Firstly thanks all for your good wishes and thought I would give those of you who might be interested a bit of an insight into how / what all happened!
I got the call at a little after 6 a.m. on Friday morning to tell me that they had a possible kidney for me and could I please be at the hospital at around 7.45 that morning when they would be doing tests etc, but for long periods it could look as if they were ignoring me! I was somewhat groggy as I had had a late night with a big work dinner the night before and luckily had not touched a drop of alcohol but it meant that I was mid cycle on my machine and had to figure out how to terminate (in the end - switch off!), call my brother, pack my bag and finally wash my hair before I ran out of the door.
On arrival at the hospital I was told that it was a 3/6 match but that 2/3 mismatches were the same as 2/3 mismatches I had from the kidney that my brother had donated so they had previously told me that none of the 3 mismatches would be permitted any future transplant; however the immunologists had started work on all my previous cross match samples (back to 2003)to determine if I had ever shown a reaction to these 2,so it would be some time before they could confirm whether the operation could proceed (also the surgeon was doing a live donor op that day too). Then the consultant told me that based on the surgeon's opinion I had a 50% chance of failure because of my clotting history (which caused the previous failure) - so all in all it was a pretty stressful day. I was treated as high risk and had various extra test such as venous mapping to the veins and arteries in my neck to ensure that they were all suitable for the lines.
In the late afternoon the surgeon (who I know from my fistula and hernia ops, and who had previously discussed in detail with me the fact that the op would be tricky as I would be on IV heparin throughout the surgery and for some days after) came and reinforced the 50% failure option but promised he would do a good job as the immunolgists had agreed the cross match was okay and they were just looking at the kidney and if it was as they had been told the op would proceed in the next half hour !
I was taken off to theatre at around 5.00 and next thing I woke up in the HDU at 1.00 a.m. calmly (usually I wake in recovery fighting the oxygen mask) with the surgeon telling me it had all gone well and he was now going home.
Well from then on it has been amazingly smooth - and surprisingly pain free (I was off all pain killers from the Monday) and despite the fact that I was on IV heparin and extra antibiotics (small hitch with catheter in middle of Sat night) the progress of taking out lines, drains and drips was incredibly rapid. I was hoping to go home at the weekend if not Friday but the surgeon (who has been magnificent and followed me up personally every single day) wanted to be a little more cautious and as my kidney was peeing 'not just for England but for the whole of the UK' they wanted to ensure that I could keep up the fluid intake (currently required to be between 4.5 an 5l/day) on my own as that is the most common reason for people to be readmitted. Also as I had originally supplemented my drips with plain water, my phosphate levels had dropped to incredibly low levels and required a 12 hour drip) I stayed until yesterday evening.
My creatinine has settled at around 130, but may still drop further and I can now relate to the absurd feeling of well being that Helen told me about. I know it may not always be as plain sailing ( I have had some of the tacro side effects already) I cannot tell you how amazed, humbled and grateful I am to so many people - right from the incredible family of the donor, though a myriad of medical and support staff who have looked after me for the past 6 years as well as for this op, to my family and friends who have also had to live through it and of course to an incredible surgeon!
Thanks - and update
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Mandys transplant
Good to hear all went well with your transplant and your creat is looking good 
.
Take care and (((hugz))) Elaine & Rach
.Take care and (((hugz))) Elaine & Rach
Hey Mandy,
Glad all is going well for you post transplant!
Take care,
Stevie
Glad all is going well for you post transplant!
Take care,
Stevie
~I close my eyes, and This Is Yesterday~
My Band myspace!
My Band myspace!
Hi Mandy,
So happy to hear that all went okay and you are feeling so well! I hope and pray for many more years of good health! I don't have to tell you to take care of that kidney, I'm sure!
Hugs,
Pam
So happy to hear that all went okay and you are feeling so well! I hope and pray for many more years of good health! I don't have to tell you to take care of that kidney, I'm sure!
Hugs,
Pam
32 yr cadaver transplant recipient, now on peritoneal dialysis with the help of Audrey, my Homechoice machine... as of 4/3/09
Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28
Thanks again everyone - yes it is all going well so far - just getting used to those frequent 'loo visits' again ! Also they put me on slow sodium (and left me on it for longer than they said they would) so BP is a little too high (never previously a problem for me) so hopefull that will behave more now I am off it, though I guess it will take a week or so to start helping.