Month 2 through Month 6

Week 9

June 30th (Day 55)

I called the transplant office today to get an update on which activities I'm permitted to do at this point. I'll probably get yelled at when I get to my 6 month checkup but I've already been throwing a baseball on the sidelines of my baseball games and lightly swinging a baseball bat to begin rotating my torso and to lightly exercise my abdominal muscles. I didn't experience any pain or feel any stretching of the scar tissue in my incisions, which prompted my call in the first place to see if I am able to officially increase my activity level. I got the all clear for all activities with the CLEAR instructions that I begin at the BEGINNING of any activity level and SLOWLY work up as comfort allows.

July 3rd (Day 58)

I hit a small bucket of golf balls at the driving range today! I started slowly with the swing and worked my way up to a full range of motion swing...just not with my full strength. I learned something about golf from this experience...if you slow down your swing and don't try to hit the ball as hard as you can, the ball goes straight! I know...doesn't seem like rocket science but my surgery may have inadvertently helped my golf game! I only hit the ball about 20 yards shorter than normal as well so take that information for what it is worth.

I also ran a mile at a comfortable 10 minute pace and it felt like running did before the surgery. The strength and stamina are the last things to come back but I feel like I'm making progress on both fronts.

Week 10

July 11th (Day 66)

I was able to complete a 2 mile run at a 12 minute mile pace and felt good afterwards. I felt like I could have run faster but I didn't want to push it too much too fast.

July 13th (Day 68)

I played 2 innings in the outfield today in my baseball game! I wasn't comfortable batting yet but I was 100% comfortable playing the field and throwing the ball if I needed to make a play. I hope to hit in next weeks game as I feel almost ready to make a full swing.

Week 11

July 15th (Day 70)

I joined Planet Fitness today to begin strength training again! I could tell that I needed to start at the beginning again but not directly due to the surgery. The surgeon told me that you lose about 10% of your fitness level each week of inactivity so it makes sense that I would need start from square one again. I was able to do exercises for my upper body, lower body, and even my core muscles. I did NOT do sit-ups; I did light crunches on a machine designed to work abdominal muscles and it was NOT comfortable doing 3 sets of 10 reps. I word of caution for those who do strength training: be careful when you do exercises that require your abdominal muscles for stability like lat pull downs. I needed to lower the weight for that exercises because I could feel the pull on the scar tissue and I was not ready for that yet.

July 20th (Day 75)

I played my first full baseball game both in the field and batting as well. I felt no discomfort hitting batting practice or in the game. I felt much more confident in my healing progress considering I was able to hit baseballs to left, center, and right field in a game situation with no discomfort. I did notice that, even though my swing felt comfortable, I was not able to hit the ball as far as I felt I could due to the abdominal weakness from lack of exercise.

Week 12

July 24th (Day 79)

I tried 3 sets of 12 full sit-ups today. I completed them but I had lower abdominal discomfort for the next three days. The discomfort was over my entire lower abdominal muscles (both left and right side) so it was due to weakness and not the scar tissue. I will be promptly backing off the sit-ups and going back to crunches until I gain a bit more strength.

Week 13

August 3rd (Day 89)

Today was the first time I was able to swing a baseball bat with approximately full strength. I did not feel any noticeable difference between my swing today and my swing pre-surgery. Today felt like a strength milestone for me.

August 4th (Day 90)

I was able to complete my first 4 sets of 12 double bench crunches with no abdominal discomfort the next day! Another strength milestone! Here is the exercise I'm describing:

I will be going for a three mile jog tomorrow for the first time to gauge how my stamina is improving.

Recovery - Two Months

Week 5

Day 30 (June 5th)
I had my one month appointment at the transplant office today. Everything looks great! I was told my "wound" is 50% healed and will be approximately 75% healed by week 6. I was given permission to jog today but I need to keep my heart rate on the lower side. I am also able to start light twisting activities like chipping and putting by mid-summer so I have that to look forward to. (I got a call the next day to let me know that my blood work was normal but I need to drink a bit more water.)

Week 6

Day 40 (June 15th)Father's Day today! My dad and I went to my baseball team's game and then to meet my family for dinner afterwards. At the game, I was able to catch the pitcher's warm up pitches in between innings but had to throw the ball back like I would throw darts. I still can't do twisting motions with any force without discomfort. Here is an updated picture of my mom and I at the dinner.

Week 7

Day 45 (June 20th)
I was able to jog one mile today at decent pace! I calculated it to be around a 12 minute mile pace but I took a break about half way though just as a precaution. No nap needed afterward so my energy level is definitely increasing.

Incision Progress

Day of the surgery

One Week

Two Weeks

Three Weeks

Four Weeks (The glue is now gone)

Six Weeks (Swelling has almost disappeared)

After this picture, I'll update the incision progress at my six month appointment as most of the changes are going to be the fading of the scars.

Recovery - One Month

Considering most daily activities are feasible for me, I'll be posting any milestones or atypical experiences from this point forward.

Incision Progress

Day of the surgery

One week

Two weeks

Three weeks

Four weeks...the glue is finally all gone!

Week 3

Day 16 (Wednesday, May 21st)
Six hours seems to be my limit for being out and about. I was able to go to see a high school baseball game and visit my brother to see his new cats but started to feel fatigued after the six hour mark. I also found that wrapping the incisions with a bandage while driving significantly reduces the pain from hitting the potholes. Nothing has been able to take away the discomfort from the side-to-side rocking of the car when it hits a bump unevenly.

Day 17
I went for a 3.2 mile walk today and felt tired at the end of it. I took a nap hoping to feel a bit more energetic but still felt drained. Tomorrow will be a rest day to recuperate.

Day 18
I didn't do any walking to day to rest up especially since I am going to my school's faculty retirement dinner tonight. I've had a headache since last night and have felt cramp-like feelings in my abdomen. I haven't felt all that hungry but ate to keep my recovery going strong. The dinner was a lot of fun but pushed my energy level even lower. I still had the headache and cramped abdomen so I went to bed as soon as I got home. Another rest day is in the plans for tomorrow.

Day 20
You might think that, as a science teacher, I would have paid a bit closer attention to the correlation between hydration and my energy level. I figured out that I had slacked in my water consumption (I'm still not fully acclimated to drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day plus more if I am exercising) and started hydrating. I drank well over one hundred ounces of water today and felt significantly better as the day progressed. After half of a day of feeling sorry for and being angry with myself, I resumed my walking regimen and went on a 3.3 mile walk. I hydrated after my walk. :)

Day 21
I felt so good today after my hydration epiphany that I went on another long walk today. It was quite warm (84 degrees) but I made it through a 4.3 mile walk with some nice hills to test my stamina. I was tired and took a nap for two hours (after serious hydration!) but I made it and felt great after the nap. I'm still feeling the incision sensitivity when my shirt rubs my skin but the gas pain is still gone. I can, however, feel the discomfort of the "kidney space" more each day. The best way I can describe it is that it feels bruised. It doesn't prohibit me from any activity but I do notice it when I am sedentary.

Week 4

Day 24
I went for a 6 mile walk today and saw a fox, which was interesting. I took a 45 minute nap and then went to a high school baseball playoff game. I was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day but it was a good kind of tired. The skin sensitivity is still there so I still wrap my incisions with a bandage for support and protection from rubbing against my shirt.

Day 25
I went to my over 30 league baseball game today. I obviously didn't play and it was frustrating to watch and not play, however I DID feel great after the game and didn't need a nap.

Day 27
I was able to take my dog for a walk today! I would have been able to take a normal dog for a walk by now, but Barnaby is a Bassett Hound and pulls INCESSANTLY! I braced the leash against my hip when he pulled so it didn't pull on my stomach muscles.

Recovery - Week 2

Day 8 (Tuesday, May 13)
Carbon dioxide pain is less today finally! I had enough energy to walk to the nearby baseball fields to watch some little league games (1.7 mile walk). I was awake enough when I got home to watch the Pens lose game 7 and the Clippers lose in a spectacular game 5 collapse. At least I had a better day than the teams I rooted for...

Incisions on day of surgery...

Incisions after one week. The swelling has gone down some.

Day 9
Carbon dioxide pains almost low enough for me to sleep on my side...I can't wait to sleep more comfortably. The morning routine 1.5 mile walk went well and energy levels remain tolerable afterwards. I still needed a nap in the afternoon though.

Day 10
Went for a 2 mile morning walk and chose a route with a nice sized hill on the home stretch. I definitely felt the hill but was able to comfortably make it back without getting out of breath.

Today is the first day that the local anesthesia on the incisions has subsided enough that I can feel the "kidney space" in my left side. It feels a bit odd but not uncomfortable. I also don't feel any noticeable carbon dioxide gas pains anymore. I tried to take my daily afternoon nap but when I laid down, I realized I wasn't tired enough to sleep. Progress!

A friend from work also visited today, which was a welcome break from the monotony of the recovery process. I'm going to drive for the first time tomorrow since I have not been taking any pain medications for the past two days (other than right before bed for sleeping comfort). I'm going to take a short drive to my work to get a few small things done before I head back to rest. I've noticed that even if I don't nap, I still need to sit down to rest in a reclining chair so that my upper and middle back don't get sore from the extra effort needed to keep me from hunching defensively over my incisions. I'm also going to venture out to socialize with my colleagues after work for Friday happy hour. Not driving on this trip though...

Day 11
I went into work today and got to see my students for about 5 minutes in each class. I was also able to get a few of the things done that I had needed to get done before the school year ends. That being said, I was exhausted after three hours at work and I wasn't even teaching! I stopped for a quick lunch on the way back but faded quickly and was ready for some rest.

After a 1.5 hour power nap, I went out for some much needed socializing with my fellow teachers. I tested my doctor's "1 beer = 1 glass of water" instructions a few times with no repercussions the next day. I DID however put way too much into one day and felt it when I got home. I imagine tomorrow is going to be a rest day.

Day 12
Yep...it's a rest day. A helpful suggestion for those considering a living kidney donation: When you overextend yourself after surgery (and you will), rest as much as your body tells you to rest.

Day 13
I felt much better after the rest day yesterday. The only discomfort I am feeling now is coming from the incisions rubbing against my shirt or any jarring movement that may remind me that I still have healing to do. I'm not taking any pain medication now and have no trouble sleeping.

I was able to go watch my over 30 baseball team play a 9 inning game today and felt well enough afterwards to not immediately need a nap. The hardest part of the whole experience was knowing that I could not pick up a bat or glove and head out onto the field. The doctors have insisted that I can't play baseball this year (the season goes into September) but I CAN golf once I heal a bit more. I know, it seems odd but the explanation I got makes sense. I was told by the surgeon that, in baseball, it is almost impossible for me to go to bat and NOT take a full swing at the ball once it is pitched and a full swing could cause injury. In golf, I can modify the intensity and range of motion of my swing to fit my pain tolerance. Plus, when I go to hit a golf ball, I don't have to worry about it flying at me at 80 mph and hitting me in my incisions or my remaining kidney!

UPDATE: I sneezed for the first time since the surgery today. I was NOT prepared for the pain that it caused. It felt like my abdomen under the incisions decided to spontaneously re-open! Suggestion for those who go through the surgery: if you have to sneeze, use a kidney pillow to brace into your side. When I sneezed again, the pillow dialed the pain down to an "ouch...that hurt" from the "I think my side just exploded" without the pillow.

Day 14
I went to socialize with my science department colleagues this afternoon and had no issues with pain other than the typical unexpected road bump while driving or laughing without bracing my left side. The one water for one beer rule given to me by my surgeons was strictly adhered to. I didn't notice any fatigue afterwards but I was only out for about two hours total.

Recovery - Week 1

Day 1
The surgery went flawlessly and my mom's new kidney is functioning perfectly! I've been doing some deep breathing exercises to prevent pneumonia and drinking clear liquids most of the day. I wasn't prepared for how dry the anesthesia has made my mouth but it is getting better. I got to see my mom earlier and except for some pain, she is also doing well! I was able to eat some jello and tomato soup with crackers but am REALLY looking forward to a milkshake tomorrow!

Incisions from the day of the surgery. The surgeons actually did four total incursions instead of the three they initially said would be made. Lots of swelling over my entire stomach area...

I got an update on my mom and she had a bit of infection so the doctors took the port out and gave her antibiotics. She responded very well and should be leaving the ICU tomorrow.

Day 2
Ok...going to the bathroom after surgery is TERRIBLE. You can't leave the hospital until you do and I was having trouble doing both. Not a very comfortable day but I'm walking the halls quite a bit to speed the recovery and hopefully move things along.

I had to get an enema which helped with the bowel pressure but not an experience I'd  like to repeat...able to pee now which is nice.

First time asking for pain meds, which helped me get some rest.

Food for the day was rice krispies with milk and apple juice for breakfast, chicken noodle soup with crackers, pudding, and milk for lunch, and milkshake for dinner! Hospital dinner we vegetable soup but who am I kidding? Milkshake for dinner is SO much better!

Day 3
Feeling better today but still no #2. Walking is feeling easier today except for the bowel pressure. Breakfast was oatmeal with milk and apple juice.

Later, I was given magnesium citrate and was able to go to the bathroom! Wooo! This means I can go home today!  One of the surgeons said that the magnesium citrate is the "nuclear bomb" of laxatives and is only used to "move mountains." Mission accomplished! My mom also was brought up from the ICU so I'm going to go see her.

After I went to see her, she had a setback and needed to go back to the ICU. The doctors think she could still be discharged this weekend though.

I was discharged at around lunchtime today and was able to head back to my parents to recover. I was able to do two walks to the end of the street (about 150 yards) but needed to rest afterwards. Food today was cereal and milk with apple juice for breakfast and Wendy's junior cheeseburger with small fries and frosty for lunch. Dinner was mini-ravioli.

Day 4
I'm only taking one percoset at night and in the morning with extra strength Tylenol during the day. Breakfast was cereal with milk and peanut butter English muffin for lunch. I walked three times today with each walk going about 1/4 mile. I feel pretty tired after the walks but enjoy getting outside. The incisions are healing nicely and my stomach is less swollen today than yesterday. Pictures will be coming shortly.

My mom is going to be discharged tomorrow! She is feeling MUCH better today and has made excellent progress over the past 24 hours.

Day 5
Good news and bad news for my mom today. Her kidney function is great but her phosphorous still isn't stable so she won't be discharged until Monday.

My food intake is back to normal as are bathroom habits. I'm now able to walk over a mile with no physical issues afterward, which is great.

The only pain I have left is from the incisions themselves and the carbon dioxide gas pain from the gas injected into my abdomen during the surgery. The gas pain is the worst and extends up to my shoulders as it dissipates over time. It still makes sleeping awkward and painful so hopefully it goes away soon!

Day 6
No change in energy or pain level. I went for a 2.2 mile walk. I didn't feel tired while walking but it took the energy our of me the rest of the day. I think I'll take it easy tomorrow. I still am getting the carbon dioxide pains when sleeping but it seems a bit less.

Day 7
Rest day from walking. I was quite tired from over-exercising yesterday so I took it easy today. I'll go for a shorter walk tomorrow and build up a bit slower. Less energy but no change in pain today.

Mom came home from the hospital today! She is tired but doing well. She's also extremely happy to be home.

The Surgery

I will be having a single incision laparoscopic left kidney nephrectomy. I know that sounds like a complex procedure but it really isn't so bad. "Laparoscopy is a surgery that uses a thin, lighted tube put through a cut (incision) in the belly to look at the abdominal organs." (WebMD) 

Here is a video of an actual single incision laparoscopic nephrectomy. My surgery will be a bit different but you will get a general idea of what it will be like. 

Video Link: Single Incision Laparoscopic Nephrectomy
WARNING: If you are AT ALL squeamish or nauseated by blood or guts, DO NOT WATCH THIS! 

If you would prefer to have a less graphic depiction of the surgery, here is a link that has some great information.

Website Link: Laparoscopic Live Donor Nephrectomy Surgery
WARNING: The video at the bottom of this page is the same video as I linked to above. Watch at your own risk!

The Surgery
Surgery Preparation
I must be at Harrisburg Hospital for 5:30am tomorrow with an estimated surgery time of 7:30am. I am allowed to eat a normal breakfast and a light lunch but am allowed no food after 2:00pm today. Also at 2:00pm, I have to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate, which will "cleanse the bowels." I have to do this for two reasons. First, if a tiny nick of the intestines happens in surgery, it would be dangerous to have waste still in the intestines because of the risk of infection. Second, having empty bowels makes it easier to rearrange the intestines during the surgery. From 2:00pm until midnight, I can drink clear liquids but nothing at all after that.

Morning of the Surgery
I will receive some meds for anxiety to take the edge off while I am being prepped with an IV in my hand. I've been told I'll be asked MANY times what my name is, what is my birthday, why am I here, etc. I guess they want to make sure they take the correct person into the surgery.

My mom and I right before I went back to the OR

The Surgery
The nephrectomy should take 2-3 hours assuming no complications happen. I'll be moved to a recovery room for an hour and then to my hospital bed. Dr. Yang will let my parents know how my surgery went and will wheel my mom in to the same room and immediately begin her surgery. Her surgery should take 3-4 hours because they are also taking out her left kidney first before they put mine in.

This image is similar to the incisions I will have. Dr. Yang said that I will have two incisions (not the three shown in this picture) and a similar 5.5 cm incision to take the kidney out.

My kidney...much bigger than I expected!

Recovery

I'll be having the surgery on Tuesday and should be going home on Thursday. I won't be able to drive for 10-14 days and can't lift anything over 20 pounds for 6 weeks. Other than that, I can't start my NFL or MMA career but I don't see that as much of an issue!

I'll be posting frequent updates with more detail on each of the parts of the whole living donor experience as I am able. If you have any questions or suggestions for the blog, please let me know!

Becoming a Kidney Donor

Becoming a Kidney Donor

The entire process is EXTREMELY thorough and happened in stages. My testing process began after I told my parents that I wanted to give my mom a kidney. After I told them, my parents told me that the first step is to call the transplant coordinator RN to let her know that I was interested in becoming a living kidney donor for my mom.

November 18^th: When I called the transplant coordinator, she conducted a phone interview with me to gather the preliminary data and mailed a package of information for me to review. The informational packet explained the process of living kidney donation and introduced me to the transplant team. It also explained the positives and risks in donating a kidney. In order to continue the testing process, I had to sign a consent for evaluation form and complete a questionnaire included in the information packet, after which I would be scheduled for the phase 1 tests.

December 2^nd: Phase 1 testing

• Sign a consent for evaluation form
• Questionnaire (initial screening for eligibility)
• Medical history
• Family history
• Psychological/Social background
• Urine Test
• Glucose Tolerance Test (drink a sugary substance and pee into a cup)
• Blood Panel
• Includes: HIV, Hepatitis B & C, kidney function, liver function, possible virus exposures, test for anemia (Source: Living Kidney Donor Evaluation Process | University of Maryland Medical Center )
• Blood type match
• Antigen match
• Height & Weight

After completing the first phase of testing (and still being a potential match for my mom), I had to wait for several weeks for my mom to complete her own additional testing and medical procedures. Once she was ready, I was able to schedule phase 2. This round of tests was not as quick and took a bit of logistical coordination.

March 20^th: Phase 2 testing (7:15am to 1:30pm)

*Preparation: Must drink at least 2 quarts of water the day before and can’t eat 4 hours before CT scan

STRONG SUGGESTION: Get to the testing center early enough to get the urinalysis done FIRST. Otherwise, you are holding more than 2 quarts of water for an hour while you get part one of the Glofil Test done!

• Glofil Test (I-125 Glomerular Filtration Rate Test) Part 1
• Urinalysis (protein to creatinine ratio)
• Blood Panel
• Tissue cross match
• HLA blood typing
• EKG (heart health)
• Meet with transplant coordinator (Living donor education session)
• Meet with independent donor advocate (financial, emotional, physical impacts of donation)
• Meet with social worker (same as independent donor advocate)
• Meet with surgeon
• Physical exam
• Glofil Test Part 2
• Chest X-ray
• Contrast Dye CT Scan

March 27^th: Today, I was accepted by the board for kidney donation! I also found out that my EKG showed that I have sinus bradycardia. I was told it won't stop me from donating and nothing needs to be done for it. I Googled it and it means I have a slow resting heart rate (58 beats per minute).

March 28^th: The date of the surgery was officially set for May 6^th.

April 25^th: I have been running three times per week for the past three months hoping to get in the best shape for the surgery. When I began running, I was jogging at a 10:30 minute per mile pace for about 15 minutes (I was a bit out of shape from the winter) and am now running with a group from work for about 4.25 miles at about a 10:00 minute pace on Tuesday and Thursday followed by an up tempo run on the weekend of 2-3 miles at around a 9:00 minute per mile pace. I set a goal for myself to run a half marathon in November to hopefully force myself to maintain my fitness for the quickest recovery. 

April 28^th: Phase 3 testing

• Pre-surgery instructions
• EKG part 2
• Chest X-ray part 2
• Blood Panel
• Tissue cross match part 2
• Updated body chemistry tests

April 29^th: I feel like I’ve gotten a cold since Friday. I thought it might be allergies but I’m starting to get a bit of a stuffy nose. I went for a 2 mile run yesterday at a 9:00 pace and felt fine afterwards so hopefully it goes away quickly.

I also got some stressful news today in that my second EKG came back “abnormal”. I was told I have inverted T waves on the inferior leads. Being the control freak I am, I Googled it and proceeded to freak myself out. Multiple medical sites basically said it could be normal for me, especially since I’ve been running frequently, or it could be a sign of heart damage. I’m going for another EKG and an ECG tomorrow to find out for sure. My stress levels also couldn’t be helping much…

April 30^th: I went for an echocardiogram and an EKG to clarify the inverted T waves today. When I got there, they didn’t have my scripts for the procedures, even though I know that my transplant team had sent them over. I had to wait for 20 minutes while they had them re-faxed before I could go in to get the echocardiogram. The technician, Wayne, was great and answered all my questions. He professionally handled the questions that he couldn’t or wasn’t allowed to answer. At the end of the procedure, he said I’d have the results available within 24 hours but told me that he wasn’t able to see anything abnormal when he was doing the echo.

May 1^st: I called Nancy, my transplant coordinator, at 7:30am to see if they had my results. I was told that the cardiologist noticed that I had a trivial pericardial effusion and wanted to see me before he felt comfortable clearing me for surgery. I Googled it again and learned that it could be normal or it could be a result of ischemia from a heart attack or an infection. I’ll have to wait to get a phone call from Nancy to know when I need to go in so I can still have the surgery on Tuesday.

I got a phone call from Nancy at 10:00am and got the good news that, after he got ALL the information from my background and previous tests, the cardiologist felt very comfortable clearing me for the surgery. I apparently have an “athletic heart” which means that the running is actually growing my heart muscle. I can now feel good that the bradycardia is due to my heart more efficiently pumping blood around my body and not due to some underlying heart condition. The surgery is now officially on for Tuesday!