My pre-dialysis-days have finally come to an end...

[MooseMom]

Is this infection impacting your new renal function in any way?  Are there any concerns about your new kidney?

Take care of yourself, and I am hoping you get to go home soon.  Any word from your docs about when that might be?

[kristina]

Dear MooseMom, this infection is being treated and it has not yet influenced my new kidney function, touch wood. I also wish to go home soon, but the doctors want to make sure and I am grateful for their great care. I shall let you know as soon as I know more and I thank you for your kind concern and send you my kind wishes from Kristina.

[MooseMom]

That's very reassuring news, Kristina.  Thank you very much for the update.   

[PrimeTimer]

Kristina, hope you are "up and at 'em" again real soon! But if the doctors want to keep you a bit longer I would definitely listen to them. Give yourself all the time you need to rest and recover because once you are back at home, no doubt you will enjoy a long list of things you will want to do and see. 

[kristina]

Dear PrimeTimer, many thanks for your kind concern. The doctors told me, that they want to be as certain as is possible, that everything is being reliably covered before they discharge me from hospital and there are still a few "bits and pieces" that need to be sorted in order to have it all covered in an effort to avoid nasty surprises later on. I go happily along with it because it sounds very logical and a good logical thought is always very convincing. Better take the time now and give me a chance to get as strong and as healthy as possible...
Thanks again from Kristina. :

[kristina]

Many thanks MooseMom for your kind thoughts they are very much appreciated. My transplant really and truly was much bigger than I first thought. It was quite huge on my body and my mind was also very much under stress on occassions, but slowly and surely I am gettimg there ...
Best wishes and thanks again from Kristina.

[kristina]

Whilst in hospital I have noticed that quite a few transplantees are plaqued by regular urin-infections (Urinary tract infections) and I wonder whether there are in existence some ways to take precautions and avoid such urin-infection?
Many thanks from Kristina.

[kitkatz]

    So great you are recovering.  Good luck and get well!

[kristina]

 Many thanks for your kind thoughts kitkatz and fortunately my body has really started to "pick up" and I am finally on my way. Of course I have to drink an awful lot and this is a bit hard right now after all these liquid-restrictive years and I shall continue to give it my very best.
Best wishes and kind regards and thanks again from Kristina. 

[enginist]

You do sound appreciably better now than you did a week ago.  I'm a relative newcomer here, but everything that I have read by and about Kristina indicates that you are a much-loved member of this site.  Don't forget about us when your new kidney makes you busy with your new life, which may include placing a rose on Bach or Schumann's grave.

[UkrainianTracksuit]

Whilst in hospital I have noticed that quite a few transplantees are plaqued by regular urin-infections (Urinary tract infections) and I wonder whether there are in existence some ways to take precautions and avoid such urin-infection?
Many thanks from Kristina.

Hi kristina,

Some people are pre-disposed to UTI's from their biology - how they are made - so they can be a common occurrence for some. There are people who ended up on dialysis from congenital bladder or urinary tract problems, needed some forms of reconstruction, and resulting issues harmed the kidneys. These people go for transplant too and still the physical issues cause them to have more numerous UTI's. Women too have a propensity for more UTI's just in how we're made. We have a shorter urethra so bacteria gets into the bladder easier. Add in this quotient that these areas have naturally occurring bacteria and a suppressed immune system. So, UTI's can be common in tx patients and doctors always ask if you have any symptoms because it could become serious.

Anyone on the transplant floor who had a catheter is exposed to development of a UTI simply because it was there. Subsequently, when you have your bladder stents removed, the doctor may give you an antibiotic "just to be safe" since they are messing around with your urethra. I heard a lot about them right after transplant too and I was so afraid of developing one. Knock wood, at this point, I haven't.

To prevent them, in the best ways we can, a lot of it stems around good personal hygiene. (In general, not saying it applies to you, so please do not be offended!) But certain things like "wiping that area from front to back" decreases the spread of harmful bacteria. Always wear clean and breathable underwear. Drink a lot of water so that you urinate more frequently and "clean out" your urinary tract before bacteria have the chance to enter/grow. Being regular for a #2 (so, avoid constipation) apparently helps as well. I doubt you use such products but don't use things like "feminine sprays" or douches in that area. Anything that causes irritation.

It is always recommended to urinate after intercourse to "flush" away any bacteria. The science is really conflicting but I regularly drink cranberry juice. This was pre-transplant but when I got married, "les dames âgées" suggested it, on their experience. Hope this helps! You will learn as you go and be fine! 

[Simon Dog]

Subsequently, when you have your bladder stents removed, the doctor may give you an antibiotic "just to be safe" since they are messing around with your urethra.

Standard practice at the center I used was bactrim + cipro, though they held my bactrim because of low WBC.  The stent removal was full sterile procedure - drapes, sterile gloves, multiple betadine washing of my junk, etc.

Always wear clean and breathable underwear.

Aren't you always supposed to wear clean underwear because you never know when you will go to the hospital ER?

Semper ubi sub ubi.

[UkrainianTracksuit]

Yes, same here, regards the procedure. It happened in one of the "treatment rooms" with stainless steel scary things and a big screen to aid the doctor's passageway. It was cool to watch. But as you say, draping, betadine washing, some weird apron on the doc. Doctor brought in a student, asked my consent if he could watch, and I was like, ehh, who cares at this point. Again, like you, there is a Bactrim protocol, and concurrently, I had a prescription for amoxicillin for another infection, so they just extended that.

Doctor scolded me for having a full Brazilian wax because the complete lack of hair causes an easy passageway for allergens and bacteria. So, while the stent removal was easy/painless, I remember it clearly for that.

Haha, it's true, always wear clean underwear because you never know what happens! But, some people don't get that memo, as eww as it seems. It really says a lot about the world we live in when one of our locally shared papers had a small blurb to reiterate sharing underwear with someone else is a bad idea in regard to STI's. Gee, you think? 

[kristina]

You do sound appreciably better now than you did a week ago.  I'm a relative newcomer here, but everything that I have read by and about Kristina indicates that you are a much-loved member of this site.  Don't forget about us when your new kidney makes you busy with your new life, which may include placing a rose on Bach or Schumann's grave.

Hello enginist,
It is most unlikely, that I would disappear ... after all, I shall always be involved with my kidney-treatment, one way or another and it is so important to keep involved with our treatment at all times ... and what better place to come along and see the medics and to come here?
Mind you, the idea to place a flower on the grave of Bach and Schumann sounds very appealing and I shall look forward to do just that one day. Not too long ago I placed a rose in our Houses of Parliament where the burial stone of Muzio Clementi (24 January 1752 - 10 March 1832), the composer, pianist, great pedagogue, music publisher, editor, piano manufacturer and conductor is permanently being placed. It was ever so sweet to watch how the MP's very kindly avoided to walk over my rose at his burial stone and it was quite a lovely experience.
Many thanks Ukrainian Tracksuit for your kind advise and the kind thoughts of "les dames âgées" about this. Mind you, it is so very important to keep absolutely clean at all times...
And Simon, you are absolutely right, we have to be ever so careful and because of the fragility of the new kidney our body is much too vulnerable to take on any risks and with these easy-going new washing machines, showers etc. we don't have to do too much to keep as clean as is possible anyway...
Thanks again from Kristina.

[enginist]

I once placed a rose on Beethoven's grave.  After touring his Geburtshaus in Bonn, I took a train to the cemetery in Vienna.  As you probably know, one of the cemeteries in Paris holds the remains of a whole roster of the famous dead, including Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Proust, and Jim Morrison.  Never heard of Muzio Clementi.

[kristina]

I once placed a rose on Beethoven's grave.  After touring his Geburtshaus in Bonn, I took a train to the cemetery in Vienna.  As you probably know, one of the cemeteries in Paris holds the remains of a whole roster of the famous dead, including Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Proust, and Jim Morrison.  Never heard of Muzio Clementi.

Hello enginist, your Beethoven-journey sounds very fascinating, lucky you! Bonn must have changed a lot since Parliament "went" permanently to Berlin?
... Muzio Clementi is called the original "Father of the Pianoforte" and his very own piano-production in the Cheapside-district of London is considered the very best in piano-production especially in tonality. His pianofortes "sing" in different tonalities i.e. the Harp, violin and of course, the piano, all in one instrument in the most beautiful singing tonality. His pianofortes are also still playable these days and they transfer you into a different world altogether. Muzio Clementi (23 January 1752 – 10 March 1832) at his time was the only musical rival of Mozart and became a best friend of Beethoven, especially since Clementi bought from Beethoven the rights to produce his scores in England at a very fair price (and Beethoven appreciated Clementi's fairness a lot!) and Clementi also paid Beethoven his due always in time. Clementi also produced the very first piano-learning-instruction and this instruction can be copied and bought from the British Museum Library... and it is well worth to purchase since it is the very best introduction in how to play the pianoforte. Clememti's main aim is to convey, how to play the Pianoforte in a certain way to convey a wonderful sensitive piano-playing, there is no "bash-banging" taking place but only a very sensitive wonderful, dreamy tonality. As you can see, I am pretty convinced about the good work of Muzio Clementi. He always conducted himself as completely unassuming, rather shy, never loud and his piano-production is still very much praised and his pianofortes are still the very best...

My recovery from the transplant still happens very slowly but I can already see the great changes. At the moment I feel a bit like a "drinking-machine" since I need to drink 3 - 4 liter of liquid a day and that is a big thing with my rather small body and I give it my very best ... I already feel much better and seem to steadily recover from the operation.
Best wishes and all the best from Kristina.

[cassandra]

I'm really happy how well you are doing girl. Maybe we can arrange a meetup next year?

[Cupcake]

Ah Clementi! If you ever took piano lessons, you practiced a lot of Clementi. At least I did!

I have been twice to the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris to see the beautiful grave stones/mausoleums. Always a group of American teenagers sitting around, smoking and playing guitar at Jim Morrison's grave. He had died before they were born! But I was visiting Chopin, and he was dead before I was born-just barely.

[MooseMom]

I'm so pleased that things are improving for you, Kristina!  Well done!  I can't wait for you to get home!

[kristina]

I'm really happy how well you are doing girl. Maybe we can arrange a meetup next year?

Many thanks Cassandra, it would be a great idea to meet-up next year in December ...
Best wishes from Kristina.

[kristina]

Ah Clementi! If you ever took piano lessons, you practiced a lot of Clementi. At least I did!

I have been twice to the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris to see the beautiful grave stones/mausoleums. Always a group of American teenagers sitting around, smoking and playing guitar at Jim Morrison's grave. He had died before they were born! But I was visiting Chopin, and he was dead before I was born-just barely.

Hello Cupcake, fortunately I never "had" to practice Clementi. I discovered his method when I started to learn seriously playing the pianoforte as a rehabilitation when I was first paralyzed on my right side after the stroke and my learning to play on the pianoforte with Clementi's method of The art of Playing on the Pianoforte, I really fell for it in a big way...
Now, now Cupcake, I can't quite believe that Chopin was dead before you were born-just barely, but it made me smile all the same ...
Best wishes from Kristina.

[kristina]

Many thanks MooseMom for your kind encouragement ! I have come home now and things are still a bit difficult, but I try to give it my best ! Many thanks again from Kristina ... Still drinking mainly water nonstop as if there is no tomorrow and I am now finally reaching 3 liter despite my small frame and I do hope my determination gets me hopefully there ...
Best wished from Kristina.

[MooseMom]

Many thanks MooseMom for your kind encouragement ! I have come home now and things are still a bit difficult, but I try to give it my best ! Many thanks again from Kristina ... Still drinking mainly water nonstop as if there is no tomorrow and I am now finally reaching 3 liter despite my small frame and I do hope my determination gets me hopefully there ...
Best wished from Kristina.

I am pleased to hear that you are home.  Are you sleeping any better?  Which things are giving you difficulty?  Are you tolerating the meds well?  So many questions!  Sorry!

 

[kristina]

Many thanks again MooseMom, it is so good to be at home and I can definitely sleep much, much better, which is great and I  have no difficulty with all the many medicines. What gives me real difficulty is my trying ever so hard to drink such an awful lot every day, which works quite amazingly well, but my new kidney function is not 20% yet and I wonder, whether or not it hopefully picks up a bit more function and is it still early days ?
Best wishes from Kristina.

[iolaire]

Thanks again for your kind wishes.
I shall make a point to prepare myself mentally for dialysis
and hopefully my whole body agrees with the new treatment as well
... and hopefully my body will also agree with the new medication
without getting into an allergic reaction because of drug-intolerance...

I shall do my very best to "embrace dialysis" and I shall also do my very best to carry on living
and hopefully I might be having enough energy once again to go back to my work and career.

Best wishes and thanks again from Kristina.

Kristina, you are an important member here. I want to offer all i can to help you through the beginning of dialysis.  Please ask any questions you have and lean on those of us who are already there. We can help you get through this.

That was scary I accidently clicked onto the first page of this thread and read this!  But it’s nice/good that Kristina survived dialysis and moved onto another stage of the kidney cycle four years later.