Cool Transplant Information

Just have been reading a ton of fantastic transplant information lately and wanted to stop by and post it.  Also, wanted to let the world know Dave and I are both still doing great with excellent Kidney health.

First The University Of Maryland Medical Center successfully transplanted the first organ delivered by Drone! I feel like that is very amazing.  They are always using new technology to make transplants better and faster.  I am so happy to have been able to donate through them.

Second Maryland's Living Donor Protection Act Passed.

Thats all for now.  I'll try and remember to update again in a week on our 5 year Transplantaversery!!!!

3 years!

Its time for the annual update!  Today marks 3 years since I gave Dave my left Kidney and I am happy to report we are both healthy as can be!

I wish I had something more interesting to say but I think that says it all.  Three years later and we are both doing great it can not really get any better then that!

So on another note Last Week Tonight did a Dialysis episode and I think it was really good.  So I am going to link it here and if you feel like it feel free to watch.  Its a DaVita one of the biggest dialysis companies around! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw_nqzVfxFQ&feature=share

And just for funsies here is an updated picture of us enjoying the vacation we just came back from! Something we would not have been able to do if Dave was still on Dialysis!

2 Year Follow up with UMMC

So I know that our 2 year Kidneyaversery was a while ago, but about a month ago is when I finally had time to go do the lab work.  I took a day off and went down to the University of MD for my last follow up there.  After 2 years you no longer have any follow ups with them and are supposed to monitor your own kidney function with the help of you primary care doctor.  Everyone was super helpful and I was in and out quickly, which gave me plenty of time to go get copies of our marriage certificate (but that isn't important here).

After a few days the coordinator e-mailed me to say that my protein/creatinine levels were elevated and that she would like me to re-do the test because she things the results are wrong.  This immediately made me anxious because what if the test wasn't wrong and I was actually having issues with my solo kidney.  I didn't post here right away about this because I didn't want anyone else worrying about it till I knew what was up.  So I silently worried to myself while googling everything I could.  This is always a bad idea.

As soon as I could I went to labcorp and re-did the test.  Within a few days the coordinator e-mailed me again to say everything was normal!  This was great news and good to know.  So my one kidney is still doing its job!

Dave, also had an apt. recently where the Dr. said he was doing well.  He also mentioned how great it was Dave was on so few medications!   This is because transplant patients are normally on medications to control the disorders that caused their kidneys to fail in the first place, and Dave doesn't have to worry about that because he is healthy!

Well, I think that is all for now.  As always if you want to know anything else about my experience feel free to ask! 

A podcast on a Kidney Love story.

After Dave and I were married a friend sent me a link on facebook to The Modern Love Podcast.   The specific episode she sent me is titled "I see my Superhero" .  It is the story of a girl who needed a kidney transplant and was able to receive one from her boyfriend.  She wrote a short essay about it after she received the transplant and that essay is read and then they talk to the couple for a follow up.

 In the story the girl receives one transplant from her brother that rejects and then another from her boyfriend.  In the follow up you learn that the second kidney, the one from her boyfriend also rejects later on in life.  She was lucky enough to find a third person to donate a kidney to her.

With this all being said the podcast brought a lot of emotions out for me.  I relate to the boyfriend in the story, being ready to donate without ever being asked because the person you love needs you.  But the story talks about rejection and it makes the reality that that could happen to Dave and I so real.  You never know what might trigger a kidney to reject and that is a real fear I have.  It scares me to think about my kidney not lasting forever!  But it was also great to hear the positive attitudes of the couple in the story.  It is this positive out look I try and have for our own situation.  Where as I might be scared that one day Dave will need a new kidney I know that focusing on that is not the way to look at the situation.  Staying positive and keeping on doing everything we are doing, living life to the fullest is the way to combat any fears I or anyone else has in this kind of situation.

So if you are looking for an interesting listen check out this podcast.  Let me know what you think of it.

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2nd Kidneyaversery!

Yesterday was our 2nd Kidneyiversery meaning it has been 2 years since I donated my kidney to Dave!  Wow, time has flown by and it feels like we have done so much in these past 2 years that the days of dialysis are so much farther in the past then they really are.

Both Dave and I are doing well!  At least as far as I can tell.  His most recent blood work looked amazing and I feel fine so I guess that is good.  The only weirdness from the donation that I still have is that the muscles on the left side of my back where the kidney used to be become more sore then the right.  I feel this is something I wouldn't even notice if I wasn't spending most of my free time taking circus classes (aerial silks, lyra, and German wheel).  These classes require a ton of strength in all muscles which is why I think I feel the pain there more then a normal person would.  I'm sure with more working out it will stop too.

Within these last two years Dave and I have done so many things that might not have been possible had Dave not been able to receive my Kidney.  We went on a cruise, were married (only 3 weeks ago!), went to a ton of concerts and events, hung out with tons of friends, went on multiple weekend trips to places like the beach, dragon*con, Hershey, and wherever else we wanted, and got a dog.  Our motto has been "No Rest" because we know first hand that you never know what could happen in life so you might as well do as much as you can while you are able.  We hope to continue doing tons of things and that my kidney keeps working well inside Dave!

2 years down, hopefully many more to go!