The Transplant Experience ~ Part I ~ The Year Prior to Surgery

At the suggestion of my daughter, who is also my kidney donor, I began this blog in 2009 to serve as a creative outlet for my feelings the year prior to my transplant surgery.  It's been quite a while since I've focused at any length in my blog on my transplant experience. By sharing my personal story, I hope to shed some light on what is a daunting procedure, before, during, and afterwards.  In my next posts, I'll attempt to cover the three stages of the transplant experience simply but in greater detail than in earlier posts.  For those of you who may also be facing a transplant, my hope is that you will find some comfort and clarity for your own journey by reading about mine.

THE YEAR PRIOR TO SURGERY

To be in line for a transplant, it has been medically determined that your kidneys have failed in their abilities to cleanse your system and operate as they normally would.  The year prior to receiving the donor kidney, I was nauseous almost all the time and had next to no energy.  My blood pressure was high and I was taking several medications to control it. The failure of my kidneys to function also led to elevated levels of uric acid and awful bouts of gout in my joints.  My feet were mostly affected by the gout and the condition was sometimes so painful I couldn't walk.  When one major organ stops running efficiently, all the other organs are affected.  In essence, as the kidneys fail, your entire body system becomes increasingly out of balance, and, in it's weakened state, you become vulnerable to greater health issues.

 Since it had been determined earlier that year that my daughter's kidney was a close match, meaning our antibodies and antigens were nearly identical and our blood type was the same, I very fortunately did not have to wait for a donor kidney and I would not have to undergo dialysis since the transplant surgery could be scheduled for the near future. A whole gamut of medical tests needed to be run to assure that my body could withstand the rigors of the lengthy surgical procedure...so much of the year prior to the transplant was spent going to doctor's appointment after doctor's appointment and getting lots and lots of medical tests.  These tests included a sonogram of the diseased kidneys, a colonoscopy, a stress test and sonogram of the heart, chest x-ray and dental and gynecological exams.  Lab tests to monitor kidney function were done on a regular basis to assure that my health could withstand the wait for surgery without dialysis as an intermediary measure.  After all of the tests were completed and I was formally accepted as a candidate for transplant, my husband and I attended an all day round of interviews with the transplant team at Johns Hopkins Hospital set up by my nurse coordinator there.  During this time, I met my surgeon who would perform the transplant, the nephrologist who would be my post transplant specialist, a nutrition specialist, and a social worker.  My daughter also went through medical testing and an interview process to serve as my donor.

The period just prior to the transplant was a difficult one both physically and emotionally.  There were times I felt so sick and so weak that I thought I might not make it.  It was a scary time, but one when it was essential to maintain as positive an outlook as possible.  I found that doing rather mindless activities like jigsaw puzzles helped keep the focus off of fear and anxiety, especially at night since this was a period when it was very difficult to sleep.  Getting outdoors and immersing myself in the beauty of nature was also of great benefit.  Reading up all you can about the transplant procedure to familiarize yourself with what to expect, beyond instruction and advice received from your transplant team, is also helpful.  During this time, I did a lot of internet searches and visited discussion boards contributed to by transplant recipients.  Journaling and/or blogging was also a big help! 

Several months before the surgery actually took place, my local nephrologist ordered a series of iron infusions to help strengthen my depleted system and better prepare my body for surgery.  I received these infusions at a cancer treatment center where cancer patients were undergoing chemotherapy. I was deeply moved and inspired by the incredible courage of those who I sat amongst as we received our intravenous drips.  It took several hours each of the three times I went to the center to receive the supplemental iron.

A surgery date was finally set.  The days before the transplant, though numbered, felt endless.