General
Memories - What is a favorite memory or moment that you have had during your transplant journey?
February 27, 2024
in General
my memory is that night they called me to let me know my kidney was ready. I called my nurse practitioner from my dialysis center. She didn’t answer the first time, so I texted her. After she read the text, she called me right back. She was like I was under the dryer. What are you talking about? She broke down in tears. Just making that initial call to her and so many others had to be one of the best memories of my Transplant journey.
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Over the 18 years of having a transplant, I have so many beautiful memories. Surprisingly I do have a favorite one.
Hours after my transplant, I was in ICU. My body was not happy at all. The pain meds were making me sick, all the meds were making me sick. Plus ICU was a very loud place with constant doctors and nurses everywhere. But I remember finally graduating to my own quiet room. I remember it was an adventure getting situated. I remember waking up for the first time in that room and not feeling super sick and it was so quiet and peaceful. When I opened my eyes my boyfriend at the time was sitting next to me peacefully reading a book. I remember thinking to myself, "I did it. I made it."
I use that feeling all the time as a reminder even when things feel crazy, loud, and hopeless, it will become peaceful again.
@Jeanmarie I have to agree with you there are many. That is a great reminder to have’mm Now that you say many, I remember rolling into the room and seeing that KIDNEY pin the table. My reaction was Is that my new kidney… I felt like I won the lottery.
My favorite memory was the Saturday afternoon I got my call to come to the hospital they had a liver on the way. Our son answered the phone and wasn’t sure what to say then I talked to the coordinator. I had a 3 hour drive and they wanted me there in a 4 hour window. That was rough but we made it. The house was quite chaotic for a while but we made it. Side note the original liver was too large for me but luckily another was on the way so we had time to gather our thoughts, see family and friends before I went to surgery and tried to rest before I went to surgery. What a crazy day!!
@Deb What an amazing memory. A bumpy road that let led to a beautiful destination
Im 9 months post kidney transplant and honestly, my favorite memory is on day 3 when I got the news I was being discharged, I washed my face and changed my clothes and could see my rosey cheeks again. It was like magic. I had forgotten what I really looked like.
@fern22 That is absolutely beautiful
Fern22 I am so happy for you, keep it up I think life is just so different for a TP patient.💙💚
My greatest memory was coming home while my son was at school; he had no idea I would be there when he got home from school as I was discharged earlier than we had expected. I was sitting in the chair in the living room when he and grandma got home. My husband has a video of it. My son was so excited to be home from school, and then just over the moon to see mommy there!
@TServold What a beautiful moment, Having the video makes it even better.
Transplant Patient
Ok Taiylor's memory reminded me of my favourite. The first time I went outside post transplant. Due to complications, I ended up being in the ICU for a while and the first time I was able to go outside was almost a month later. It was fall, we bundled me up under blankets in a wheelchair, I wore my husband's baseball hat because the sun was in my eyes. we only went to the parking lot but I was so happy I cried. The sun was brighter, the sky was bluer, there was a squirrel running across the parking lot. That was the moment it hit me that I was alive
All these memories warm my heart. I know our journey has a lot things we rather not remember and I so happy we can say we have the moments when it feels like a dream yet it is reality.
One of the most memorable moments was the party my parents threw - the "Transplant Party" as it has come to be known. I think every family member, friends of the family, my friends, my siblings friends, and their friends were at our house that summer night. My mother ordered a metric ton of food (of course) and there were people in and out of the house all day and night. Every drop of alcohol in the house was consumed, even the slivovitz.
We still talk about the party 24 years later and the photo of my step-dad and his best friend passed out under the kitchen table is pulled out on occasion.
The Aurabesh
That sounds like a wonderful celebration!! Definitely one to remember!! Congratulations on 24 years!!!