Living Donors Online Message Board
Living Donation Discussion and News => Living Donation Forum => Topic started by: jatopa on November 10, 2011, 09:47:43 AM
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So I'm trying to decide if I should fly to Paris from Los Angeles 4.5 weeks after surgery. If I go, I need to buy tickets now, to insure that I am on the same flights as my friends, who will manage my bags for me. I won't have to lift a thing, just carry a light bag.
I've heard you can return to work 4 to 6 weeks after laparoscopic nephrectomy...why not just go to Paris instead?
Any thoughts from those who have gone through this?
Thank you!
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Talk to your surgeon is the best advice I can give you. I flew home two weeks post-op, a 4-hour flight. My surgeon said to make sure I could get up and stretch my legs, I wore compression stockings, and took an aspirin the day before and the day of my flight. I was fine. Paris is a long haul so you may want to check with the airline to see if they'll upgrade you to more legroom but not charge you because of your donation. And have a wonderful time. Paris!
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I felt up to a trip to Paris a month after surgery and I went back to work after ten days.
So much depends on your personal recovery.
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I think everyone is different. At 6 weeks I was ready to go back to a office job. I was not 100% physically well. You really will not know how well you will feel until you yourself are at 4.5 weeks. Looking back I don't think it would have been such a good idea for me to do a large trip that you are planning.
Before my surgery. I read everything,read all the posts on this site. And still I did not really understand that donating a kidney is major surgery.
I am now at 3 months post surgery. If I lived a mostly sedentary life. I would probably say that I was now fine. But I have been is shape my whole life, and I like to be active. I still do not have the stamina I had before. The incision is not fully healed on the inside. If I stretch it it can bother me for a couple days. I am assuming it will be another 3 months at least for me to be as active as I once was.
As far as my surgoen is concerned. Because my kidney funtion is good and the outside of the incision is healed. I am good to do anything, but I know this is not the case.
I am 44 years old. You should ask lawphi how old she is. I think age has something to do with recovery time
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Thanks for the advice! I think I'll check out my frequent flyer miles, get a ticket that is refundable or get cancellation insurance and just book it with the knowledge I may have to cancel.
I know I would be very sad if I was well enough to go, but it was too late to get on my friends' flights. Flying with them is essential, so I won't have to lift a thing.
On a lighter note, I told another friend I would be giving my brother a kidney for Christmas, and she said "You've had that thing for 60 years. I think this clearly comes under the heading of 'REGIFTING' ".
HAHHAHAHHA