That’s it, it’s done, I’m transplanted! Today is the sixth post-operation day and it’s going well! I think I’m pretty much in the best possible recovery scenario! ♥
In just three days after the operation, I gained 30% kidney function!! It’s extraordinary and better than expected! And it continues to climb, stabilizing at a normal level of kidney function for someone with only one kidney. How lucky I am! ♥
The donor was discharged on day 2 after the operation. He’s fine too! Like me, the hardest part was pain management.
Today I wanted to write this article first. Many of you are waiting to hear from me and some of you are waiting for a transplant too! I wanted to give hope, to say it can go well and show what recovery looks like. I know I’m a special case because it’s going extremely well, but it’s still a real example! Here is a summary of the last week to give you an idea of my latest adventures! 🙂
Day minus 1 – pre-operative day
Thierry and I arrived around 9:30 a.m. at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital for my admission. We waited for the Radio-Canada group because they have been following us for a few months with our donor to document the journey and talk about organ donation. (A big story will be created from all this and should come out in the spring. I’ll keep you posted!)
We did the admission and went to the transplant floor. It is a floor for anyone who has been transplanted, whether it is the reason for their hospitalization or not. If one day I have to be hospitalized for anything, I will come to this floor since it is extra safe in terms of infections and I am now immunosuppressed.
I was shown my room – which was mine for the duration of my hospital stay. I was able to settle in and relax for the rest of the day.
Unfortunately, due to covid cases on my floor, I could not go to see my donor who was located only a few doors from my room. We texted each other during the evening, in my case to learn as much as I could about him during the short time we had together. He’s so important to me now. We decided we’d rock the operation, my kidney would start working on the operating table and he would leave the hospital after 3 days instead of 4!
Day 0 – day of operation
When I woke up, my night nurse (whom I liked very much) hooked me up to a solute. Without knowing if I was allowed to unplug the machine, I sat as much as possible at the corner of my bed so that I could see my donor pass through the corridor. We had been texting each other since waking up. Between 7:30 and 7:45, I saw him pass in the corridor. I was able to wave to him and he gave me the Rock on sign! He seemed ready and confident, and that reassured me.
This was followed by long hours talking on the phone with lots of people to pass the time, take and give news and reassure. At this point, I was fully confident that it was going to be okay.
The big moment
At 11:53 am, they came to tell me that they were ready to take me down to the operating room!! AHHH!
All of a sudden, my calm disappeared to be replaced by a little panic… AHHH I’M GOING TO GET A TRANSPLANT!!
I called Thierry, my partner, to tell him that I was leaving for the operation. I told him he was the man of my life and pretty much hung up on him haha
On the stretcher, I was saying a lot of Oh My God and taking deep breaths. I was trying to make conversation with my stretcher bearer while panicking, it was fabulous 😛 A very special moment in my life:P
On the floor of the operation, the Radio-Canada team was waiting for me. They had obtained the authorizations to film the operations. I’ve seen some pictures, it’s impressive! I was very happy to have people to talk to because honestly, I was panicking a little. I’m not sure why, I wasn’t so afraid of the transplant, but mostly of anesthesia!
In the operating room, I was told several things that I don’t really remember. I named that anesthesia stressed me out quite a bit. The anesthesis told me not to worry. I asked the other people in the room if he was reliable lol and they told me it was very good. We laughed a little.
I was put on the table, asked to breathe into something, and I don’t remember anything from there.
The awakening
For me, the worst part of this whole thing was waking up after the operation. I had a big reaction to anesthesia and woke up vomiting and writhing in pain. Obviously, my stomach had just been cut open and because of nausea, I was contracting my whole body. The pain was unimaginable.
Through my moans, I asked if my kidney was working. I was told yes. I fell back into a more than troubled sleep.
For 3 hours, I alternated between sleep, vomiting and pain. At that moment, I thought the recovery was going to be horrible! Finally, when my stomach calmed down, I was taken up to my room around 6pm.
I called my boyfriend quickly to tell him I was ok and went back to sleep. Until the next morning, I was woken up at least every hour to take my vital signs. In the evening, my donor arrived walking to my room to see if I was ok. Let’s say I was surprised to see him already standing 😛 I’m so glad it went well for him!!
Day 1 post operation
I woke up for good at 5:30 a.m. with my brain fully awake. By text, I chatted with a friend who had a kidney removed the day before for a medical reason. The media called him to see if he was my donor. He laughed about it, but I think that was a little rude from their part.
After seeing my real donor walking yesterday, I wanted to try to go and greet him during the day. At 6:30 I asked the staff if they could help me move to my chair in the room. Two of them came to help me, it was very painful and I said some strong words, but I was glad it was done!
Later, I was told that I had already gained 7% kidney function. My new kidney was filtering my blood strongly, everything seemed fine, and I would have tests during the day to check that everything is normal.
At lunch, I went for a walk for the first time, about thirty steps, to greet my donor in the corridor and thank him with all my heart. My nruse quickly made me return to rest, it was enough:P
That day, I had two scans and a Doppler ultrasound. To do this, I had to be manipulated and moved a lot, and I was in pain. But the day went well, all the tests were perfect and I had already taken my first steps! It was expected, but my urine was very red that day.
Day 2 post operation
When I woke up, I was told that I was going to have a big day because I would have to walk a lot. No problem, I was ready for that!
When I ask someone to help me get up so that I could move from my bed to my chair, the woman who came to help me stood in front of me and just looked at me. Will you help me, I asked her a little frightened. I’m watching you! she told me reassuringly. Taking my courage in both hands, confident of her support if things didn’t go well, I tried.
And I managed to get up on my own ♥.
I thanked her later because without her, I wouldn’t have gained so much autonomy quickly. I was able to walk all day alone, holding what they call a “baby” against my wound. Lots of walking, at least a kilometer in the day. My urine was pink lemonade.
Day 3 post operation
As soon as I woke up, my fluid, urinary catheter and PCR (patient-controlled intravenous analgesia) were removed.
A few hours later, I was experiencing severe pain in the morning that I could no longer control myself since I no longer had my PCA. After my second walk down the hallway, the pain was 7-8 out of 10, I was crying on my bed. I was given medication, I called my boyfriend crying before sleeping 45 minutes. When I woke up, things were better.
I had an ultrasound of the bladder to see if it fills and empties well. Everything is fine:)
I walked from time to time (around 1900 steps for the full day!), rested in my chair and write my article while listening to music. It hurts, but it’s chill and I relax. I felt really in a good mood, it seems that my kidney function is better!
And I am now able to get up quite well from a chair or my bed, non-dramatically and without moaning too much 😛
My urine is yellow again, it’s reassuring! And I did my first mini poop, out of pain and misery.
Day 4 and 5
These two days passed quietly. I read a little, I would walk down the hall, I would read a little, I would respond to messages, I would read a little. My mood was less euphoric than on Day 3.
Day 5, I got my leave! I have apparently broken records my recovery is so going well! We arrived home late, around 7pm, and Thierry went to get the necessary medication so as not to experience rejection of my graft. I had two big bags! I prepared my medication for the next week, unpacked my bags and went to bed.
Day 6 post operation
I’m finally home! Honestly, I was okay at the hospital, the team was fabulous, caring and very encouraging. Everything was perfect there (except the food, I am vegetarian and I can say that I almost fasted because they did not feed me!).
The pain isn’t so bad but let’s just say I won’t be letting go of the tylenols anytime soon! I try to keep walking around the house as much as possible. It will be sunny tomorrow; I’ll go for my first walk outside at that time. My constipation of the last few days has turned to the opposite and my stomach hurts, but it’s okay.
If I am honest, my mood leaves something to be desired despite the perfection of the operation and recovery. I think before the transplant, I was close to depression caused by my helplessness and illness, and I think I will have to take the time it takes to recover. It’s fine. I am aware of this, and I suspected that I was not going to magically become in a good mood after the transplant. The bad has become a little too ingrained in me. If this condition lasts longer than a few days, I will talk to my medical team. I already had depression a few years ago, if it comes to that I know there are good treatments.
I know, what a way to end this article full of joy and hope! But I always wanted to represent the journey of a renal insufficiency/now transplanted patient with honesty and transparency, and this is what it is! Imagine, I only waited two years, there are people on the waiting list for more than 6 years. It breaks morale, and then you have to rebuild. But I give myself time, I just went through a major operation, I will rest and hope that it passes.
Thank you!! ♥
First, thank you to my donor, who chose to give me the chance to live. It’s just amazing and I hope my life lives up to your gift! You are an extraordinary being ♥
Thank you to the team at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont who really took good care of me. My stay was perfect, thank you from the bottom of my heart to the nurses, attendants, doctors, residents, pharmacists, stretcher-bearers and all those I forget. Thanks for everything!
Obviously, thank you to my partner who always takes good care of me ♥ I love you Thierry ♥
Thank you to all of you who shared my need to find a donor. It is thanks to you that I am where I am today. Who would have thought it would work! Thank you!
And thank you to the media for helping me raise awareness about kidney issues, polycystic kidney disease and organ donation. We will continue the struggle until no one has to wait so long to regain life!
And now I’m going to rest.
See you soon,
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