heard of that before so I looked it up. It's not a serious condition if they can get it working before they discharge you. So I'm putting up with that. My hospital stay maybe a little extended because of it. But I've got a whole class schedule to get through anyway so I might as well spend the time and get it done. There's really not a lot of pain for me to deal with. I'm happy for that. A little bit of drainage is all that's really going on.
So, I'm two days post transplant things seem to be going relatively normal (as normal goes after transplant.)
Congratulations!!!!, enjoy at its fullest every single thing you do!, you deserve it!, stay healthy and happy! don’t forget to write a out your experience!
Eureka! There you go! It was very smart to widen the net in the kinds of kidneys you'd consider. As you probably know, my hubby is a recipient of one of those too and the wait was minimal - maybe 4 months after seeing our second, preferred center. (He only spent 12 months on dialysis.) You'll probably want to join the "Kidney Transplant" group...to get support from them too!
couldn't be happier for you ! I got my transplant in April after being on the list for 8 years. I was in the ICU for 11 days but I only remember the last six. Didn't get out of bed until day 7. The surgery was hard on me. I am grateful every day for this special blessing. Good luck !
Hi! Hope you are less sore and feeling stronger every day. Luckily Imy 19 year old deceased kidney transplant is still working "top notch". Just do the sake of being informed, is 34Lives just for the U,S.A? Thanks!
Yup. Just 4 centers in the US are participating. If we get more success stories, maybe more centers will want to. Apparently, this is something they've done in Canada and Europe for a while.
34Lives, a corporation, works with a few transplant centers in the US. However, a number of transplant centers in the US have been doing doing that for some time - fixing up previously discarded kidneys and using them in transplants. (My husband is a recipient of one of those "cleaned up" kidneys.) Generally speaking, it's the higher volume transplant centers across the nation with the lab technologies and doctor skillsets doing that. Yet all transplant centers should be giving questionable kidneys a second look and, if partnering with 34 Lives helps them do that, it's wonderful thing.
I agree! There are so many people in need of kidneys and so few of them available, that anything that can be done (successfully) to alleviate the need is a good thing!
It's coming right along. My pain is subsiding, and my numbers are lining up the way they're supposed to. I have a couple appointments tomorrow, regarding a stent that is running from kidney to bladder. That has to go. Otherwise, I am liking this new kidney. eGFR is over 28!
I'm on Day 19 with my kidney, and the numbers look better by the day. eGFR up to 30s, labs all look good. I had a couple appointments yesterday, Urology and Transplant team. Both went well.
19 days! No signs of rejection. Incisions are all healing nicely. And, OMG, I get to eat pistachios!! They told me not to go overboard, but I think I'll be hearing a lot of that. I have to increase Mg and Phos intake. I have to decrease sugar.
All in all, it's an experience I recommend for everyone here. Good luck finding yours.
And, now, DAY 35. After a month, I don't feel half-bad, at all. Surgery pain is nearly gone. The glue holding my incision together is nearly gone. My appetite is improving. My sleep pattern is nearly back to "normal", although, the Prednisone messes with my sleep more than anything. Tacrolimus is giving me the shakes, but that's a normal side-effect. My tacrolimus numbers have yet to stabilize, but I'm hearing about people who have been on it for a couple years who have yet to find their level.
I'm due to go back to Madison, next Tuesday. That's only 4 1/2 hrs one way. And, I guess that the roughest thing about all of this. The mileage is killing me. After this next appointment, I can use telehealth, but I have one more visit in person. Then, maybe every 6 mos, in person, for a while.
Sounds like you are doing well. I was curious how the Prednisone was treating you. Hopefully your sleeping will improve too. Has it caused any swelling?
Nothing that wasn't happening pre-transplant. The sleep thing? It's only bothersome when it's the night before something important. Can't be falling asleep at the wheel or anything.
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don’t forget to write a out your experience!
Questions regarding dialysis and also transplant
Transplant evaluation appointment 
Does anyone else feel kinda gobbled up by dialysis? I feel like it ate my life.
