This Saturday (2/15) will be be a year since my kidney transplant! Got the call last Valentines Day at noon. Got the transplant at 7:30 AM on 2/15. Was on the birthday of my late nephew after only being on the waiting list for a month. Was in the hospital and rehab for a little over a month. The only bad (painful) thing about the ordeal was the healing process as I had 35 staples and then had to wear a wound vac for a month after the incision had healed and they had to drain fluid from it (no infections). At first had weekly checkups, then monthly, and then every 2 months. On 2/20 I will be going for my one year checkup! After that it should be every 6 months. They and my nephrologist want me to get blood and urine tests monthly. At my last nephrologist visit (2/6) he was ecstatic about my lab test results. I will be posting future updates only if something changes for the worse or for big anniversaries of the date.
I am feeling better than I have in years and am itching to be outside a lot once the weather changes. If you or a loved one has to go through the process, don't hesitate. It may change your life. Think about being a living donor.