Kidney
A current update
On Friday, April 3, 2026, I began feeling unwell and extremely tired, with a low-grade fever after being a bit under the weather for several days. I called the 24/7 Hackensack nurse line, and after speaking with a doctor, she recommended that I take Tylenol, rest, and drink plenty of fluids.
Over the weekend, I followed those instructions and spent most of Saturday and Sunday sleeping, as I had very little energy.
On Monday, April 6, 2026, when I woke up, I felt significantly worse. I had almost no energy, could barely sit up, and needed to lie down even more than during the previous few days. On top of that, my fever spiked very high—to about 102.7°F (39.4°C) on another thermometer.
I immediately called my transplant coordinator. She recommended that I go straight to the emergency room and said she would make all the necessary arrangements. Because I felt so weak that I could barely sit in a car—even if someone else were driving—we decided to call an ambulance.
The ambulance arrived, took my vitals, and transported me to Hackensack ER. My biggest fear was that I might be experiencing a serious rejection episode. However, after running several tests—including blood work, an ultrasound, and a CT scan—the doctors discovered that I had pneumonia.
They admitted me to the transplant floor and told me that I would likely stay there for a while. The medical team wanted to determine whether it was respiratory bacterial pneumonia or viral pneumonia, which required waiting for some lab results. Based on my symptoms, the doctor believed it was most likely viral.
During this experience, I also learned something new about my kidney transplant journey. The doctors temporarily stopped one of my anti-rejection medications, Myfortic, to allow my body to fight the infection more effectively. The medical team explained that pausing the medication for a few days in a severe situation like this is safe, but it should never be skipped casually or simply because I forget to take it.
This journey continues to teach me something new every single day. Even through moments like this, I’m reminded how grateful I am—for the incredible medical team watching over me and for the strength our bodies have to heal.
Every step of this transplant journey brings new lessons, challenges, and appreciation for life. I’m taking it one step at a time, learning along the way, and feeling truly blessed to keep moving forward. 💙
1 - 11 of 11 Replies
Transplant Patient
Oh friend, wishing you a speedy recovery. Let us know if there's anything we can do
I hope you feel better soon
I hope you feel better soon
So sorry you have been feeling unwell! I hope you recover quickly! I appreciate you sharing this experience and what you learned! I find the immunology to be so fascinating. About 6-7 months after my transplant, I became neutropenic and had to take Neupogen injections to try and stimulate my white blood cells. We did that for a few months and eventually I stopped taking Cellcept all together so that my white blood cells could bounce back. I resumed it after 2-3 months and have been of a stable dose since!
How are you feeling now?
Transplant Patient
@jdanishevsky - I'm so sorry to hear that you're in the hospital. That said, the best thing you did was to keep checking in with your transplant care team throughout. Thank you so much for sharing about your experience. By sharing our lived experiences, this community stays well informed.
Good luck & prayers for asmooth and complete healing.
TO @all: Post-transplant, if we're not feeling well, it's very important to report any/all symptoms to the medical care team - at the earliest. Early reporting & detection gives the healthcare providers more treatment options to work with. This is especially true during 1st year or so after transplant.
thank you so much
thank you very much
Thank you my friend. Yes, I had to do the same, get injections several times before for low blood count, but now, it seems to be stabilized. I am good. Almost recovered, but my energy levels are still very low.
Thank you very much. Yes, absolutely, learning and keeping the team in the loop has been always my priority since I got my transplant. I am still under a year, so I listen to my body and report immediately. Thank you.
Transplant Patient
Keep at it, @jdanishevsky !!
You will THRIVE 👍
@jdanishevsky I am so happy you are doing better. Continue to rest and recover . You are good hands with the team. I am happy that you contacted them to get better.