2 months

Two months on from the transplant.
I feel well. The benefits of a working kidney are many. I feel intellectually brighter, my underlying health is better, all the complications of the kidney disease FSGS (Focal, segmental Glormoi, sclorosis) such as stroke risk have gone. My outlook is more optomistic and I have healed well and have very little post opperative pain. My restrictions on diet have all been lifted and my medications have all changed. The new kidney function test results are very good. All this results in me staying up later without getting tired and being able to do more each day.

On the other hand I am still quite numb around the wound site and in an area at the top of my left thigh. I am suffering symptoms that are side effects of the cocktail of drugs I am taking. The most obvious one is weight gain/ fluid retention from the steroids. I also bruise easily and my skin is starting to break/ split easily also due to the steroids. You might have noticed changes in skin pigmentation and hair growth as well.
More seriously is the issue of ballancing the drugs so I don't reject the new kidney, but also have enough white blood cells to fight off infections. The pressent battle is to stop the decline in white blood cells, which has lately become a bit alarming. Stuart has unfortunately caught a heavy head cold and has kindly moved out to a hotel for a while, so he doesn't infect me or the kids. I have not been game to take a swim yet despite being allowed to, due to the risk of infection at a public pool.
Unusually for me I have been struggling with high blood pressure since the transplant. This conbined with the weight gain and fluid overload has made controlling it dificult. The fluid means I don't absorb the tablets properly and the weight adds to the problem. Consequently my old knee and foot problems are flaring up.

Despite all this I do feel there is a new spring in my step and I am looking forward to further improvements over the coming months. I regularly chat with the two other transplant recipients at clinic on Wednesdays. We have each had our individual issues. They have both had to have two earlier biopsyies. (I am due to have mine next month.) So I think I am doing okay compared to others.