Kidney Day +1 month

Since my last post, I have continued to do well. I had a minor setback, which included a fever and an infection, but nothing that a 14 day antibiotic couldn’t take care of. Previously, due to some rashes, I had thought I was allergic to sulfa and cipro, but since the transplant I have taken both without any problems, so maybe I don’t have any allergies after all! Also, after raising my Prograf dosage (one of my immunosuppressant drugs) over the last few weeks, it finally got to the point where it was too high. This drug is the reason I’ve had to get lab tests so often because if the level in my blood is too low, it is not protecting my kidney from my own immune system, and if it’s too high, it is actually toxic for my kidney. It reached that latter point, which caused my creatinine to go up to 1.4 (eek!). As a result, they lowered my dosage from 22 pills to 16 pills per day, and I’ve been feeling a lot better. For several days, I was lacking all energy and motivation and not sleeping well, but I think I am back to normal now, so hopefully I’m a little closer to the right dosage.

In other news, I went in this morning to have a stent leftover from surgery removed from my bladder, so now it all feels officially done. To “celebrate”, we stopped by the dialysis center to turn in my dialysis machine. (We were supposed to do this two weeks ago, but forgot and then the tornado happened last week so we couldn’t get there, so this week it was!) It was a great reminder of how much I like NOT doing dialysis!

And before I finish this post, I will share a few random “life with a kidney transplant” facts with you. Enjoy!

- I can never have grapefruit again. Apparently, it interacts with the immunosuppression drugs (as it does with many other drugs), so it is off limits. I don’t mind though because grapefruit is too bitter anyway.

- I will always be able to feel the kidney. Like inside me, I can tell that I didn’t start off with that extra 4 ounces above my right hip. Sometimes, I refer to is as my hip baby. (This is a great reminder of the last several months where I have often compared my symptoms with my pregnant friend, Kelly’s, as we both prepared for the “big day”, didn’t sleep well, had to swallow tums like they were candy, walked slower than a normal person on the treadmill, and other things that I will spare you from.) I can also feel it from the outside, and once the swelling goes does completely, I think it will even stick out a little bit. Weird, right?

- Undercooked food is now against the rules (because of the immunosuppression drugs). This means no more medium-rare steaks or over-easy eggs. No sushi, but I’m not a fan anyway. Cookie dough, on the other hand, I will definitely miss.

- I also cannot go in public hot tubs (again, due to risk of infection from massive amounts of germs). It’s a good thing I am already married and have no reason to go on the Bachelor.

- Lastly, I am at a 65% higher risk of skin cancer as a transplant patient (I think this is also due to immunosuppression drugs), so sunscreen, which previously has been my arch enemy (due to my immediate need to shower after putting it on because it makes me feel so gross), is going to have to become my new best friend. Chase fought half the battle by buying it for me a few weeks ago, but now I have to get in the habit of actually putting it on.

All of these things though, are definitely better than life with no transplant. I’ll take it (but I might occasionally daydream about cookie dough!)