Sorry it has taken so long to post a follow-up to my exciting news a few weeks ago.
I finished all my testing and tissue matching, and my transplant is now scheduled for Tuesday, July 13th.
Excited. Nervous. Trying not to get ahead of myself
And of course, very grateful.
Hi ILMA54,
This is a life changing decision you have made. The next steps for you are:
1. Learn as much as you can on your surgical team, the surgical process and risk, post surgical recovery and many more dos and don'ts.
2. Read, discuss, learn on side effects, rejections, complications - mitigations, solutions, etc. Knowing them will prepare you better. And know that not every side effects will be known out there - this will depend in your body and other organs' reaction. Remember, a new kidney is a foreign object that the body and organs are not familiar with and it will take time for them to accept a new occupant. The blood cells alone (with the toxins that accumulated over the years) will take 7-8 months to be fully replaced.
3. Work with your Nephrologist and dietitian on your weekly recovery plan and goals. This will stretch for about a year of non stop testings, meds adjustments, diet changes, lifestyle changes, exercise regimens, etc . Learn about your medicines and what they do. Know that your tests results will continuously fluctuate. The meds adjustments and test results (and baselines immediately before surgery) are correlated. Knowing all these sets expectations and deliverables. Be patient and always focus on the big picture.
4. Be in constant communication with you Nephrologist and surgery team. No complaint is small that you dont overlook it. What you feel and experience are results, those are the key to your Nephrologist for analyzing the root cause. And treating it appropriately.
5. Taper your happy thoughts (I don't want to be KJ but just getting real). What comes after the transplant are different issues, side effects, problems, frustrations - be prepared to face and handle them. It will take a lot of patience to make sure you forge ahead. It will not all be a bed of roses after the surgery. But at the very least, you have new and different goals and outlook that you can look forward to.
6. Be positive and be happy. You have made this choice so share and enjoy it with your love ones. Start creating your short and midterm goals and bucket list. Keep updating and adjusting them (depending on your test results). These are something to look forward to and read when you start feeling depressed and frustrated.
Good luck, take care and be well.
Thanks for the suggestions
Everyone is different. I woke up in recovery feeling immediately better: the chronic fatigue I had experienced for so long was gone! I stayed three nights in the hospital and began daily walking immediately which I think really helped my recovery. I was back to work a few weeks later and back to business travel six weeks later. You'll have drugs, blood draws, clinic appointments and side effects , but a transplant is a miracle. You should indeed be excited as your life is about to change in wonderful ways!
Congratulations! A new kidney is a medical miracle, and the docs have gotten very good at doing this. We as the transplant recipients have our part to play in this too. We have to be diligent about taking our meds and drinking enough water. We have to communicate with the transplant folk and show up for our tests. Recovery will vary from person to person. I got my transplant before dialysis, so I had a shallower hole to dig out of. My kidney issues were all better within 4 days. Creatine was normal, fatigue/brain fog cleared up, 20 years of swollen ankles gone. Surgical recovery was longer but straight forward. Hope your recovery goes as well as mine did.
Congratulations that is such a blessing and I understand all of the emotions😊 happy early birthday 🥳!!!
I’m so sorry excited for you. Gods blessings on you.
So excited to hear about this! Hope all continues to go well for you.
Best wishes and luck....
Best of luck with your surgery today. I just celebrated my 6 month kidney transplant anniversary this past Saturday. So far no issues. You got this.
Handling life after the transplant 
Post Transplant x
Working after transplant
