Kidney Transplant Evaluation Notes taken 10-8-2012

Post-transplant maintenance must be performed in the "village" (geographical region) where the transplant is performed.  Duration is about three months, with visits 2-3 times a week initially dwindling to minimal contact /self-maintenance at the end of the post-transplant period.

Once approved and put on waiting list, the waiting period in the DC metropolitan area is usually 3-5 years; longer in NYC metro area (5-8 years).

LOTS of logistics pre- and post-transplant; lots of rules to follow.  Support structure is critical!  I will feel a lot better about things when my financial situation improves (i.e., I go back to work).

Surgery normally lasts 2-3 hours and patient stays in hospital an additional two days for observation.

Transplanted kidneys last an average of 10-15 years.

Immunosuppressants have to be taken post-transplant to reduce risk of kidney rejection.  A side effect of this is increased risk of skin cancer (use sunblock).  Immunosuppressants have to be taken for rest of lifetime.

Tasks:  Research rejection rates; Research peritoneal dialysis as an alternative.

I am daunted and energized, doubtful and confident, discouraged yet grateful that I am healthy enough to consider this option.  I am not 100% convinced that this is the way to go, but I am going to keep every option open for now.

The Big Chair

This Sunday evening I noticed that my dialysis chair seemed to be considerably larger; I remarked to Kory (my technician) that I felt like a little boy in it!  Kory told me that it was a nocturnal dialysis chair, and that upon finding out that the center actually had a few of them he had one put at my station.  Sitting in that chair reminded me of going to the barber shop with my Mom many decades ago and sitting in the "big chair" to get my haircut!

This might make sleeping during dialysis a little easier, and at a minimum will give me something else to complain about in a pinch....

Birthday Bash -- 12/31/2011

I seized the opportunity to eat the following foods that I am no longer allowed to eat:

McDonald's french fries (drenched in ketchup)
Breyer's chocolate ice cream
A large McDonald's chocolate shake (I really miss McDonald's)
PIZZA!!
Cake with chocolate icing (I know, I know)
Double bacon cheeseburger slathered with ketchup (two no-nos for the price of one!)
A small bag of fried Cheetos (you know I wanted the large bag!)
Sugar coated cashews

I didn't eat all of this on the same day; I spread it out over the course of a week or so.

I really don't miss french fries anymore, but I still crave everything else on this list from time to time -- especially chocolate!!

Update - March 29, 2012

I feel so-so this morning, which is the only reason I am writing this!  Normally, I would be out running right now, but this morning I have more aches and pains than usual, and decided not to force the issue.  I resolved to run more in 2012, and so far that is going very well.  I've been running hills all winter, and the hard work showed when I ran a flat-track mile last Sunday.  I cracked the 19-minute barrier without trying very hard.  And I've started extending my training runs beyond the one-mile mark (it's about time!)  Hopefully I can work my way towards the five-mile mark over the summer.

My dry weight is up to 106 kilograms (233 pounds), and I've reached the point where I can no longer joke about being a "growing boy".  As such, I have started to watch how much I eat.  I've cut out one meal on dialysis days.  Ideally, I would like to maintain my current strength (72-74 pushups!) while increasing my endurance and dropping 8 to 10 pounds.

Physically speaking, I feel good!  It's been a very long time since I have been able to say that - like about five years!  Here's hoping that the feeling lasts.