So I think I have developed an addiction to reading Kidney Blogs now (most of which I have linked off to the right). I read at least 3 donor blogs in their entirety, 1 recipient blog, and 1 blog that deals with both sides of the story! I am just fascinated reading how this decision has effected other peoples lives and what they went through. I should probably stop though because reading them makes me anxious and excited at the same time. They make me eager to get t his process really started. I can't wait to finish the tests and find out if I can actually do this. I think that even though I have read about the pain and how hard it is to get back to normal after giving up your kidney, reading everyone's story has really confirmed for me that this is what I want to do.
I have noticed a few things though between the donor and recipient blogs. It seems there are more donor blogs then recipient ones. I think this is because for donors this is an elective surgery and they are eager to get information. When they don't find all of the information they want they start a blog so that the information they didn't find is now available for other potential donors. This is different then recipients because normally for the recipient getting a transplant is their only option, because of this they accept it without doing as much research, prompting less blogging (at least this is the case for Dave and I, I don't think he has ever entered the words Kidney Transplant into google). Or if they are researching there are a lot of websites that talk about the process for the recipient and it seems there are less for the donor which might also be why there is this unevenness in blogs. I have also noticed the donors seem to feel worse of the surgery despite having the smaller incision. After thinking about it this makes a lot of sense though assuming the donated kidney is accepted by the recipient with minimal complications. The recipient is going from almost no kidney function to one full kidney functioning meaning they have more energy because their blood is being filtered easier then it was before the transplant. For the donor they go from having 2 healthy kidneys to 1 kidney so they are going to be more tired. Fun reading.
For the most part it seems the worst part of being the donor is wanting to go back to doing everything you are used to too soon. I know that will probably be a problem for me, I like to be way too independent. The fatigue is definitely probably the second worst because it seems you are tired all the time and for some people this may last 2 weeks and for others a lot longer so I don't know if there is a way to prepare because I don't know how it will effect me.
I also realized that if I give my kidney to Dave how will we ever do laundry? Lifting a heavy laundry basket and carrying it down 2 flights of stairs is a definite no I'm assuming for both donor and recipient for awhile. haha all the clothes move to the basement?
I have noticed a few things though between the donor and recipient blogs. It seems there are more donor blogs then recipient ones. I think this is because for donors this is an elective surgery and they are eager to get information. When they don't find all of the information they want they start a blog so that the information they didn't find is now available for other potential donors. This is different then recipients because normally for the recipient getting a transplant is their only option, because of this they accept it without doing as much research, prompting less blogging (at least this is the case for Dave and I, I don't think he has ever entered the words Kidney Transplant into google). Or if they are researching there are a lot of websites that talk about the process for the recipient and it seems there are less for the donor which might also be why there is this unevenness in blogs. I have also noticed the donors seem to feel worse of the surgery despite having the smaller incision. After thinking about it this makes a lot of sense though assuming the donated kidney is accepted by the recipient with minimal complications. The recipient is going from almost no kidney function to one full kidney functioning meaning they have more energy because their blood is being filtered easier then it was before the transplant. For the donor they go from having 2 healthy kidneys to 1 kidney so they are going to be more tired. Fun reading.
For the most part it seems the worst part of being the donor is wanting to go back to doing everything you are used to too soon. I know that will probably be a problem for me, I like to be way too independent. The fatigue is definitely probably the second worst because it seems you are tired all the time and for some people this may last 2 weeks and for others a lot longer so I don't know if there is a way to prepare because I don't know how it will effect me.
I also realized that if I give my kidney to Dave how will we ever do laundry? Lifting a heavy laundry basket and carrying it down 2 flights of stairs is a definite no I'm assuming for both donor and recipient for awhile. haha all the clothes move to the basement?
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