Back from Hospital

[rdr321]

  I got back last night from my donation. I donated on the 15th was released pm on the 19th. My stay in the hospital was not pleseant. I have not read on here on how painfull it is afterward. No matter haw many drugs it was bad. Before I had the surgery my surgoen told me that people underestimate how much pain they will feel afterward. The first 2 days i was regreting doing it. I was in so much pain. On the fourth day I was alot better. Today is the 5th day and I only need regular tylonol for the pain. Last night when I got home I would have had a emotional breakdown (sobbing uncontrolably)if my wife was not present. I did not want her to see me like that. She had seen enouph seeing me in the hospital. When I woke up in the morning the emotional stuff was all gone.I even pooped this morning, yey! I had totaly understimated this procedure. This is a huge trauma to our systems. I can understand having depression afterward. The catheter being pulled out of my penis was not pleasent either. I am 43, thin and in very good shape.
  I began thinking that maybe people who write their experiances here do not express how bad the few days of recovery are because it might turn away possible donors. Or maybe it is because they do not write about it untill they feel better and the bad is not so strong in their minds.
   I do not regret it at all now.I just want to be realistic here about pain. The amount of pain i experianced is small compared to someone on dialysis for years. So that makes it worth it.
    My donated kidney flew from southern ca to new jersey. The recipient is doing well with his new kidney. By tommorow 11 people will have recieved new kidneys because of me starting this chain. My single kidney function returned to normal readings within 3 days.

[upnover]

I know exactly what you are going through bud. I am about 11 weeks post op and the pain memory does fade. But you are right about the emotional roller coaster. I'm still dealing with the issues. The fact that you helped a person in need helps to minimize the negative feelings. You are right when you say our bodies take a licking. Hang in there, it will get better. Cheers.

[Fr Pat]

Dear "RDR",
     Congratulations on your donation! Take it a step at a time. It is a BIG shake-up of body, mind, emotions and spirit, and it may be a while before it all settles down somewhat.
     As I have been reading all the posts here for several years, I know that donors who have had really bad pain experiences have indeed been very honest and graphic in describing it. But other donors who have had less pain problem have also posted. It may be that since the time you have been reading here you have seen only the more positive descriptions? if so, I'm sorry that you may have gotten the idea that a low-pain experience was guaranteed. Thanks so much for posting your experience, as it will be very helpful for potential donors to read. I hope also that you will keep checking in here and offering your experiences and ideas. You might also in the future write up in detail your experience to post in the "experiences of other living donors" section of this site.
     Please keep us informed about how your recovery goes. Congratualtions again!
         Fr. Pat

[dodger]

Congratulations on your donation.  So many are going to benefit from you selfless act.  You are awesome!!!

Sorry this was so tough on you.  It will get better every day as you have discovered.  I do remember vividly the pain when I woke up, first time walking-you have got to be kidding, first time using the toilet, even standing to brush my teeth.  Bloated with water and gassy to top it off, sheesh.

I will say my self administered drugs worked well, helped me sleep through the first couple of days.  After they removed the IV the orals didn't work as fast, that is for sure.   

I have 3 children all by natural birth, no drugs, the first being in 22 hours of back labor.  With the last child I had a tubal liagation so expected the belly button pain.  But, this was much tougher.  It is a major surgery.  They invade your entire body cavity.  You Tube it, you will be amazed if you havn't seen this.  I had the C section removal site so it truly was the entire body cavity.

Just remember, everyones pain threshold is different.  Even though I was in pain it was tolerable.  If hubby had done it, well he probably wouldn't just for the pain issue, really.  He admits he has no pain tolerance.

Then I had high blood pressure issues afterwards and a terrible allergic reaction to one of the meds for that, was terrible smell sensitive, couldn't eat, or drink, pain meds made me so nauseated and dizzy. Switched to Tylonol before leaving the hospital.  About a week later when I could finally eat a few things, I got some bug that made me feel worse than right after surgery and lasted an entire week, lost 10 lbs in that week.  It took about a month for the food and smell sensitivity thing to work its way out. I really wondered what I had got myself into more than once.

The fact that you were in good condition is a hugh plus for you.  I was completely out of shape and at least 30 lbs overweight.  All that has changed. 

Would I do it again if I could, you bet!!  I'm sure you feel the same way knowing how many lives had been enriched and saved by your wonderful gift.  Have a good recovery and please stay in touch, this is a great group of people.

[lawphi]

 Sorry to hear you had pain issues.  I hope the worst is behind you.  My first week was gas pain, the second week my incisions itched and ached.  The third and fourth weeks were muscle pains on my side and back.  I still wake up with mild soreness two months post.

So much depends on what medications you are given after the surgery (I had fentanyl for 24 hours post), if the procedure is totally laparoscopic, how long you are under and how large your chest cavity is.  

[Orchidlady]

Glad to hear you are home, but so sorry you had such issues in the hospital. I think that, after time passes, we all sometimes forget how uncomfortable those first days can be.  Hoping things improve for you as the days go on. Congratulations on starting such an important chain!

[Aries7]

I am so sorry to hear you had such a rough time in the hospital. I really hope you will feel better and better each day. My biggest complaint was the gas pains from surgery that began about a day and a half after the surgery. I also developed a very stubborn (and itchy) rash about that same time. The gas pains got a bit better each day until they disappeared. The rash was another story. It took quite a bit of time and Prednisone to get rid of that, but it too went away. Each person's experience is unique, I am just sorry that yours involved so much pain.

I am so glad to hear that your recipient is doing so well, and that is so fantastic that by now, there are ELEVEN more people with new kidneys - WOW!!

I am wishing you all the best. Each day should get a bit better for you, until you are back to your normal self. Please do continue to give us updates as to how you are doing.

Congratulations on your donation!

Linda

[shelley]

RDR, thanks for your honesty about the pain.  I feel like this site has prepared me mentally for the pain being bad, but I also know that mentally isn't the same as physically!  Like reading about childbirth isn't the same as pushing a baby out.  I hope I have the grace not to scream or projectile vomit tomorrow, but I'm not promising anything.

All I can say is, what you did by starting that chain, man, that is a beautiful thing.  I hope that knowledge grows and grows in you, even as the bad memories shrink and shrink.

[ohtobeahayes]

Welcome to the Other Side, Rick!!!
As you are seeing, the pain does go away. I think so much of pain depends on the person too. Some people really do just not feel it as much as others do.
I've also birthed 4 babies, and before donating a kidney had a hysterectomy. I knew i'd wake up and feel like I was hit by a truck, and I did just that. I also knew that it would get better and better and better, and it did. And just like with they hysterectomy, by 5 weeks I felt normal again and a year later I wouldn't know I ever had any of my surgeries ever.
It is true, however, that it's impossible to describe what it feels like on the inside when an organ is removed. SO much goes on in there, and it's just...beyond words. Then it gets better.


Keep healing! You're doing awesome! Your body ROCKS! Isn't it incredible? Your kidney came out and your body is still working, your other kidney is picking up the slack, and you're healing, all at once. AWESOME!!!!!  Rest when you need to, walk when you can, and THANK YOU for your amazing gift!!!!
Nicki