My Husband finally got his transplant!

[Bambino_Bear]

Hi all.  I haven't been on in awhile.  We are still at Methodist Transplant Hospital in San Antonio Texas.  Justin received a deceased donor kidney on Friday.  It looks like we may be discharged tomorrow. His kidney is a little slow.  It makes tons of urine but the creatinine is still high.  I am so anxious, but the docs seem confident it will decrease rapidly once the kidney wakes all the way up. 

I am still trying to figure everything out.  He has private insurance and the $425 premium was paid by the AKF.  I know they stop paying post transplant so I am trying to figure out how to keep paying this.  We are not on Medicaid yet even though he is on ESRD disability.  I am so stressed out. 

I am so grateful for the kidney, but totally scared and overwhelmed too.

[Simon Dog]

He has private insurance and the $425 premium was paid by the AKF.  I know they stop paying post transplant so I am trying to figure out how to keep paying this.  We are not on Medicaid yet even though he is on ESRD disability.  I am so stressed out. 

Great news one the kidney, and they do wake up.

The AKF discontinues because it is supported by the dialysis industry since the amount to fund the AKF premium payments increases the reimbursement rate for D treatments over Medicaid or other public sector insurance.  This is part of the controversy over the new CA law prohibiting such transfer payments from dialysis firms to insurance premium payments.

And, you would transition to Medicare if on D for more than 30 months, not Medicaid.

[Paul]

Congratulations.          

[iolaire]

That’s great news. My kidney was slow to get going as it took a few weeks to get into normal range. I hope his settles down similarly or faster.

[Bambino_Bear]

Thanks guys.  Before your kidney woke up did you feel extra fatigued?  My husband is so exhausted.  I am assuming it is the high creatinine.  I am worried about him, but I guess the transplant hospital would not have released him if he was in danger.

I am just a nervous wife I guess.  He is laying next to me snoring away.

[iolaire]

I was in the hospital for a week and still napping a good bit when I got home. They stressed getting up and around so I started trying the do small walks with my wife and slowly started small walks outside. I don’t recall how long it felt for me to get energy but I would not worry. The week in the hospital is very draining, plus the major surgery.

[Simon Dog]

My biggest inconvenience was the surgical drain that I kept for a few weeks.  Surgery Fri-Sat midnight-5AM, discharge Tuesday AM, plus discharge from the drain for another 2-3 weeks.  The biggest inconvenience was bending over to clean up shit (my dig had diarrhea at the time and the wife was away at a convention), but my brother helped out a lot and the Chinese grandmother across the street kept bring me Chinese Grandmother type food, and her son helped out with some stuff.  I remember the surgeon was pleased when I did 5 laps around the unit in the hospital the day after surgery.    Soreness (not really rising to the level of pain) lasted a couple weeks.

[SooMK]

Congrats to you both! Hope his kidney wakes up and gets busy soon. I always try to trust the clinic and the docs otherwise the depth of the worry pit are infinite.

[Bambino_Bear]

 

Thank you all.

[PrimeTimer]

Sounds like Santa came early for you guys, this is great news! 

[cassandra]

Congrats Bambino Bear and hubby!! 

[okarol]

So happy for you all. How is he doing? 

[Bambino_Bear]

Hello all! 

We are now 6 months post transplant and things are going great.  All of Justin's numbers are in range.  I hope you are all doing well.

[iolaire]

Great, thanks for the update.

[cassandra]

 


 Great news!! Lovely to hear, thanx, always good to hear good news 


Lots of love to the both of you, Cas

[SooMK]

Hurrah! So good to hear.

[MooseMom]

Oh gosh, I had not seen this news!  How wonderful for you both.  I hope all continues to go well.