A hot topic today in the transplant world is that of the potential recipient being given enough information about risk factors relating to a potential donor. In fact, researchers at Penn have proposed major changes in informed consent policy.

Well, I'm alive and well 7 weeks after my transplant. Actually, I'm doing fantastic, as evidenced by today's appointment with the surgeon.

Initially, I was told my appointments for the first 3 months would be every week, but lately, I've been getting weekly labs, and bi-weekly appointments.

It's hard to believe, but it's been 6 weeks since my kidney transplant. It actually seems longer than that to me, but that's probably because I'm feeling even better as each week passes, and I'm the type that usually looks ahead, and rarely back; but that's just me.

Traveling post-transplant has been... interesting. I keep expecting there to be somewhere I'm supposed to be (dialysis) or something I'm supposed to be doing (watching my fluid intake).

The change in climate (from hot/humid to hot/desert) is interesting, too. I feel as if I'm having a really hard time keep hydrated, something I never anticipated having trouble with post-transplant. I keep reminding myself "DRINK MORE WATER!" but even that feels strange!

Today is my "Kidnaversary!" (the one-year anniversary of my kidney transplant)...

In celebration, my nephrologist's office called and gave me the results of my bloodwork from last Friday - Creatinine .9 with a Tac (Prograf) level of 6.7. Awesome!!!

(((HUGS))) to my bro (and his kidney) that continues to produce the most wonderful pee on planet earth on an hourly basis. I wouldn't be here like I am without him.

As you may know, I had gastric bypass surgery in January 2002. I had done pretty much everything to lose the weight (various diets, exercise, Fen-Phen, Redux), but I was never able to keep it off. My Nephrologist kept telling me to "get the weight off", and at the time, I was followed by a bariatric physician, who had suggested that I go for Gastric Bypass. I went for an initial evaluation in 1999, and chickened out.

Better late than never; Ireland just had their first spouse-to-spouse kidney donation/transplant. I'm certainly not criticizing it; I think it's great. But it's a little surprising that since this is relatively commonplace here in the US, that it's just now happening in Ireland.

From Ohio State University comes research implicating stem cells from a donor organ as a cause of cancer in the recipient.

I'm continuing to do well almost 5 weeks post-transplant. No incisional pain, and minimal minor annoyances (initial lack of bladder capacity which is improved, arm pain right after surgery that is no more, etc).

I got my weekly labs back, and everything is pretty much stable, except for my glucose.

But before I discuss my labs, I'll take this time to list the meds I'm on, as they are fairly standard for a post-transplant patient:

Prograf 3 mg in am and 2mg in pm. (immunosuppressant)

CellCept 500mg in am and pm. (immunosuppressant)

As you probably already know, there is a serious shortage of organs available for transplant here in the US. Now, from the LA Times comes a story that may provide even MORE of a setback for efforts to sign up more organ donors.

New blog and new kidney - Life is good....

I'm excited to be here as the "New Transplant" blogger (although I guess THAT will change as time goes on). I've been blogging for several years now (prior to ESRD), first on LiveJournal, and currently on WordPress, so even though I'm a transplant 'noob", I'm not a blogging noob.

I thought I'd do my first post here on how things have changed since my transplant.