post surgery... 23 days

So I meet with Dr. Morris on Monday the 15th. He says that things are going well, but my levels continue to fluctuate. He isn't too worried as my body continues to adjust with such a surgery. I sometimes forget how big of a deal this is as I feel so great. My swelling has gone down in my leg, so that is good. I had a clotty substance in my drain bag last Thursday, so I paged the Radiologist on-call. He wanted me to come in and so he could "flush" the bag. He attempted to flush it, but the clotty substance wasn't clearing out. He thought that my drain line needed to be bigger, I was like "whatever" I just want the thing to work. Sooo, for the third Friday in a row I check in at Clarkson and get a "procedure" done. This was just like that week before. They gave me medication but didn't put me to sleep. I was able to tell them what my issues were and that I had starting having some abdominal pain. They said that there was some fluid collection and it should be drained. I normally overreact but they were glad that I called. Again, I was under medication for less then an hour, I was actually still able to meet Dougherty for lunch. Mind you Lollz was there, but we all love Lollz!!

I was given a prescription so that I could flush the line myself. I went to three Kohll's pharmacy's today, and on the final straw, when I was about to lose it, I was able to get what I needed and was able to finally head home. When I get home I notice that fluid had collected around my belly again. I just decide to rest and take it easy. If it doesn't get any better or I don't feel relief tomorrow I will check in with someone... at this point I don't think that it is at the worrying point.

Going back to work at Goodwill a week from this Tuesday. I will be doing the exact same job, but only at 30 hours. So that means no health insurance. I will be getting paid less money, but I am bored and need to work to pay for COBRA. I am learning that this is a vicious cycle.

To end on a good note, I got a letter from Coventry that they have approved the Pancreas Transplant. I know that a lot of people didn't realize that I also needed that organ as well. This will not magically take away my Diabetes, but it will give me more freedom AND keep Kace the Kidney very healthy and live in me a lot longer... or so I hope. (Still waiting to hear from UNMC, but if insurance says 'ok', UNMC should be calling Monday or Tuesday!!)

Checking in...

So I go to meet with Dr. Morris on Thursday at which time he says, "Oh shit. That is big". Really? Where is your poker face? He claims that I have fluid built up around the Kidney that needs to be drained. So, I schedule an appointment with radiology on Friday morning to have a tube placed in my belly and have a bag collecting fluid. The PA that was working me up stated that this "should" help the swelling, and it will remain in until it is done working. People who know me know that IS NOT the answer I wanted to hear. I plan. I like knowing what the hell is going on. I am awake during the procedure, but high as a kite, I mean I was asking questions and saying, "is that normal? should that fluid be so red? Is this working?" I know they had to be annoyed with me. The entire procedure last about 30 minutes and I was in recovery no longer then one hour after they began. I felt better and seeing fluid come in the bag did make me feel better. I was able to see progress. Tomorrow, Monday morning Aunt Kim and I have our 3 week follow up. If everything is ok with her, she is all done! Like done with this process... just will need to follow up with her local physicians. I am sure that my levels are still "adjusting". Like I have, and the only thing that keeps me going is that the Kidney continues to work very well, and all levels Kidney related are "wonderful".

I will check in when I have something new to report. So, since I get bloodwork tomorrow, I am sure something will be different or need to be looked at even further. Been kinda a bitch all weekend, little tiny pity party... I am sure in a few days I will be back to whatever the new normal is. My Mazel of the Week is going to Tena Hahn for bringing me 3 seasons of, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia". I will have a week of laughing! Can't wait!!

Keep it real everyone and be thankful for the little things in life... I am learning to do so....

Week 2.... Terrible 2's!!

Ok. Let me give a quick rundown of week 2. I get bloodwork on Monday, and my "anti-rejection" medication level is way too high. This does happen after a transplant, I am still in the "try and figure it out stages". I return Tuesday to see if it had gotten any better. Well, on Tuesday they see that my Phosphorus is way too low. So what do I do? I go to the 3rd floor of the Lied building and get 5 hours of a Phosphorus Transfusion. Worst thing about that?? The 2 hicks I had sitting next to me. I mean H I C K S!!! So, I am sitting there and when I stand up, I notice my whole left side is wet. The nurse thinks I spilt my water, when I tell her to take a closer look and notice what color it is. "oh" she says... my incision leaked. Not a little, but a lot. I panic. She and the surgeon both said that I must have had a "puss bubble" under my skin and it just leaked. Again, normal after surgery, but odd for 2 weeks post transplant. So, I realize I am just a medical mystery!! I get home Tuesday and just relax and visit with the girls as they just returned from Miami. Wake up Wednesday and again go for bloodwork at UNMC. Again, I get a call a few hours later. Phosphorus went up from 1.1 to 1.5... WTF? that is all?? but whatever. Anti-rejection is still at 22... should be in single digits, again WTF? So here is where the fun begins. I go to take a shower and notice that my left leg is twice the size of my right. I panic. I call the nurse who says, if you notice any changes, please call back it may be a blood clot. Those that know me know that I notice any teeny tiny bit of change, I freak. SO, about 20 minutes later, ten minutes after 4 I call and the "on call" coordinator says to go to ER, again it may be a blood clot. So, Patti picks me up and takes me to the ER. We get called back a lot sooner then some of the other people waiting. Look at my leg, and there were no poker faces there, it was bad. So, they start an IV, get a vascular ultrasound, and one of my Kidney to check for a blood clot. Guess what?? I am a medical mystery. No fucking blood clot. Not sure why it is swollen. Not sure what to suggest. She would go ask the surgeon as he is upstairs doing an emergency Kidney Transplant, and the Fellow (Dr. V) just left on a plane to get a Liver and Small Bowel. HOW COOL?!!? So I go back to the doctor today at 11 and see if I am collecting fluid or what the F is really going on.

Hope everyone has a great day. BTW, Kidney is working. Levels for the Kidney are "outstanding"... I was told that this does happen after surgery but usually not 2 weeks out. So I am REALLY NOT worried. If this is the worst that happens to me, I can deal with ER trips and all that jazz. I mean I feel so much better then I did 17 days ago. But whose counting!!??!

YouTube - Stand Back Up

YouTube - Stand Back Up


I have been having a mini pity-party today... I listen to this song, cause I will stand back up. Probably tomorrow, or maybe not for a while, but I will beat it!!! People who know me know how I look at music as a way to express what I am feeling, so when everyone asks how it is going... this pretty much sums it up!!

Love to everyone!!

Goodbye Rubber Tube... and other stuff

Tomorrow (Nov 5) I am going back to the hospital to get my "tube" taken out. I again will be "under" and hopefully will bounce back over the weekend. This is out patient so I will be home in my bed tomorrow night. I check in at 7 and if everything goes ok hope to be home healing by 4.

I went to Goodwill today to learn that my job no longer exists. Budget cuts. They are going to hire 2 people at 30 hours and eliminate my full time position. I think it won't work out in their best interest, but I don't make that decision. Hopefully other programs will be available when I am cleared to return to work. Otherwise I have to look at this as an opportunity to grow, learn, and move on to yet another adventure. Sigh. I also went to appeal the Social Security decision to not allow me to collect disability. Well, I learned that it takes about 5 months to get anything or any type of income. So Patti suggested we try unemployment. I just never ever thought of myself as one to collect such a benefit. Eye opening. So I really hope the Schrack's don't mind me... don't seem to be going anywhere any time soon.

Pancreas update... I called the nurse and she said that she is waiting for the insurance company to approve it. Could you just imagine if they said no?!?! WTF??! :) she hopes to hear from them sometime tomorrow, so my phone won't be ringing right away for a Pancreas. Lets just pray and hope that it comes within my current healing period so that I don't have to start a new job and then leave it within a few months.

I am still healing from last week. My belly is still really sore, so I will check in with the doctor tomorrow to assure everything is ok, which I am sure it is. It continues to be tender and sore as the Kidney sits in the front towards the pit of my stomach.

So, I sit and watch Old School for the 3rd time this week with two of my FAVS... Hannah and Bailee. I mean who can be sick of Old School, its a classic!! Love to watch them play with Noah and scream like kiddos!! Anyway, I have learned to re love Old School... You're my boy blue!

I will update again this weekend to let everyone know that the rubber tube/prom night dumpster baby is all gone.

Week 1...

Well it was 7 short days ago when I received such a wonderful gift. I even named the Kidney due to not wanting to call it "my" Kidney, but not always having to call it "Aunt Kim's". So I came up with "Kace" K=Kim and Tres (3 in Spanish/3 Kidneys) mush em together and you get Kace the amazing, hard working, pee producing Kidney!!
So let me recap the last 7 days. I get a Kace on Tuesday. Wednesday I am walking around, slowly but surely. Thursday I am feeling the pain, but knowing that it will all be worth it shortly. Friday I am given a pill box and get a training on meds, why I will be taking them, and what they will do to protect Kace. I get home on Friday afternoon and when I lay down in my bed, in my room, I breathe a nice big sigh of relief. Saturday I go to UNMC to get my last transfusion of an anti rejection medication and get my last IV removed. About 11am I get a phone call from a nurse saying that my Phosphorus is "toxicly low". Now people should go back to older posts and see that only 5 days PRIOR I was to AVOID Phosphorus. FML!! So another medication was added. That's ok, I only take 15, what is one more?!? :) Now we come to Sunday. VNA comes out for me to do paperwork, and this little 5'2" nurse comes waddling in and won't stop talking about good I look and how well I am moving around. I give all that credit to Aunt Kim, she took care of this thing of 29 or so years... ha ha. I mean this lady went on and on and on. After a few minutes I was like "thanks, I get that you haven't seen someone bounce back, but I'm pretty stubborn and I am also not very patient". She looked confused. She'll learn. Monday, nurse comes back to do blood work and to make sure that everything is going ok. My blood pressure was up, but everyone thinks that is due to the pain Kace has been causing. Just a lot of pressure in my front which will go down in time, or so I hope.

This brings me to today. I have reflected a lot this week and have noticed so many things I wasn't able to do one short week ago. I can walk more then 10 feet without stopping for air. I can also walk up the stairs and down the stairs without having to stop for air. I can pee. I can pee. I CAN PEE!!!! I realize that unemployment is not for me. I miss my job and the people I worked with. I am lucky to have so many people care for me. I am lucky to have my mom, sister, and Schrack family help me during this transition. I just need to practice some patience and heal. Kevin, I am healing... back the F off!!

So I spend most of the day browsing the Internet, but can't find anything interesting. Any cool sites people recommend?? I have done FB til I can vomit... guess most people I am friends with work, because nothing ever happens during the day. :)

I am good. I feel so much better... thanks for everything and I will probably add a bunch of crap that no one cares about over my healing period. I am boreeeddd.....