I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: Transplant Discussion => Topic started by: ahamner on January 25, 2007, 09:05:53 AM

Title: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: ahamner on January 25, 2007, 09:05:53 AM: What an unexpected and wonderful Christmas present! My transplant was performed on Christmas Day at UAB Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. The cadaver kidney was from a person who cared enough about others to sign up as an organ donor.

I am doing very well and have adjusted to the required medicine routine without any noticeable side effects as yet. The new kidney is doing its job and life is good without dialysis. I am fully aware that the new kidney could fail and I would then have to return to dialysis. But I plan to enjoy my new lease on life without the machine for as long as it may last. I have PKD and knew for years that I would eventually end up dialysis so living with the thought of eventual dialysis is not new to me.

I celebrate every MWF when my dialysis time comes around and I don't have to go sit in that chair. I am now back at work and am down to blood tests twice a week.
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: kelliOR on January 25, 2007, 09:37:25 AM: Congratulations ahamner! I am almost 9 months out from my txp (also PKD), and aside from some bumps in the road, have been grateful for the time I have had a reprieve from dialysis.

All the best for continued success,

Kelli
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Sluff on January 25, 2007, 10:10:04 AM: Thats OUTSTANDING! What a good 2007 for another IHD member.

Please share your story when you get the time, we are all curious.

Thanks for letting us know.
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: angela515 on January 25, 2007, 10:14:24 AM: :clap; I'm so jealous of you getting to work! I'm looking forward to returning to work. Congrats!!! :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: jbeany on January 25, 2007, 03:39:27 PM: :clap; :clap; :clap;

It sounds wonderful!
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: anja on January 27, 2007, 11:48:20 AM: Congrats, ahamner, so happy for you. Best of luck to you and your new kidney! :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Nan on January 27, 2007, 12:33:23 PM: WOW........how wonderful! I also have PKD and have been on dialysis since June 06....how long were you on the waiting list? Tell us more about your amazing adventure...Please!? :clap; :clap; :clap;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: goofynina on January 27, 2007, 03:28:32 PM: Man, i guess i should've been a better girl :P (but i thought being bad was good too) :P Congrats and keep us posted on how you are, gives us all a little hope ;)
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: okarol on January 27, 2007, 04:39:30 PM: So glad to hear you are doing well!
How long were you on the wait list?
That's a Christmas you'll never forget!
Take care!
Karol :cuddle;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Rerun on January 27, 2007, 05:41:37 PM: That is Wonderful!! I'm so glad you checked in to tell us about your gift. I know you will cherish it! Best of luck to you and enjoy work. You will be a new employee. At the end of the day you'll be the one still at work....look up and everyone is gone.

:clap;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: kitkatz on January 27, 2007, 09:42:52 PM: I think that is 5 people who have had new kidneys tranplanted since December 1 that are here on this site! Wow!

Jenna
Gizmar
Anglela 515
Ahamner
Jill D.

Way to go you all and good luck!
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Sluff on January 27, 2007, 11:42:10 PM: Quote from: goofynina on January 27, 2007, 03:28:32 PM
Man, i guess i should've been a better girl :P (but i thought being bad was good too) :P Congrats and keep us posted on how you are, gives us all a little hope ;)

Thats ok Goofynina I still like baddddd girlz. ;)
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: renal30yrs on January 28, 2007, 04:56:20 AM: December should be celebrated as transplant celebration/awareness month.

December 1954 - world's first successful kidney transplant between identical twins at Boston's Brigh & Womens Hospital (Noble prize in medicine for 1990)

December 1967 - world's first heart transplant surgery in Capetown, South Africa

Many other auspicious pave-waving events since then.
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Bajanne on January 28, 2007, 05:54:54 AM: Just read your good news and am very happy for you! :clap; :clap;
Wow, I agree with Kitkatz - this has been a bumper time for transplants for IHD. I really do appreciate you guys letting us share in your exciting adventure. I have been enjoying this vicariously. Keep it coming!
Ahamner, please (if you have not done so yet) give us a detailed account of how it went. This is not only to appease my curiosity, but it helps others who will eventually go through the same thing. Knowlege is power.
I wish you all the best and continual improvement.
:grouphug;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: ahamner on January 28, 2007, 07:23:49 AM: Quote from: bajanne2000 on January 28, 2007, 05:54:54 AM

Ahamner, please (if you have not done so yet) give us a detailed account of how it went. This is not only to appease my curiosity, but it helps others who will eventually go through the same thing. Knowledge is power.
I wish you all the best and continual improvement.
:grouphug;

I was surprised beyond belief when I got the call. I have only been on the waiting list since May 06 and was told to expect 4-5 years wait. My blood type is AB and the cadaver kidney was also AB. Since it is a rare type they are fewer on the wait list with that blood type. Of course that means there are fewer kidneys of that type that become available so I was just plain lucky.

I now have three kidneys so they had to make room for the transplant in my lower abdomen. In that process my colon went to "sleep" and I blew up like a balloon. I had a tube down my nose for a week to remove the stomach acids and was fed only through IVs. Eventually that straightened itself out and aside from the soreness from the surgery I had no other significant problems. I also have epilepsy and was taking phenobarbital to prevent seizures. That medicine is not compatible with the immunosuppressant drugs so I had to change to another drug for that.

Since the surgery I now have tremors when I write so I can hardly read my own writing. I think that is a side effect of some of the new anti rejection drugs I am taking which include Prograf, Cellcept, and Prednisone. I am down to 20mg a day of Prednisone and am scheduled to reduce to 10mg within a couple of weeks. Somebody told me the Prograf is probably causing the tremors.

My new kidney function is improving. My last blood work had serum creatinine of 1.9 and BUN of 35. That is not as low as some transplants but is much better than what it was on dialysis. My phosphorus level is low in spite of me trying to eat things that I couldn't before. I guess old habits are hard to break! The post transplant diet is pretty much the opposite of the dialysis diet.

I noticed my fistula had stopped working as soon as I woke up from the transplant surgery. The docs said that happens about 60% of the time due to changes in the blood chemistry with the new kidney.

I hope and pray for all of you that want a transplant that you will get the call soon. I feel extremely blessed to have been given this opportunity!
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Sluff on January 28, 2007, 08:31:45 AM: It's a good reason to have your cell phone at the clinic, for just such an occasion.
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: tamara on January 28, 2007, 02:24:39 PM: Quote from: sluff on January 28, 2007, 08:31:45 AM
It's a good reason to have your cell phone at the clinic, for just such an occasion.

Maybe a good reason for the people at clinic's with a No Cell Phone Policy to push to get it changed.

Imagine being at clinic in treatment for four hours and missing the call, and they didn't realise you were at dialysis. Stranger things have happened!
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Sluff on January 28, 2007, 02:58:12 PM: Which brings us to this thread. http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0 (http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0)

Ha How do you like me now. >:D ;)
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: Black on January 28, 2007, 04:12:30 PM: :2thumbsup; :clap; Congrats! :clap; :2thumbsup;
:beer1; Thanks for sharing your wonderful news. :beer1;

Has anyone mentioned that Rapamune/Rapamycin, an antirejection drug, http://us.rapamune.com/ shrinks PKD kidneys? It is in Phase III trials now so it will be available very soon for treating most PKD patients instead of just for antirejection. Using Rapamune now might shrink your PKD kidneys and might make you much more comfortable and may prevent your having to have your native kidneys removed someday. Maybe you should ask if it is a good option for you.

Please keep us posted! :popcorn;
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: tamara on January 28, 2007, 06:42:33 PM: Quote from: sluff on January 28, 2007, 02:58:12 PM
Which brings us to this thread. http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0 (http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0)

Ha How do you like me now. >:D ;)

I'm with you Sluff >:D ;D
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: ahamner on January 29, 2007, 08:18:44 AM: Quote from: tamara on January 28, 2007, 06:42:33 PM
Quote from: sluff on January 28, 2007, 02:58:12 PM
Which brings us to this thread. http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0 (http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=2437.0)

Ha How do you like me now. >:D ;)

I'm with you Sluff >:D ;D

And now the rest of the story. When I got the call I was notified to be on standby. Someone else was ahead of me on the list but they had not been able to contact them. They said to wait 30 minutes and call them back to see if they could contact the other person. They were not able to and so they said to come on in. Thank God I had my cell phone or I would have missed this opportunity.
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: okarol on August 06, 2007, 08:37:08 PM: :waving; hi ahamner,
How are you doing? - long time since we've heard an update!
(Well, I have read bits on other threads)
Hope all is well!
Title: Re: I got the "call" on Christmas Eve 06 on my cell phone at the dialysis clinic
Post by: ahamner on September 12, 2007, 09:01:46 AM: Quote from: okarol on August 06, 2007, 08:37:08 PM
:waving; hi ahamner,
How are you doing? - long time since we've heard an update!
(Well, I have read bits on other threads)
Hope all is well!

I am doing remarkably well :thumbup; thank you! My serum creatinine has stabilized at 1.8 and I am down to lab work once a month. My followup visits to the transplant clinic are down to once every six months. I am looking forward to my new first birthday next Christmas day.

I hope Jenna continues to do well also!