Wacka health updates

[Bill from NYC]

Keep it going bro and may God assist you in your fight.

[boyst]

Great news.  Continue to heal!

[Wacka]

I post updates to let people know not to fear  getting treated. Last fall I was worrying about how my life would be  when it came time for  dialysis and/or trasplant. I didn't have to do dialysis pre-transplant, but if you are retired  or  already laid up  it just means being stuck in one place for ~3 hours at a time . Kidney disease doesn't have many  severe symptoms at first but it is gradual  and can sneak up on you.   What has happened to me after  transplant the docs have seen many times  and are ready for it. They know what they are doing. Last year at ECMC, they did about 140 transplants and maybe 60-70 (including me) this year so far. 

 

10 years ago this coming Tuesday, I was in the ICU with a stroke caused by  high BP.  My BP was 245/70 something. I should have died that day. That damage eventually led to me needing the transplant 10 years later.  This past 10 years has all been bonus time.  The transplant has given me even more bonus time. I'm on the PPP board a lot and  nothing anyone  can say bothers me.  There are more important things such as your  and your family's health and well being.

 

 

[CowgirlsFan]

Best wishes for continued progress 🎊🎈🎉

[Punching Bag]

Try to have something positive everyday.

It is very hard some days.

[Orlando Buffalo]

On 7/4/2024 at 12:21 PM, Wacka said:

I post updates to let people know not to fear  getting treated. Last fall I was worrying about how my life would be  when it came time for  dialysis and/or trasplant. I didn't have to do dialysis pre-transplant, but if you are retired  or  already laid up  it just means being stuck in one place for ~3 hours at a time . Kidney disease doesn't have many  severe symptoms at first but it is gradual  and can sneak up on you.   What has happened to me after  transplant the docs have seen many times  and are ready for it. They know what they are doing. Last year at ECMC, they did about 140 transplants and maybe 60-70 (including me) this year so far. 

 

10 years ago this coming Tuesday, I was in the ICU with a stroke caused by  high BP.  My BP was 245/70 something. I should have died that day. That damage eventually led to me needing the transplant 10 years later.  This past 10 years has all been bonus time.  The transplant has given me even more bonus time. I'm on the PPP board a lot and  nothing anyone  can say bothers me.  There are more important things such as your  and your family's health and well being.

 

 

Well said and I hope you feel up to coming back to the other part of this place soon, your input is appreciated 

[Wacka]

I read the other parts of the board all the time. Just don't post as much.I don't feel like I qualify to comment  as I never played or coached  a football game.  I did have season tickets from 1986 to 1993. Besides. not much to talk about in the off season.

 

Edited July 7 by Wacka

[Wacka]

Five months ago today!  At this time (9AM), I was on the table in the OR. Everything  is going well. Wish I knew how to change the title of this thread.

[muppy]

58 minutes ago, Wacka said:

Five months ago today!  At this time (9AM), I was on the table in the OR. Everything  is going well. Wish I knew how to change the title of this thread.

if you tag Simon he I'm sure can help you. I am not sure we can do that any more.

 

Your story was a human one that transcended even PPP type garbage hermano.  Good news and positivity is always welcome. I cheered your recovery 100%

 

LOVE WINS .That is a general comment to the board. I'm not playing hate games in PPP sub forums anymore. at all hopefully never EVER again . The toxicity from people I have zero respect for   overrule  much of anything productive there. Even with a LONG ignore list.

 

so moving forward do you have any dietary restrictions? How is your life different?

Edited July 15 by muppy

[Wacka]

Dietary restrictions- nothing really just eat healthy. As of now get blood and urine tests every two weeks. If they see seething such as potassium off they tell me to  eat more of certain  stuff.  As with any transplant recipient  of any organ, have to never eat grapefruit or pomegranate  again.  Something in these inhibits the activation of the anti-rejection meds  in the liver. Bought a 12-pack of Squirt  last fall to have it one last time and remember how it tasted. 

Lifestyle- CKD sneaks up on you.  Don't realize how much you slowed down  until after the trasplant.  Was taking 2 naps a day every day before. Now maybe one or two a week. Starting in April had more energy than I have had in years. Take ~30 pills a day. 15 in AM,4 during the day and  10 at night. 9 of these are  anti-rejection meds. Take 3 at once. Have to take weight and temp in the AM  and pulse, BP and glucose level in AM and PM. You get used to that, a small inconvenience to maintain your health.   I am retired but my job is to make sure I am the healthiest I can be 

Edited July 16 by Wacka

[CowgirlsFan]

Continued best wishes for each day to be better 🙏 🎉🎈🎊

[Wacka]

Got off the wound vac a week ago.  Just put a wet ad dry gause dressing on the incision.  Visiting nurse changed it last Friday and showed me how to do it myself by showing me in a mirror I held. Came Monday and had me do it myself  while she watched. Was low on supplies so didn't do it myself yesterday. Went to ECMC today for the surgeon to examine it. Less than 15 minute visit.  Director of the transplant center was the surgeon who examined it and changed dressing.  Will now change it daily myself as the supplies came in yesterday.  Go to ECMC weekly until incision full healed.  Then monthly visits for blood and urine tests.

Edited July 24 by Wacka

[DrDawkinstein]

On 7/15/2024 at 9:07 AM, Wacka said:

Five months ago today!  At this time (9AM), I was on the table in the OR. Everything  is going well. Wish I knew how to change the title of this thread.

 

Go back to the very first post and click Edit. It will let you edit the title as well as the body of the message.

[Wacka]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Go back to the very first post and click Edit. It will let you edit the title as well as the body of the message.

Muppy told me that a couple of weeks ago. Thank you both.

[Wacka]

6 months post transplant  today (8/15)!!!!!

 

Still on 30 pills a day (16 AM, 4 during day, and 10 PM).  Got filling the pill caddy with 210 pills for the week down to 15 minutes. Take vitals in morning and before bed. All are fine. Incision has scabbed over and have a dressing on it until the scabs fall off. Go to transplant center weekly for them to see  progress of the healing and for any signs of infection. 

They take blood and urine  every two weeks  to check if kidney function OK (it is)  and to look for signs of rejection or infection.

 

Last blood test (8/7) they saw a slightly raised level of antibodies to CMV. CMV is  cytomegalovirus, also known as Epstein-Barr virus which can cause mono. It is distantly related to chicken pox and it can lie dormant in your cells. Chicken pox causes shingles in later life.  They asked me if I had mono and I think I may have had it in college (45-50  years ago) but many people are infected with no symptoms. They were giving me a med to  make sure it didn't resurface for a bout 2 months after the transplant but took me off of it.  They will test my blood next week  and if the antibody level goes up they will put me back on it.

Edited August 16 by Wacka

[Poleshifter]

On 7/4/2024 at 9:21 AM, Wacka said:

I post updates to let people know not to fear  getting treated. Last fall I was worrying about how my life would be  when it came time for  dialysis and/or trasplant. I didn't have to do dialysis pre-transplant, but if you are retired  or  already laid up  it just means being stuck in one place for ~3 hours at a time . Kidney disease doesn't have many  severe symptoms at first but it is gradual  and can sneak up on you.   What has happened to me after  transplant the docs have seen many times  and are ready for it. They know what they are doing. Last year at ECMC, they did about 140 transplants and maybe 60-70 (including me) this year so far. 

 

10 years ago this coming Tuesday, I was in the ICU with a stroke caused by  high BP.  My BP was 245/70 something. I should have died that day. That damage eventually led to me needing the transplant 10 years later.  This past 10 years has all been bonus time.  The transplant has given me even more bonus time. I'm on the PPP board a lot and  nothing anyone  can say bothers me.  There are more important things such as your  and your family's health and well being.

 

 

Happy to hear you are recovering. Got to keep this life thing going!
 

[Wacka]

Everything with the new kidney doing great!Two weeks ago while driving home from a checkup, I got in an accident.  My fault.  Other person was fine but my  airbag didn't deploy and I hit the steering whee with my chest.  No broken bones but have a nasty bruise on the right side of my chest. My car was a 2009  and was totaled. Getting $700 more than I paid for it in 2017. Told the transplant center that day about it and as  long as there is no pain in my lower abdomen (where the new kidney was  placed) and the pain didn't get worse (it didn't) I  didn't have to come in before my next scheduled visit (which was yesterday 9/4) .  Doc looked at the bruise yesterday and said OOOH!  The original incision  (which they had to drain in May) has healed nice and I don't have to put any dressing on it if I don't want to.

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

2 hours ago, Wacka said:

my  airbag didn't deploy

 

 

[Punching Bag]

3 hours ago, Wacka said:

Everything with the new kidney doing great!Two weeks ago while driving home from a checkup, I got in an accident.  My fault.  Other person was fine but my  airbag didn't deploy and I hit the steering whee with my chest.  No broken bones but have a nasty bruise on the right side of my chest. My car was a 2009  and was totaled. Getting $700 more than I paid for it in 2017. Told the transplant center that day about it and as  long as there is no pain in my lower abdomen (where the new kidney was  placed) and the pain didn't get worse (it didn't) I  didn't have to come in before my next scheduled visit (which was yesterday 9/4) .  Doc looked at the bruise yesterday and said OOOH!  The original incision  (which they had to drain in May) has healed nice and I don't have to put any dressing on it if I don't want to.

 

I had accident in 2000 and steering wheel hit me in chest after hydroplaning; I was in a "K car" and police officer stated that car saved me for engine was redirected downwards preventing it from hitting me in chest.   Still have pain issues to that day I attribute to accident so make sure you have doctor check yourself out and not just the kidneys.

[Wacka]

Two weeks later just  muscle aches in shoulders and at my shoulder blades.  Just taking one tylenol  every 12 hours now.  Yesterday at checkup they took the  regular blood tests and urinalysis. No calls from them so nothing has changed from before the accident.  Had chest and spine x-rays right after the accident. 

I have gained several pounds since the accident 2 weeks ago  but that could be from the collection of fluid around  the bruised area.  Doctor agreed and I am actually peeing more the last several days so my body  is slowly getting rid of the fluid. Have also been taking water pills  regularly since the transplant in Feb. Also they told me to start visiting my regular nephrologist again.