I GOT OFFICIALLY CLEARED YAY!!!!!!!!! Sch for August 20, YAY!!

[krismimo]

  pleasant surprise! I got officially cleared today! My coordinator called and said they had the final meeting and I'm very very healthy. She asked me how did things go with the surgeon and I said very good, the only concern I had was the survival rate after transplant. She said the most amazing thing, which I did not know, she said from a living donor that is compatible the kidney has at least 14 or 15 or 20 years basically half a life. She did say that it could be longer than that, depends on the person. (I was worried that it would be much shorter). Now all they have to do is contact my husband to officially schedule the surgery and also to make sure he has had a stress test which he had this year and all the small things that he got done earlier on this year. Now I have to prepare my house a but better for transplant. It is going to be a count down now. Thank you guys for all your support I'm excited and nervous at the same time.

[Sluff]

Congratulations! 

[cassandra]

Congrats my darling

love Cas

[MooseMom]

That's tremendous news!  20 August is not that far away!  Get busy preparing!

[jbeany]

 

Great news!  Yes, the survival rate for living donors is longer, but even a deceased donor averages a decade.  That's a good break from D, too.  Some of the longest lasting transplants have gone 40 years.  And just think of how much the meds will improve over the next 20 years!

[krismimo]

MINOR/MAJOR set back. Hey everyone were still on for the transplant but my blood pressure has been creeping up lately because of ME. Lately the last two visits my blood pressure has gone from going completly normal to high. The last time I had to see the surgeon and this time I had to speak to three doctors and a transplant coordinator. I was nervous My blood presssure shot up higher this time. The doctors were really nice and understanding. They said I probably have White Coat Syndrom which is I get nervous when I see doctors or have to speak to them whcih makes my blood pressure go up. So they want to put a 24 heart rate monitor on me. They feel when I'm at the hospital I get nervous but at home in my natural environment I'm good. This is going to make it ot break it for us, if they dont like what they see they will or might call off the transplant all together. I had a panic attack afterwards I have no idea what to do I'm trying to stay positive but I dont like things being strapped to me how the hell am I suppose to act normal? My husband has been so supportive. Any suggestions would be great sigh I hope I can get through this. I have to go in tomorrow morning to get the monitor put on me anyone been through this?. I just want to scream I just want to be ok. I'm feeling really down today.

[Joe]

Easy for me to say, but don't stress. Be as normal as possible while you're doing the monitor and see how things come out. Hopefully you will have normal BP readings while you are at home and all will be good.

Good luck!

[krismimo]

Thanks Joe I have been a complete mess today I guess good to get it out my system eh? I have been crying off and on all day. I just want my bp to be back to normal, I have been stressed out these few weeks and I'm doing my best to calm down and so far nothing has worked. Now I dont have a choice but to calm down or I can jeporidize this whole thing. SIGH

[Poppylicious]

Keeping everything crossable crossed that the monitor shows it is just 'White Coat Syndrome' and your BP is within the normal range at all other times. Stay calm!  This transplant WILL happen.

*huggles*

[cariad]

I had to wear a Holter monitor because every once in a great, great while I get these weird heart palpitations. They found nothing.

Doctors and having things strapped to you are unfortunately all a part of transplant, though these tend to plague the recipient more than the donor. I found the monitor annoying but the time passes before you know it and it sounds like you are quite lucky that they are convinced that this is psychological and not physical. I think many hospitals would have rejected you and waited to see if you would fight your way back in. So many centres are all about the mind games.

My husband's blood pressure ran a bit high, and he was chewed out at Madison over it (gee, why do you hate that hospital so, cariad?) Our wonderful GP at the time got really angry on his behalf and said "That's just RUBBISH!" (gee, why did you love that GP so, cariad?) Gwyn took propanalol for a while but is crap at taking tablets so that did not happen consistently. He told Northwestern that the propanolol was for migraines and they were fine with it and he was cleared without incident. Gwyn donated in March of 2010 and has not been on the Propanolol since.

It sounds like your doctors really believe you are fine to donate and they just need to find a way to prove this to themselves with total certainty. A blood pressure monitor is *nothing* compared to donating a kidney, so just try to forget it's there. Girl, if you can sign up for a voluntary nephrectomy, I know you are not going to let a silly blood pressure monitor stand in your way. It's time to put your game face on and do this. We are all with you in spirit and want to accompany you on this journey. Best of luck!

(I also believe apple cider vinegar is a miracle food if you can stand it. Bragg's organic is the way to go, cut it with water and a bit of honey if you like. SOOO good for you and it lowers blood pressure and has about a billion other health advantages as well. I just hate the taste.)

[MomoMcSleepy]

That's awesome news!I hope everything goes well for you!

Get some fresh garlic heads (if you like that sort of thing) and make some dishes with garlic.  Also, I have, when I wake up on time, been doing yoga in the morning, and it is AWESOME.  I feel like everything is running smoothly in my body, calmer and healthier, all the cells are breathing...I can't wait to eat some low potassium fruit and a third of a serving of fake grape nuts with rice milk and maybe an egg!  Good times.  I've been doing Healing Yoga that is streaming on Netflix. If you don't have that and you're strapped for cash, check out Amazon.com for used videos (i bet the workout DVDs are barely used), or your local library.  They have poses that even chronically ill people can do, and I  just do 10-15 minutes (hey, I'm not waking up at 4 or anything crazy).

Take a walk while it's nice, too, if you can manage it (I am not familiar with your physical capabilities).

And, I bet that BP will even out, anyway.  Things will work out!  I hope it all goes well.

Cariad--I made the mistake of telling my nephrologist about the Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar.  I was taking it thinking it would help the PH of my bladder.  I actually did feel better, but then he scared me off.  I used it mixed with oil as a salad dressing, too, but it is pretty acidic.  When he put me on the Sodium Bicarbonate, I got freaked out about pH levels and stopped using it altogether.  Anyone else using this? Do you like it?