5 weeks

I had another post op visit with my nephrologist yesterday. Everything is going well, my creatinine yesterday was 1.1 which he is pleased with. He said that once my medication doses stabilizing my creatinine will stabilize as well. He said that when my creat was 0.9 it wasn't truly saturated with drugs yet and now that it is it fluctuates because the drug is metabolized by the kidney meaning the kidney has to work to excrete it. So all in all no new news which is good. He moved me to be seen every 2 weeks instead of once a week, YEAH! Still will be getting labs drawn twice a week but don't need to wait at the hospital for appointments. 

The swelling in my belly has gone down a bit but not all the way yet. The incision looks good all the scab is off so now it just looks like, well a scar. 

The biggest and most exciting news on this blog this post is that Ron and I got engaged!!!!! We are super excited and looking at wedding stuff has been so much fun it's like a new found hobby! It's kinda funny how life can go from so scary  and gloomy to so happy and exciting within a couple months! We are going to see some venues this weekend but we don't plan on getting married for awhile 😄 

Ill be getting my blood drawn again tomorrow so I'm hydrating this kidney up!! 

Until next time, xoxo britt 

Teeny tiny bump in the road

So I wanted to give everyone an update as to what happened yesterday. A true reminder that a kidney transplant is NOT a cure only a treatment to kidney disease.

I had my blood drawn on Tuesday. I seen uofm's number pop up on my phone and thought "oh shit". They never call for good news, only bad. The first thing she said was "well....your creatinine took a jump.." And my heart dropped. When everyone asked me before this all happened "are you scared or nervous about the surgery?" I never was. Surgery is no big deal to me. You're out, you get a good nap and wake up and it's all over! The real worry I had was the recovery and this was exactly why. Creatinine can jump for many reasons, the major one being rejection of the organ which is more likely in the beginning. So of course in the back of my mind I was planning on spending my weekend at uofm getting a biopsy and tons of IV meds. I always think of the worst and hope for the best. With my creatinine jumping from 1.0 to 1.2 isn't a high jump and technically 1.2 is still considered normal for a man kidney they still worry it could be rejection in the early phase. 

So the next step was to make sure I was very well hydrated for Thursdays blood draw. Your creatinine can increase because of dehydration. So I drank 4.5L of straight water. I was worried. Everyone kept telling me it would be alright but what else would they say? So I turned to Facebook. The power of prayer is amazing and I knew I could count on my support system. I really don't feel like I'm going through this alone. I feel like so many people are here along with me,  and it helps. 

I got my blood redrawn Thursday and had to wait awhile before the results were in. If it stayed the same or went higher I was gonna spend Memorial Day with my favorite 5C ladies. Last transplant I spent EVERY holiday after jan 20 in the hosp getting biopsies so of course that was in the back of my mind as well. 

The nurse called me at about 3 and first said "well I have some good news" and the weight was lifted! She said my creatinine dropped back down to 1.0... Life was good...again. She said all my other labs looked great and to recheck on Tuesday. I quickly called my mom and sent the news to Facebook! We were all SO happy! It's such a relief. 

So then my mom and I did what we do and hit the streets for a little retail therapy ;) after all that stress why not?! 

Thank you for all the prayers support and kind words. They get me thru times like these. I really appreciate you all more than you know 💗

Xoxo, britt 

Officially one month!

Today is 1 month post op and things are still going very well. They have still been having a bit of trouble controlling my prograf level. Last Thursday it was 13.0 (they want it between 8-12) so they titrated my dose. Creatinine was 1.0 which is still as normal as normal gets! All my other labs have been normal, my phosphorus has been stabilizing which they are happy with as well as my potassium. Things are looking good! 

Yesterday I had my stent removed. They place a stent in a ureter to keep it from collapsing. It's kind of like a long plastic tube. They put a camera up the urethra and use a grasper tool and pull the stent out. It's pretty painless just very uncomfortable. It only takes MAYBE a minute in a half but we waited to be seen for 2 hours. We were in the same clinic and waiting room that we started at way back in November when I was first seen for the pre-kidney transplant evaluation. It was kinda nice to end where I started. 

I moved out of my parents last week, well more like pushed out, lol. It's nice to be back home with my pups. Been trying to get the house in order, planted flowers and been up moving around a lot, pain is pretty much not there unless I cough or sneeze. I still can't lift much. But things are getting more and more back to normal!

Xoxo, britt

The picture here is of me reading a special present I received from a group of 2nd graders :) 

3 weeks out

Went to another follow up appointment. The doctors are still pleased with how everything is going. My kidney function has still been normal, with my creatinine at 0.9 :D The doctors cleared me to go back to work on June 10th, and I am hoping to go back part time so I can ease into things.

My incision pain is very minimal, my back gets sore if I'm up running around. I'm pretty much off the pain meds just taking Tylenol if needed. The scab on the incision is starting to come off, but I am still swollen and still looking pretty preggers!

I plan on going back home soon. Ron is busy with school and work so I would be myself a lot, so we will see.

No news is good news, so I'm glad this is a boring post!

Until next time,
Xoxo britt

Post op day #12

Things are still going extremely well. Still peeing and drinking a lot and still looking 5 months pregnant from all the swelling and extra organs in my belly :) I can't wait until someone asks me when I am due haha

The bowling fundraiser was this past weekend. Ron took me up there while everyone was setting up. Everything looked so nice and everyone worked so hard! It was an awesome turnout and I am so glad that everyone who went had a great time! Some people went home with some really cool prizes! I need to give everyone who worked hard on it a huge THANK YOU! But especially my aunt Marti, aunt Beth, aunt sharon, and aunt Suzy! As well as my grandparents and all their friends! You guys rock!!!! Love you!!!

Been gettin antsy to get out of the house. Today I went and my aunt Marti gave my feet some much needed love. Blue sparkles! I feel like I'm coming closer and closer to normal or whatever normal is. Next thing that is up is getting these roots done and ill be all dolled up again!

I go and see the doctor, surgeon, nurse and social worker again tomorrow. Nothing has changed in the past week but ill get my labs drawn again so prayers all my numbers are still good!

Love ya all!!
Xoxo britt

Post op day #9

It's been over a week since I got my new kidney and I've never felt better! Yesterday I went to the U for blood work and to get my hemo catheter removed. I was kinda nervous about that because I am a huge wimp when it comes to pain. They told me that the longer it is in the more painful it will be because your tissue will start to grow around the tunneled part. The doctor numbed me up with some lidocaine which hurt like hell, then he gave it a lil tug and BAM! It was out! It was so long, because the end of the cath sat right in my right atria. It was crazy to see out of me since we have become such close friends over the last month lol. All that is left is a tiny scabbed circle that I have to keep a bandaid on for about 1-2 weeks or until I see its healed.

I took my first REAL shower today! No help from anyone! I felt normal for once it was a great feeling! No tubes or lines coming from me anymore!! My incision is healing nicely and starting to scab, I still look 5 months preggers from all the swelling that's still going on. I thought about taking a mirror pregnant belly pic then decided against it lol Ron might freak out.

My labs came back GREAT again! Creat still 0.9 and my prograf level is finally where they want it. I go back on Tuesday for another appt and more labs, twice a week for a while.

Yesterday I flew the coop! I went to visit my gramma, aunts, Adi and the girls. It was nice to get out and see some family <3 my mom then took me to michaels and bed bath and beyond for a belly pillow. I love to shop no matter what the purchase is lol

Tomorrow is the big bowling fundraiser! I hope to hear/see everyone that goes. I just want people to have a good time in honor of organ donation and my uncle and I. I want all my aunts and uncle who have worked so hard on this to relax and drink up and just party to where they don't remember the next day haha :) I mean my aunt marti didn't earn the nickname aunt margarita for nothin!!

I'm easin up on the pain meds, the pain is pretty tolerable! I'm just so lucky, blessed, and happy to be feeling as alive as I do.

Xoxo, britt

Life is good

Feeling pretty damn good today. My incision is the most sore it has been but I was up walking around a lot yesterday from all the doctor appointments I had to go to.

Yesterday was my first post op visit and I met with a pharmacist, the surgeon, my nephrologist, and the RN. No news is good news and it's always good to be a boring patient. Everything is going really well so I really didn't have much to say or questions to ask. Everyone that came in kept saying "we seen you on the news!" Which is really cool. I have ALWAYS wanted to have my story on the news because I want to get the importance of organ donation out there and I think our story is very real and uplifting for those considering it.
My creatinine yesterday was 0.9 WOOHOOOO! That is NORMAL! All my other labs were NORMAL too!! I haven't been normal in years haha. I just want to get out of this house and put this kidney to use! I wanna shop and go see friends, do things with my boyfriend- I just can't wait!
They made so much money at the salon benefit and BDubbs! The support and generosity people are showing is amazing and leaves me speechless. My family and I really appreciate your continued support as I recover.
My uncle is still doing really well. He deserves the Nobel peace prize for the new lease on life he's given me. Love you uncle Phil :)
My mom was feeling left out of the blog lol so I feel like I need to say how great my mom is. She hasn't been around a whole lot because of the new job she started she can't take a lot of time off work now but she's been incredibly strong for me and I know at times she's prolly wanted to break down but hasn't- she also makes a pretty delicious salad :)

So that's it! Still recovering, miss my boyfriend and my French mastiff Layla and just gettin ancey to get out of the house

Until next time,
Xoxo britt