Worried about my sister

[Karol]

I hope she can get copies of her labs. Some of what you describe can be a "bug" or it can be toxicity to the immunosuppressants, especially if she does not eat or drink much - the levels need to be adjusted to her or it can caused chronic kidney damage.
Patients who start out as kids may have a bit of learned helplessness, and rely on others to take care of things, even as adults. It can be hard to change, and having a life coach or counselor can help.
Jenna suffers from erratic sleep patterns, and it is not uncommon for kidney patients to have drifting sleep cycles. She should discuss it with her doctor.
Best wishes to you, I know it's hard to watch someone you love struggle. I pray she gets some help and feels better.

[Prelude_Sarah]

Hey everyone!  Sorry it's been so long!  I'm very happy to report that my sister bounced right back after that scare.  It turned out, she just had a bug, like a normal person.  My family and I are so used to automatically assuming something is very wrong when she doesn't feel well, as that has so often been the case in the past.  But, she is doing great now!  She's a budding photographer, and since she received my left kidney on May 10th of this year, she has been focusing on her passions, such as photography and baking.  She loves to make cupcakes, and they are tasty!  She has also been hired to do several photo shoots recently, and was even published in a magazine for a non-profit organization!  It's so awesome to see her doing well.
I'm also doing very well, but very busy.  I'm in my senior year of college, about to get my BS in Piano Performance.  I'm feeling almost all the way better, despite some weird numbness around my main incision, and still a little bit of lingering sensitivity on the right side of my abdomen when it's touched in certain ways. 
I'm back to the gym, doing light weight lifting and swimming 3 times a week.  I also walk up a steep incline on the treadmill, but I still don't feel comfortable jogging.  Have any of you experienced uncomfortable pulling sensations when you try to run or jog?  I've also noticed that I cramp up very easily if I happen to try to run at all.  I just figure my body is taking it's time healing in that way, so I'm being patient.

One question I'd like to ask you all - following donation, did you have trouble losing weight if you wanted to do so?  I'd like to lose about 15 pounds, and in the past, this has never been very difficult for me.  I drink plenty of water, I eat very well (fruits, veggies, lean protein, etc) and I workout regularly.  I feel great when I workout, and I love it!  But, I have not lost ONE SINGLE POUND!  I have been in this sort of strict routine for about 4 weeks now, and my weight literally has not BUDGED!  I'm not too worried about it, because I feel good and I realize that I'm gaining muscle as I workout, which weighs more than fat.  But I'm just curious if my stubborn weight has anything to do with the fairly recent operation.
I hope you all are doing wonderful, and I feel like I've missed you all in the time that I wasn't logging in here! 

Much love,

Sarah

P.S. If any of you are interested in checking out the music I write, please visit http://soundcloud.com/preludesarah (Sort of shameless self promotion haha)

[Snoopy]

Hi, Sarah.
 We missed you!  Thanks for the update.  I'm very happy to hear that you and your sister are flourishing. Keep up the good work!
  About the diet, exercise, and lack of weight loss--at some point, you might want to ask a doctor.  If it makes you feel better, I was once an ICU patient for several weeks and, despite being fed only by nasogastric tube the whole time, lost not one pound.  What a burn!
     Be well, Snoopy

[donorgirl]

I also think it would help if both you and your sister talk to someone.  I know there's some depression that sometimes follows surgery, especially transplant surgery.  But I also encourage you to talk to a professional.  There are so many emotions that donors have that often get ignored because we aren't the "recipients."  So please pay attention to yourself as well as taking care of your sister.

I will pray for both of you. 

Lee

[Orchidlady]

It is good to hear that things have worked themselves out for you and your family, Sarah.
On the weight loss, the kidney donation may not be the issue - but I wonder if you are eating enough. You used the term "strict routine" which made me wonder if you stepped up the exercise but lower the calories. I know it sounds backwards, but if you eat too little, it has the opposite effect in that your body goes into starvation mode thinking there is not enough food to support it. It will hang on to that weight for dear life! Try upping your food intake by three to five hundred calories (depending on where you are at now) just to see if that helps or hurts. I know what you mean, though, about the pulling when you jog. The surgeon told me after 6 weeks, but it still felt uncomfortable. I waited til after 8 and tried again, and it felt much better with continued improvement as the days went on.
Good luck!

[Scott337]

Sarah,

Try B12 daily - worked for me.

By the way - love your music - "Heart with a path" is my favorite.   Very talented.



Scott   

[Scott337]

Oops  "Path with a Heart"  - Still my favorite