It has been ten days since my kidney transplant.My incision seems to be healing nicely, though it still smarts a bit. Please don’t make me laugh! The anti-rejection therapy began in the operating room. before they had even cut me open they were giving me an immune suppressant in my IV.
I came home after only three days in the hospital. Since then I’m running short of sleep. After 10 months of little to no kidney function, my bladder and the muscles that control it got rather lazy. Now with a healthy kidney, there’s a new sheriff in town. Getting up every 15 minutes doesn’t make for restful sleep but that is slowly improving too.
Day by day and night by night it is getting a little better. My incision is a little less painful every day and my skin doesn’t itch. With no foul taste in my mouth and no nausea, my appetite has returned in a big way. One of the anti-rejection drugs I take is Prednisone. As a side effect it can play havoc with blood sugar. I had always been able to control my Type 2 Diabetes with a sensible diet. Now I have to occasionally take Insulin.
I go to the local hospital twice a week for labs. They are constantly checking my kidney function for signs of rejection and checking the level of one of my anti-rejection drugs in my bloodstream. I take a palm full of pills twice a day and all of them are important. In addition to three anti rejection drugs, I’m on anti-biotics, anti-virals, and anti fungals.
I should add that my donor and daughter, knitolitics, Is ahead of me in healing and doing rather well. It must be all the love in her.
A Rant
In my town, there are a lot of Trump supporters and way too many people who do not take Covid-19 precautions seriously or scorn them altogether. The schools and the mayor are doing there best to abide by Governor Evers’ shutdown orders, but it is an uphill battle. In the grocery store and other public places Mrs. ruleoflaw overhears people saying it is a big scam and will all be over after Election day. Facebook is filled with trolls who rant about their “freedom” and refusal to wear a mask. Multiple Trump signs on every block. Social distancing? What’s that?
If these people want to get themselves sick, that’s on them, but it isn’t just on them. the local hospitals are already starting to run out of beds. Sooner or later these silly bastards are going to start dropping. They will wander into the hospital coughing and wheezing, muttering non-sequiturs about their rights. This is the same hospital I have to go to twice a week for labs. The same emergency room I may have to go to if I’m injured or my body starts rejecting the new kidney.
I have no immune system. The flu could easily kill me. A bacterial infection would run wild in my body. Covid-19 would destroy me.
This terrifies me and fills me with rage.
Rant complete.
The UW Health web page has links to donate cash and/or an organ. Please check it out.
Your thoughts, prayers and positive waves are welcome and appreciated. Please wear a mask. Practice social distancing. Avoid large crowds. Wash and sanitize your hands often. Play safe and vote blue my friends. My health and yours depend on it.