Last week, I received a call from the transplant nurse at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. On the phone, she gave me some big news: there is a potential donor who has completed all the necessary tests. And he is compatible with me!
Uh, what???
Yes yes, you got it right! I should have a kidney transplant by the end of the year!!!
An unexpected announcement
From the beginning of the process, I thought I would know if there were donors who came forward and wanted to start the process. I was sure I would have to go to Montreal to do the compatibility tests. I never imagined that someone could just call me and tell me that a donor had completed all the tests to give me a kidney, and that all that remained was to plan the dates.
So I was a little shocked. I wasn’t sure if I had the right to start dreaming. To start projecting myself into a future that suddenly became possible. I will eventually be able to go back to work. Better yet, I will surely be able to have a child before I turn 40!!!
The next day, they called me back to tell me that the transplant would surely be on the last week of November, or the first of December. When the nurse started telling me that after the transplant I will probably have insomnia, but will still start to regain concentration quickly since my blood will be filtered by my new kidney, I started crying. Being able to concentrate??? FINALLY!!
I define myself a lot by my intelligence. Because of end-stage kidney disease, I can’t think like I used to. My god, I can’t wait to get my brain back!!
I was fortunate to be able to communicate with my potential donor. I was able to get to know him a little, and repeated to him that he can change his mind at any time, what matters is that he is comfortable in his decision.
A good part of me doesn’t want to be too hopeful until the kidney is in me. The donor has the right to change his mind until the moment before the surgery, and that’s fine. So I try not to get too excited with the news, but I admit that I have a hard time holding back my joy!
A world of possibilities!!
If it really happens, I’ll be able to do whatever I want!!! Going back to the gym, getting back on the bike, taking yoga classes, learning break dancing, SKY IS THE LIMIT!!! Honestly, I still have a hard time believing it. But every day I feel like the sky of my life is brightening! I will be able to travel, work, drive long distances, see my friends in other areas, volunteer, sit on a Board of Directors, maybe adopt a dog, clearly start a family! Maybe I’ll even get back to doing some work done on the house again, who knows!!! I will be able to do EVERYTHING, again!!
I’m so limited right now. Succeeding in making an errand and washing a load of clothes in the same day is an accomplishment nowadays.
It will really be a second chance at life. and I’m SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!!!
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