We are almost 3 months passed my kidney transplant, and I’m finally starting to feel happy and good about my body. Besides the evidence that it’s all due to my donor and my transplant (♥), a good part of my recent joy comes from the fact that I can finally move! And I have the energy to do it almost every day!
As you know, at the beginning of my recovery, I walked too much despite the pain, not knowing that I had to stop if I was in pain. There followed several weeks of moving less, waiting to recover and for it to heal well.
Three weeks ago, I started doing painless elliptical sessions. I was able to train a few times seriously, without much resistance but with a lot of speed. Last week, I had pain a few times while exercising, walking and on the elliptical. I stopped everything, for fear of hurting myself again.
Official permission to move
Last Friday, at my weekly appointment at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital, the doctor who evaluated me reassured me that there was no chance that I would hurt myself at this point, and that I could do some exercice. If it still hurts, I can take tylenols before moving. According to her, everything is healed, and she does not understand where the pain comes from at the moment. I will have an ultrasound of the graft next week to make sure he is okay, especially since my kidney function has dropped a bit.
(It’s probably not dramatic. They think I just don’t drink enough water. I’m trying to drink more this week and we’ll see if it gets better in my numbers next week!)
I spent a few days a little scared at the thought of moving and injuring myself, despite the nephrologist’s assurance.
Ok then… I’m going for it!
Last Saturday, I woke up restless, feeling the need to move. For the past 10 years, I have usually been very physically active. There was a time when I ran an hour a day, and I miss it.
That morning, not only was my body crying out for exercise, but I was in a pretty bad mood. I decided to do a comfort day.
I did my chores, and then I cooked myself things that I wanted to eat. Corn chowder with corn flour breads with jalapeños from the garden. I also made a cheddar and herb bun to accompany the mushroom pasta for dinner. And after dinner, rather than doing the seedlings for the garden like we had to do, I took two tylenols, and went to play with Erika at Just Dance for an hour, something I hadn’t dared to do yet. We only chose easy or medium songs, but still!
Since then, I have started to move actively again almost every day, and I will not stop. After months before the transplant of not being able to do much except go for a walk once or twice a week, spending my days lying down watching TV and napping almost every day, moving feels so good! If I know that the pain is not dangerous and that it is not too high, then there is no problem, I will exert myself! I need it physically and mentally, and I can do it! ♥
Physical and medication changes
I have three anti-rejection/immunosuppressive medications that I will take for the rest of my life. There is Prednisone (decreases inflammation and decreases the immune system’s response), Tacrolimus (needs to be taken with an empty stomach, decreases white blood cell activity) and Myfortic (prevents the production of white blood cells).
I now take Advagraf rather than Prograf (both are different versions of the Tacrolimus mentioned above). It simplifies my life a lot because I had to take the prograf twice a day at 12-hour intervals, on an empty stomach (otherwise I would lose 30% of its effectiveness, and potentially risk a rejection of my new kidney). Basically, I’m now on a long-acting version of Tacrolimus, which I can now take just once a day rather than twice. With Advagraf, dinner time can now be flexible! Much simpler to manage!
My diabetes caused by prednisone is hard to control with medication. My glucose numbers are perfect it in the morning, and as soon as I take prednisone, my glucose levels go up (cortisone can give insulin resistance, which I have. So I have to help my body produce more with meds). But we continue to adjust the medication weekly.
I no longer have high pressure, a problem I had for years because of my kidneys! It’s fabulous! Less medication to take! I only have 22 pills left to take per day (out of a total of 30 per day when I returned from the hospital in December).
Also, I started seeing people again! (who are without flu or covid symptoms, obviously). I really feel like I’m slowly getting back to a normal life. I expect to return to work before the summer, we’ll see how it goes!
Documentary coming March 9, 2023
I’ve already told you about it, since October, Radio-Canada was shooting a documentary on my story and that of my donor. Its official release will be on March 9, and it will then be available on tou.tv (probably just in French, though). I haven’t seen it yet, but I can’t wait! I’ll give you the link as soon as I have it!
Those are the news! See you soon!
For more news, follow me on the different platforms!
