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Changes in your recipient's life after the transplant

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shelley:
This thread is inspired by Sarah's list of the improvements she sees in her sister Kaylah's life since Sarah's kidney went to live with Kaylah.

Would anyone else like to share what your recipient's life was like before, and is now?  I would be inspired by it and would like to encourage my potential recipient with your words.

thanks in advance

Orchidlady:
What a nice thought, Shelley!

Before:
Tied to a dialysis machine 3 days a week
Stuck with needles (knitting needles is what he used to call them) three days a week
Life revolving around doctor visits, dialysis visits, and bloodwork
Eating the wonderful "REnal Diet" - the worst for him was no potatoes (other than half a cup of overnight leached, mashed potatoes or a thin,thin slice of tomato)
Lack of energy - he would come home from dialysis and not really feel like doing anything other than lay on the couch and watch TV

After:
No dialysis - he can travel and move around at will
No needles other than monthly blood work
He can eat what he wants - but does maintain a healthy diet
Greater appreciation of life in general
fewer pills (really)
Boundless energy - he said immediately after he work up from surgery he felt like he had been shot out of a cannon!

His main comment when we got home was that he always felt he was tolerating dialysis pretty well, but he had no idea how bad he truly felt until he started feeling good again.

shelley:
Wow, o'lady, that is a mighty list.  And he's had your kidney since 2007, that's a long time.  How about side effects from the anti-rejection meds? 

You see him living his life every day right next to you, what a good feeling it must give you to know you've had a part in that, in a deeper way even than being his wife.

Scott337:
My recipient was 23 years old when he was diagnosed with stage-4 renal failure with a rather serious blood-pressure issue.  For the next year-and-a-half he was on dialysis 4 hours per day, 3 days per week, was extremely fatigued much of the time, looked sickly and his blood pressure was very difficult to control.  He was also the consummate outdoorsman (hunter, fisherman and generally lived outside).  

We didn't know each other and met the day before surgery.  After the surgery (day after) his blood pressure was under control (without medication), he was eating solid foods, his color returned and he looked much healthier and he said, much as I'm certain is consistent with many other recipients; he didn't realize how truly horrible he felt until after the surgery and experiencing how much better he felt, almost immediately.  The best of all, was seeing the huge smile on his face and the tears of happiness and relief in the eyes of his mother, father and two sisters.  

Within about three weeks of his surgery, he was able to get into his deer stand and shoot a deer (and no...he didn't lift or pull).

I really didn't realize how much this entire experience would mean to his family until his father came to my room one night after the surgery, with tears in his eyes and said he didn't know how to thank me for giving them their son back.... :'(

Before the surgery, after becoming educated on the procedure and the potential short and long-term risks and effects to my health and future, I determined I was willing to accept whatever the consequences were in return for a positive outcome for my recipient.  I've prayed for my recipients continued recovery and overall health and have taken responsibility for my own by taking care of myself.  The rest is in God's hand.  

Your discomfort/pain from this surgery my friend will come and go rather quickly, but the awareness that you did something, so selflessly out of a love for someone else, will last forever (the two will not compare).  Be brave, the Lord never burdens you with more than you are able to handle.  

Good luck and rest easy in the knowledge that we are all here for you.  Much love and my prayers for your courage and fortitude.

Scott   8)

Orchidlady:
Shelley,
How kind of you to ask after my husband! He is fortunate in that the amount of anti-rejection medication he has to take is pretty low. He has a headache now and then from the prograf, but that is about it. We were an 0/6 match, and that is one of the reasons I tell people not to fret over the match too much. Even at 0/6 he takes less medication that some others he knows who had a much higher match. I think it all depends on the person and other underlying health issues. Be sure to resurrect this thread after your own surgery - we want to hear your story of how your generosity changed the life of another!

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