Transplant day A day in my life.

I recently had a kidney transplant and those kinds of days are definitely unique. There is so much going on not only physically but also mentally and emotionally.

The day started finishing what could be my last dialysis treatment. I didn't know how the day was going to go. What I did know is that today's surgery was going to change my life. It could mean no more dialysis, feeling better, more energy, or as with any transplant surgery. Rejection, complications, and even death…everything was on the table and the worst part is that this time, I was dragging my little brother with me.

When we walked into the preoperation waiting room, I felt a sense of community. Every person in there besides their single companions is there to have major surgery just like us. My surgeon's words came into my head many times while I was waiting to be called in. I was hopeful and trusting that everything was going to be ok.

In the preoperation room. After I stripped down, I was promptly connected to a heart and oxygen monitor. The nurse placed IV,s in my arms. He took some lastminute blood samples and asked tons of questions. Countless Medical people who were going to be in my surgery, when in to introduce themselves. The anesthesiologist, interns, assistants, nurses, doctors, and finally I saw my surgeon. Seeing her was the best part.

Eventually, I was alone. With a bunch of cables attached to my body. There was no doubt, it was happening. I was getting a kidney transplant. That moment that I wished for so many times. All those hours that I spent on the phone with the doctors and the insurance company. The countless trips to San Diego to do my workup. All that led me to that moment and all I could hope then is that everything will work out.

I was in the room waiting for about two hours. My door was open with a curtain only closed halfway. At some point, I saw my donor being taken away. I assumed he was being taken to the operating room. Seeing that made me very emotional. I thought about what he was doing for me, the risk that he was taking. I felt guilty for even accepting his kidney. I also thought about what it all meant for me. I just hoped he truly knew that it meant so much to me.

45 minutes after they took my donor, multiple people came into my room all at once. I knew it was time. My anesthesiologist approached me and said, it's time to go. She said, I am going to give you a cocktail, Just to take the edge off, and then once in the operating room I will give you the full anesthesia to put you to sleep. When she said that I thought I was going to be somewhat conscious until I was in the operating room. That was not the case, the last thing I clearly remember was her pulling the needle from my IV. At that point, I was gone.

I kind of woke up in the recovery room. My husband was allowed only 10 minutes with me due to covid restrictions. I was awake but completely unconscious, I have no recollection of any conversation I had in the recovery room. I was on lots of drugs and in a lot of pain.

I am glad I was not very conscious to hear that at, that moment, they didn't know if my kidney was working and also to realize that because of that, my Peritoneal Dialysis catheter was still on my abdomen. I knew very well what that could mean..and knowing that they would have been terrible to hear.

At about 8 pm, I was transferred to my official room where I fully woke.
My husband said that the surgeries went great. That Julio was doing pretty good and that now they knew for sure my new kidney was working!

My creatine decreased from 11 to 9 up to that point. (creatine is a measure of how well the kidneys work, the lower the number the better the job they are doing at filtrating waste in the blood). 11 to 9 wasn't great but it was a start.

Sleeping the first night was almost impossible. I had nurses coming in and out every hour. Either Taking vitals, giving me meds, checking my blood sugar, Taking blood samples, changing IV bags, and stopping random and constant beeping noises that the ivy machine makes. But that is what they have to do. Organ rejection can happen and is best if they catch it right away,

As painful and tired as that first day and night were, I was happy. Decades guessing what things will look like after the surgery. I was now living that moment I felt so much uncertainty about, and so far, everything was ok.

In my memory that was the shortest day, I can remember, mainly because I was unconscious for most of it. It was also the day I learned many lessons. Some about Courage, life appreciation, hope, unity, possibilities, and love.
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