Feeling Stronger Every Day

First Day Home from the Hospital

with a Doting Pacey Cat :)

Each and every day, I make a little progress and feel a little better. When I first left the hospital, I was walking with a cane. For the past 5 days, I have been walking entirely on my own again. My muscle tone is slowly returning and, once again, I can stretch and bend. The incision and drain sites are still sore, but they are healing nicely. My belly region still looks quite puffy. I imagine it will take some time for it to regain any sense of it's original shape. I'm getting used to my daily attire - sweat pants and a loose fitting top!

Kevin and I have been getting out and about more and more. Today, we spent two hours at the H&R Block getting our taxes done. Always a relief to get that annual chore completed! We've also done errands - grocery shopping and banking...and some fun stuff, too. We've been out to eat a couple of times and yesterday we went to a local antique mall, where I found a beautiful ceramic picture frame for under $5.00. It has carved morning glories around the entire boarder - so pretty! I put one of our wedding photos in it and placed it with our other photographs on the window shelf.

Though I'm still dealing with medication side effects, mostly tremor and nervousness, I am sleeping fairly well at night again, which has helped me to overall feel healthier and more at peace. I've gotten accustomed to the twice weekly lab appointments, too. Initially, it felt so burdensome, but, after going a few times, it began to feel commonplace.

So, life is slowly returning to normal - but an even better normal. Already, I can tell my energy levels are higher than pre-transplant during my uremic stage. I'm no longer nauseous, as I was previously, and despite the pain associated with the surgery and the side effects from the medications, both of which will lessen and go away with time, generally, I'm already physically more comfortable. Quality of life is definitely improving!

Throughout this period, I've been able to maintain a positive outlook, which sure has helped. Kevin's support can not be underestimated. He's been a remarkable partner, a very loving husband, and an extremely caring caregiver. This time in our lives has been difficult, but together we are seeing it through, and we are so fortunate that things have gone and continue to go well. Desirae's kidney is doing a remarkable job!!!