General
Readjusting after transplant received from out of state and then returning home.
As I have been recovering from my new kidney transplant, I received it out of state in NYC while I live full time in Louisville Kentucky. After 3 months and 12 days of being in the Big Apple, I am now home with my family My fiancee and my son and my two dogs and I have had to take pause as I re-launched into the everyday of my family. There is a lot to consider, Like NO MORE DIALYSIS, but I still have follow up appts with my local neph, and still bloodwork. I have to change my meds from nyc to ky. Its just an adjustment. I have to remember that even though i do have more energy i still am in recovery mode and i need continue to communicate with my family the needs and also ask them what they need from me. It's gonna take time but I am hopeful. Question, Has anyone faced this? and what did you do to ease back into the "normal" of your family dynamics and into the community as a whole?
1 - 3 of 3 Replies
@Berriosa1234 Nothing better than being back home after such a long time. While I don’t have any advice, I just want to wish you all the best on your recovery and settling back in.
-Andreas
Thank you so much. I really appreciate you!
As a fellow resident of Louisville who *very* recently had a liver transplant out of state, I think I might have some relevant advice for you :-)
"I have to remember that even though i do have more energy i still am in recovery mode and i need continue to communicate with my family the needs and also ask them what they need from me."
I actually think you've answered most of the question yourself.
Firstly: Communication, Communication, Communication. That's the key. Potentially many of the emotional and behavioral assumptions you and your loved ones have built between yourselves over the years have now been thrown up in the air in a big "Highway-speed multi-vehicle collision" of relational and existential chaos and uncertainty. Understandably in hindsight, it can take a bit for you all to come down off the ledge of dealing literally with Life and Death. Crisis Mode is not usually the default form of thinking required by life, and it can take a while to let go of that when you've had to operate that way for a significant amount of time.
Secondly: You do indeed need to be more cautious than you feel you need when it comes to your body and recovery. I've not put myself in any serious trouble, but I have pushed too hard out of impatience and frustration. Your body doesn't give a sh*t what you want it to do this second. It's gonna call the shots for a while :-) Historically I have always tried to return to work or obligations too soon after being unwell, this is the first situation where I have really had to "sit down and shut up" because my body told me to.
Things WILL progress, but you won't always have control of the pace. That will also require you to ask for help and/or be unable to do thing for yourself or others that you have in the past for the time being. Asking for help is perhaps one of the things I am most afraid of in life. But biology and physics again cares little for my fragile ego ;-) Making sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to what things you can and can't do, and when you can or can't do them, will help a bunch. Again, Communication, etc...
I hope I haven't just vomited a bunch of irrelevant info at you. For me this has been at least MY main take away concerning "transitioning back to normal". One way to describe it that I feel kind of ties it all together is as such:
My body, myself, and my loved ones spent two years continually adjusting and learning to try to survive without a functioning organ. My body, myself, and my loved ones also deserve some time to unlearn that coping in order to return to "normal". It will happen, just approach it with intention, honesty, and love.
I wish you all the best. May we all make the most of the Profound Gifts we've received through the sacrifice of others.
🙂