A quick update

Morgan and I had our first post-op check-up yesterday. In normal Doctor office fashion, if you're not the first one seen, you have a wait. I've grown patient with doctors when they are running behind - after all I prefer my doctor gives the proper attention to his/her patients rather than rush through things and something gets missed. The wait wasn't long only about 10 min. and Dr. Rajab came in with a big smile on his face. This was the first time I was meeting him, but Torre exchanged hello's like they've been long time friends. He even took time to chat with Tuck and ask if he was going to be a doctor some day. All things being what they are, Dr. Rajab is very satisfied with they way things are going. He was telling me the person who received the other kidney had to endure more dialysis and that his transplant was just now starting to work 5 weeks later. Since I have been through this before and understand the levels and functions when I see my bloodwork results I get a little cautious - but have resigned to the attitude if they are happy with where things are - then so am I! The best news actually was not that I got my staples out and actually did not even come when I saw him, it came later in the day when I checked the result of my bloodwork and saw my creatinine was the lowest since 2009 at 2.35. So I think we are definitely on our way :-D

My Journey has just begun!

I enjoy reading and using quotes whenever I get the chance - "Today is the first day of the rest of my life". Well not today, that day would have been January 19th 2013, but you get the picture. I thought the day I was transplanted would have been the end of my journey but as I reflect - it really was the beginning. When I think about it so much has happened over the past 3 years that the old me would have thought it was the end. There were a lot of sacrifices made over that time, not only by me but by those around me, especially my wife and children. I had seizures that probably would not have happened if I was not on dialysis. I turned inward as a defense mechanism to deal with things the way I knew I could handle them, possibly changing relationships forever. Like I said, the old me probably would have thought that journey had ended. I have grown too much in that time to think that way any more, instead I believe it is just the beginning!! I was never on dialysis for my first transplant I never knew what that was like, maybe I took things for granted. I'm sure about this though, I am so very thankful for both of my heroes and their decision to give the gift of life!! I want to end this as I began it, with a quote, "the longest journey begins with a single step".

The Back-Up

My phone wrang and I wish I could have seen the expression on my face. When I answered, it was my transplant coordinator, explaining I was the back-up for a transplant. During the transplant process they call a couple of people at the same time, one being the primary and at least one as the back-up. After I hung up, my day went on as normal, after all I was the back-up. Later that evening during date night with Torre the phone wrang and it was a number I did not recognize, and it was a different transplant coordinator explaining that for some reason the primary person did not work out and they were calling me in for transplant. The moment was surreal and I was calm, probably one of the most calm moments I have ever had in my life and there was a flurry of notifying people of what was going on. After Sara got to our house to be with Mari and Tuck, Torre and I headed out to pick up her mom Carol. We got to the hospital in a leisurely manner and things were underway. For my last transplant things seemed to move much faster so my expectation was the same for this one. Things started to pick-up around 8 am when the Doctor came in to place my central line and all of a sudden my surgery time was moved up from 2:30 pm to 9:00 am. The only problem with that was I didn't get to see Torre before heading to the OR. I remember getting on the operating table and that was about it for the rest of the day. The prayers and support I have received have been very humbling not only for me but for my wife and children too. Torre and I always talk about "it takes a village" and to see and feel the love from my village is overwhelmingly AWESOME!!