Hi Natalie!
I was so happy to hear your good news.. that you were back with a tx date! Woo hoo!
What to expect? Well.. I'll give you my experience. I was feeling VERY unwell before the tx. I had not been dialyzed for a bit bc my access had failed, and there was no new one they can give me. So I was off dialysis, filling up with water, coughing (from water collecting in/around my lungs), etc. I had a severe headache, seeing blurry, pains in my legs, etc. In short, I was in the hospital, bedridden, and waiting for a miracle. I was on morphine, and that was keeping me semi knocked out - and that was the best I was able to be at in that time. I was a bit dellusional as well, and every time a phone rang or something beeped - in my semi-consious, i'd think it was the tx call. But it wasnt
Well... I remember a very rough weekend, I was so drugged, I slept through most of it.. and then came saturday night. LATE saturday night. And a kidney was available. wow. It was all a blur. I just remember feeling awful.
At 5 in the morning (sunday morning) I had the tx. From what I was told afterwords - the new kidney started working immediately, and I peed on the surgeon! Even before I was "closed up". When that happened, All the surgeons and people in the operating room apparently jumped up and cheered.
I was taken to recovery.. and I was still asleep though. It took me 9 hours to wake up post tx. But I tend to do that. Anyway.. my family had seen me during that time. And they said my cheecks were rosy, and I had more color then I've had in my face all year. Not a feverish flush, and not a sickly flush - a healthy rosiness/glow.
I still merily slept away the hours.. until I woke up. I grappled with my air tube or something, they realized I was awake, & it was removed. I asked "did the call come yet?" and the lady said "Rachel.. you HAD your transplant..." and I smiled and apparently went right back to sleep.
For a few days I was in and out of sleep. I was getting alot of pain medications. I really didn't do anything. I would wake up feeling this very happy feeling, & sip some lemonade/coke/ water & ice, and plop right off to sleep again. It was a happy time.
In response to your question about the swelling, no, I wasn't swollen. It may be bc I was so swollen BEFORE surgery.. that even post surgery swollen was better then that. I don't know. But I do not recall being swollen at all. I was pumped with fluids and had a zillion lines and catheters all over the place - I was practically tangled! hehehe. but as per family members and stuff - I was looking better then I have looked all year.
A few days later, they made me get out of bed. I walked a little. I had a pain pump thingie where I can press a button and it gives me a mini-burst of pain relief stuff. So walking WAS painful but i learnt that If I press it a few minutes before i needed to walk, it was much better.
Anyway, I got used to everything i guess. And it all started feeling better in its own time. I really dont' remember when the staples and dressings were removed. THe staples felt like sharks teeth biting me. heheheh. but it was okay.
The thing you have to remember - is that you'll have a kidney! Its such relief. Its such a good feeling. Its so "bright and happy" all of it.
I compared it to this-
Say you have a very important meeting or soemthing - and you have to be in uh, california, by tomorrow - for the meeting. So you're goign crazy a few weeks before, preparing for it. then its the day of the flight, and your car brakes down, you can't go to the airport. you call a cab. it gets to you late. you finally get to the airport, long lines at security. at that point you've had it, but you still go on. you get to the proper gate, with seconds to go. the flight is delayed.
well.. you call the folks in california, but they really coudnt care. "be there or else". your job is on the line. you are going crazy from worry. then the plane arrives. you get in it. they don't take off right away bc of air traffic. you are biting your nails. wait - you don't have any more nails. you already bit 'em. finally, finally, that plane takes off into the skies. Wow. you settle back in your seat, take off your crazy heels, and relax. you're on the way. true, you have a long flight to go. true, you might encounter turbulence. but, you feel safe and relieved, bc you are on the way. y'know? does that make sense to you?
I compared the kidney disease/dialysis to the pre-plane stuff. the surgery is the "taking off into the skies" bit. When you wake up after surgery, its like "you're in the air". lay back and relax. it'll all be alright. you know?
k, as far as feeling the kidney, some people DO feel it afterwords, they have a lump. I was very skinny, & don't have fat in the area, so i DO feel a little bulge. it doesn't like "pop out" of me, but when i run my hand over it, i definately detect a bulge. most people can't feel it or see it though. i guess it also depends on how deep inside they put it.
Lastly, as far as doing stuff around the house, stairs..etc. i did it all, but it does take time. different for everyone. i didn't get out of the hopsital till a month after my tx. i didn't do stairs there. but i did walkin, and i had a walker as well. by the time i came home, a MONTH later, i was obviously feeling lots better and was able to do quite a bit. i slept with pillow rolls for a long long time though. i'd get on my side in a comfortable position, and stay there. If yo're planning on coming home after 5 days.. you're not going to be able to do EVERYTHING on day 5, but you'll be able to walk around slowly i expect. Will you have anyone at home to help you out with things? fetch stuff, etc? you will be able to get out of bed by yourself.. if you have something next to the bed to pull yourself up on. the sitting up and goign out of bed won't work. but you can roll out or have a chair next to your bed. you crab the chair, to pull yourself out. i do that with all surgeries.
you'll be able to drink as much as you want
that's a treat. make sure you have lots of goodies in the house. and try to get someone to be at home with you. someone to help you with things. you may not be so up and about and you'll just want to sleep alot. so it helps having someone there to prepare your meals, get you things when you need 'em, etc. i don't think u'll be able to go up stairs in a regular basis... 5 days post op. however, if you live on like a 2nd floor - you'll be able to make it up that one time. but if you plan on going up and down all day, don't quite think so.
well, i sure have ranted here. i wish you lots of luck, and only the best. if you have any more specific questions, please do let me know. i'll try my best to answer 'em, and i promise - they'll be short answers, not like this
~ Rachel