Joe Paul got a kidney!!

[paris]

Hi Joe Paul!  This is the best news and I am thrilled for you and your family.  All that time waiting and then, with one phone call, life changes.  I have missed you here (you always had my back!)  and it is so good to see your posting.   Keep recovering and resting.  I will be saying lots of prayers of thanks and prayers for quick healing.   Sending you lots of love and gentle hugs          

[Wenchie58]

I can't stop going between giggles and tears over this news!  I am SOOOOOO happy for you!  You gotta quit with the puppy sneaking stuff!!  It'ss not like she won't notice once you get them home!!  I bet Saint Shirley is waiting for you to feel well enough for a trip down the stairs (inside joke folks).  God bless ya JP....I couldnt be happier!!  Here's to feeling 100% very soon!!  Love ya!

[kellyt]

Same here, Wenchie.  I was smiling and crying at the same time.  God Bless the 5-year-old and the family.  And God Bless you, JP!!!   Yahoo!!!

Did you get the meds worked out?  What did your clinic say last night when you called?

[Joe Paul]

Same here, Wenchie.  I was smiling and crying at the same time.  God Bless the 5-year-old and the family.  And God Bless you, JP!!!   Yahoo!!!

Did you get the meds worked out?  What did your clinic say last night when you called?

We used some of my old meds to cover till this morning, the coordinator called the transplant center to verify missing pills, then called my pharmacy and ordered them for me, all is well today. I'm having bouts with nausea this afternoon, so again I called the transplant center and they ordered pills for that. As I said, all is working out now, its just a matter of time till the kidney kicks in fully, then, LOOK OUT WORLD!!! love you all, Joe

[fc2821]

Fantastic news.    Hope all continues to go well for him.

[Chris]

Hey JP,
Glad your home and have a new puppy also. I take it that's what is in the pictures? I can't tell except for the last one maybe showing fur.

[Joe Paul]

Chris, the pictures are 1- the fluid bag from my cath. 2. my first pee after the cath comes out.3 is me

[Chris]

Chris, the pictures are 1- the fluid bag from my cath. 2. my first pee after the cath comes out.3 is me

Well I was way off then wasn't I.

Those drains are a nuisance aren't they? I had two.

[charee]

OMG Congrats JP i just found this thread I'm so happy for you 

[Romona]

Joe, I am so excited for you. The weather has been so crappy until a day or two ago. As the little kidney grows, amazing things happen. Your story makes me want to cry, it is so similiar to mine. Best wishes and I hope we can get together sometime. Of course in Pennsylvania the snow might not melt until June. Enjoy the puppy, the new house and your gift.

[Jean]

How wonderful for you Joe Paul. A new house, a new kidney and a new dog, and its only mid-January. Would have enjoyed chatting with you tonight, but I guess you had fallen asleep at the keyboard. Congrats and Best Wishes, on everything!!!!

[RichardMEL]

hey Joe have they (transplant folks) said anything regarding the new puppy? We all know new pets post transplant can be an issue in some situations.

Just curious more than anything

[Joe Paul]

hey Joe have they (transplant folks) said anything regarding the new puppy? We all know new pets post transplant can be an issue in some situations.

Just curious more than anything

Their main concern was if I had any cats at home, I told them no, because of Wife and Tiffany's allergy's, we do not own any cats, just a long hair Chihuahua puppy. They didn't say anything either way, so I am assuming all is well. Good question Richard 

[RichardMEL]

uh oh.. I have a cat at home

[Sunny]

Congratulations. What a wonderful story on how you got your transplant. I'm glad to know you are doing well now.

[Joe Paul]

Congratulations. What a wonderful story on how you got your transplant. I'm glad to know you are doing well now.

Thanks Sunny!

[Chris]

uh oh.. I have a cat at home

RM, you don't need to worry, you just have to take extra precautions when changing litter box and after she uses it. You may want help for the first few weeeks post, but after just wear gloves, eye protection and a mask. Then clean up and change clothes afterwards when cleaning her box. You'll be fine when you get yours.

[Joe Paul]

Well folks, another unfortunate update. Last Tuesday, I started having severe pains above, and to my right of the belly button. At discharge, I was instructed, by my transplant co coordinator, to call her with any problems I my have, and get instruction from her, on what to do next. I started making calls to her office around 8 am Wed. morning, with no return calls all day. My Wife Shirley finally took over, and called the manager of the coordinator and requested that she get Emily, my coordinator, to call immediately if not before hand, that we had an emergency and needed attention. She called back about 4 O'Clock Wed evening, and I was then told to go directly to the ER. I go to the ER, tell them my pain problem, and was sent directly to the ct scan, to have a scan done on my lower belly. When they got the results, I was immediately admitted again, problem was with my gull bladder. I was sent up to my room, where within 15 minutes, was on my way down for an immediate operation on removing my gull bladder. I woke up around 2 am, and about 20 minutes later, met my surgeon who told me the bladder was totally in-cased in some sort of bubble, and was totally gangrened, and that if it had burst, I probably would not have survived the operation, but thanks to the surgeon, and my guardian angel, I am here to tell you all about my never boring life. Thanks for looking, Joe P.S. They couldnt  do laparoscopic surgey do to the size and condition of the gull bladder, so I now have another 9 inch scar with 30 staples.

[willowtreewren]

Ohm my gosh! How scary. I am so glad they caught this in time. Good thing your wife was persistent, Huh?

Keep getting better!

[aharris2]

I second that, Joe. Thank God for your wife and her persistence. I hope you heal easily quickly!

(Cute puppy!)

[Chris]

Sorry to ear JP, glad you made it through.
 
I guess one thing to learn from this is if no one calls back, go directly to the ER

[kellyt]

Glad you/they caught it.  I hope you're back on the road to recovery.   

[Hanify]

Thank goodness you're OK!

[okarol]

I am so relieved you got through the surgery ok! Please heal up and get better!!

[RichardMEL]

I find it amazing that the transplant co-ordinator wouldn't call back in minutes or a couple of hours to someone who had only had their transplant less than a month ago! Yikes. Of course maybe they were away or something, but you'd think that her messages or whatever would be monitored. Good on your wife for calling her boss and getting things going along. I think this is a reminder to us that if you call and they don't get back to you in a timely manner - go higher!