Kidney
Kidney transplant
In August 2020, After 4 and a half years on peritoneal dialysis I got a phone call from my Aunty to say she had finally been given the all clear to be my donor and we would be having surgery in one month. On September 1st in checked in to hospital and spent a nervous night waiting for the transplant the following day, when they took me down to theatre I threw up and there was discussions around not operating as it was a risk because I was being sick, my mum quickly jumped in and assured them it was only nerves. I woke up 6 and a half hours later and I felt GREAT, I asked my cousin why she was not the president yet if she had had this much energy her whole life haha
I was on top of the world, until the next morning. I woke up at 5am to a doctor telling me I was in rejection of the new kidney.. I was so confused, they wanted to do a biopsy to confirm it was definitely rejection but my blood pressure was too high to safely have a biopsy so they just had to go off my rising creatinine and other blood results. Over the next week I was moved to the intensive care department and given 4 rounds of an infusion called thymoglobin which is used to treat rejection. After that my blood results and creatinine came down and ever since I have been doing increasingly better. My creatinine is now stable. I'm 6 months post transplant and have never felt healthier. The chance of rejection is so slim and when caught on time is easily fought. I'm so thankful to my donor for giving me another chance at life.
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Transplant Patient
What a story - it resonates with me since my kidney did not kick in until the throes day postoperatively so I thought it just didn’t take! Scary few days with my creatinine rising and my weight increasing my 16 pounds over those hours. Thyroglobulin is a savior although it made me very nauseous - not sure about you? So happy you are doing so well now - what was the cause of your ckd?
Glad you are doing well and it worked for you too! Yes it made me very nauseous too. I am a type 1 diabetic and I had very poor control as a teenager so that caused my CKD and issues with my eyes. Much better control now though, luckily.
I am so glad you shared your story with us. And so happy you found TransplantLyfe🤩
Such a great story! I tried changing my mind too when they wheeled me to the operating floor. My doctor said they had already taken the kidney out of my dad and I said for them to give it to someone else. That is when the anesthesiologist walked over asked who my favorite band was and asked if I wanted a "margarita". He put his headphones on me and put something in my IV and I woke up with a kidney. My nerves got the better of me. I am so happy you found Transplantlyfe! Thank you for your inspiring story!
Transplant Patient
Jazmin - I really hope you are doing better now and sharing your rejection story makes me feel better and I know it will comfort others too!