Transplant Question...

[kimcanada]

For the people in here that have had a transplant...

My question is , Is there anyone that won't have another transplant, if they found a dialysis that made them feel good/great?

[petey]

kim,
My Marvin had a transplant that lasted from 2000-2003 (5 1/2 years of dialysis before that, and now 5 1/2 years of dialysis after that).  Marvin's been on home hemo for 20 months, and he loves, loves, loves how home hemo makes him feel (lots and lots of energy, more freedom with fluids, super labs, etc.).  But, he's still on the UNOS transplant list and still hopes that another transplant will come again for him soon.  Even though he feels, looks, and acts so terrific now that he's on home hemo, it's still dialysis.  However, since he has a very high PRA (98%), we're glad that he's doing so great on home hemo.  When he was in-center all those years, he would say, "I don't know if I can do this the rest of my life."  But, with home hemo, he now says, "Okay, I COULD do this kind of dialysis for years and years and years if I have to."  Even so, our hopes are still for another transplant.

[Wenchie58]

 
  I'd do another transplant in a heartbeat.  I do feel though, it is a very personal decision.

[charee]

  I'd do another transplant in a heartbeat.  I do feel though, it is a very personal decision.

Me too ... I did home hemo and felt pretty good but i was doing 8 hours every second day to feel that great and i still  couldn't go away on holidays , we love camping and now that I'm 5 months post transplant the freedom is fantastic.

[Rerun]

I had a transplant for 17 years and I'm really hard to match with a PRA of 96.  So I just don't want to jump through the hoops and tests every year for probably nothing.  And if I did get a transplant I'd be kicked off Social Security and Disability (with full benefits) in 12 months and who would hire me?  I'd have to find a job with health benefits at age 50???  I can't risk it.  I also feel deep down that I had my second chance and it was great.