~Two week update, post donation

[Prelude_Sarah]

Hello everyone
I just wanted to let you all know how my sister and I are doing now (17 days out).  I know when I was considering donation it was very helpful to read other people's experiences, so I hope my updates are helpful to some of you.

First off, my sister (recipient) is doing wonderful.  She's eating lots, has plenty of energy, her lab numbers are great and she is in good spirits.
I do believe that I'm also doing well, aside from a few things.  I had another bought of really bad constipation, but that was solved by using an enema.  I had a very very very bad case of dry skin on my face for a bit, but as of a few days ago it has really improved, almost back to normal.

Unfortunately though, last night I noticed a very distinct red circle around my main incision.  The outer lines of it are very defined, and it extends about 1 inch down from my belly button, one inch to the right, and about three inches to the left, where it is almost touching my lower laproscopic incision.  I do believe that it just showed up last night, and it did spread a little bit by the time I woke up this morning.
I just saw a doctor and he believes that it is an infection called Cellulitis.  I was given a prescription for Bactrim and told that I should see improvement by Sunday or Monday.  The red spot is not painful, but it is slightly swollen.  The doctor drew a line around it and said that if it spreads at all I have to go to the emergency room.
I asked what the worst case scenario could be for this, and the hospital told me that they would re-open the incision in order to clean it out.  I really hope it doesn't come to that, it had already healed up so much

I guess this is sort of a rare incident according to the hospital.  Has anyone out there ever dealt with this complication? 
Other than the above and some back pain due to having to adjust my sleeping positions, I'm doing very well.  The incisions themselves actually look great and I really do feel better than I could have ever imagined pre-surgery.
I will let you all know what happens

Much love!!

Sarah

[Tom]

Sorry to hear about the infection.  Hopefully the medication will do its job.  It's good to hear that you and your sister are doing well otherwise.
Tom

[lawphi]

Glad to see you are being proactive with the rash. Does bacterium cause any issues with yeast/thrush?

[Orchidlady]

Glad to hear you are in good spirits and doing well! Sorry to hear you had the infection and hope the Bactrim is doing the trick. Watch for allergic reactions as Bactrim is a sulfa-related antibiotic. They gave it to my husband post surgery and it caused his feet to itch terribly. They kept thinking it was the pain medicine and finally figured out it was the bactrim. Once they switched it, he was fine.

[Prelude_Sarah]

Thanks guys
The infection seems to be clearing up, thank goodness!  Now the worry is this: my blood pressure has been really high lately I just took it again a few minutes ago and it's 144/81.  Pulse is 69.  This freaks me out quite a bit (which I know, does not help the BP). 
Normally, my BP is around 120/80...when should I start worrying about this?  How many days of high blood pressure should I have before I take some action?  I've never dealt with anything like this before, so I really don't know how serious it is.  I made the mistake of looking it up on the internet, and of course, it's all just scary stuff.  In the hospital, my BP was normal.
Did anyone else experience high blood pressure after donation?  If so, how did/do you manage it?

Thank you for your continued support

Sarah

[sherri]

Hi Sarah,

First off, don't panic. There may be a reasonable explanation. What kind of cuff are you using? Is it calibrated correctly? Are you still in pain or discomfort? Maybe that is making it go up. Try taking it after relaxing, do a few deep breaths. Some people do three readings and average it out. Keep a log and then show it to your doctor if it is still high.

Glad to see the infection is clearing up. Let us know what happens. donation surgery is definitely a bumpy ride. Good luck

Sherri

[Aries7]

Hi Sarah!

I am so sorry to hear you ended up with an infection, but I am glad to hear it is getting better. As far as the blood pressure, I think Sherri gave you great advice. Try not to panic. I would follow Sherri's advice. If it continues to be high, you will want to give your doctor a call and let him/her know what your BP readings have been. Try to stay calm and relax. Your body is still adjusting to life with one kidney. Please do keep us posted as to how your BP is as well as how you are progressing in general. It is so good to hear from you! Hugs!

Linda

[dlpisgiving]

Congrads on the whole process. You must be very proud!  I have my surgery 2 weeks from today and I have enjoyed reading your journey as an inspiration to me.

[Scott337]

Sarah,

Sounds like overall, you've been doing well - the blood pressure variations could have a myriad of explanations.  Remain Calm!  Every time I went in for a clinic appointment, both pre and post operative, my blood pressure would go up significantly, even though I felt calm .
Finally, prior to my surgery, I had to carry a 24 hour heart monitor that checked my BP about every 20 minutes.  Turned out to be fine.  Point is, if it continues to be high, inform your physician - they can best advise you on lowering/treating it.

Have you ever tried Yoga?  Yes, I said yoga.  My daughters turned me onto it this last Christmas ( I donated last October), which proved not only to be timely, but very effective in helping me to relax.  I practice frequently and the calming effect, I believe has helped me keep my BP in acceptable ranges.  Just a suggestion.

I hope you continue to do well.

Scott

[Prelude_Sarah]

Thanks for the advice everyone Scott, I actually have a good friend that just started teaching a yoga class!  I do believe I'll be joining her once I'm a little more healed up! 
I'm feeling such a great zest for life now, I've never been so grateful to be alive and surrounded by my loved ones.  It's really an incredible feeling.  My family keeps on telling me what a wonderful gift it was that I gave to my sister, but I'm really starting to see what a beautiful gift it was for me, as well.

Much love!

Sarah

[Scott337]

You Rock!!!!