Update on my kidney transplant status

Wolfpacker

New User
Brent
Hi all, some of you will recall I had to drop out of the Triad shop crawl due to my schedule being too tight with an upcoming kidney transplant in the works. I just wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and kind words. I received the new kidney from a friend of about 50 years on 8/21 and was discharged from the hospital on 8/26. On 8/27 and 8/30, I had to have labs drawn and see the nephrologist in Charlotte. We had rented a condo to stay in Charlotte due to the 7:30 AM appt times and to be close in case of any post op issues. On 8/30 after my labs were finished, I was contacted about 10 AM to get back to the hospital for re-admission. They ran several tests that afternoon/evening and at 8:15 PM, I was rushed into emergency surgery to see if they could save the new kidney. There was a clot in my renal vein which backed up into the entire kidney and it could not be saved. We were devastated.

A little info to soften this blow is that I still have my 2 native kidneys and they are now functioning as good or better than when I went in for the transplant. Hopefully, this will allow me to stay off of dialysis long enough to recover from this and get a new plan in action regarding another transplant in the future. I am grateful to God for allowing me to come out the other side of this without being in a worse situation than before.

Thank you !
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Brent, that's a setback but not a show stopper. You still have 2 native kidneys in place and they appear to be functioning pretty well. Was the transplanted new kidney then removed after the renal vein problem?

What now? No dialysis but you still have reduced kidney functions?
 

Wolfpacker

New User
Brent
Brent, that's a setback but not a show stopper. You still have 2 native kidneys in place and they appear to be functioning pretty well. Was the transplanted new kidney then removed after the renal vein problem?

What now? No dialysis but you still have reduced kidney functions?
Yes, the new kidney was removed. I was at 15% kidney function prior to transplant and am now at 22% but don't know if it will soon decline or stay up around 22%. I have polycystic kidney disease, an inherited disease which causes cysts to grow on both kidneys, replacing normal kidney tissue and reducing kidney function. It is impossible to predict how fast it will progress in any one individual. It just has to be monitored. I am thinking I can go as low as 5-10% kidney function before requiring dialysis. I have lots to think about in going forward. Part of me says ride it out, but dialysis is so hard on the body it makes sense to get another transplant from either a living donor or wait my turn (3-5 yrs) for a cadaver kidney....which would likely have me on dialysis by then. I appreciate all prayers in this matter. Thanks guys.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Thanks for explaining. That's helpful for understanding what's happening and why.

Best of luck as you move forward and our prayers for you will continue of course.


Yes, the new kidney was removed. I was at 15% kidney function prior to transplant and am now at 22% but don't know if it will soon decline or stay up around 22%. I have polycystic kidney disease, an inherited disease which causes cysts to grow on both kidneys, replacing normal kidney tissue and reducing kidney function. It is impossible to predict how fast it will progress in any one individual. It just has to be monitored. I am thinking I can go as low as 5-10% kidney function before requiring dialysis. I have lots to think about in going forward. Part of me says ride it out, but dialysis is so hard on the body it makes sense to get another transplant from either a living donor or wait my turn (3-5 yrs) for a cadaver kidney....which would likely have me on dialysis by then. I appreciate all prayers in this matter. Thanks guys.
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
Hoping and praying that all will go well for you Brent. I survived kidney cancer but now have just 1 kidney. Since then I've become far more appreciative of the kidney I have left and try to treat it right.;) I've known several folks who have received a donor kidney and lived well after that. Keep up the good fight friend!
 

Wolfpacker

New User
Brent
Thanks for the positive comments and prayers ! I'm starting to feel almost human again, was able to sleep on my side last night for the first time and slept so much better than on my back ! Once I can lift stuff over 8 lbs again, I hope to get started on my basement workshop finally !
 

BKHam

Bradley
User
Yes, the new kidney was removed. I was at 15% kidney function prior to transplant and am now at 22% but don't know if it will soon decline or stay up around 22%. I have polycystic kidney disease, an inherited disease which causes cysts to grow on both kidneys, replacing normal kidney tissue and reducing kidney function. It is impossible to predict how fast it will progress in any one individual. It just has to be monitored. I am thinking I can go as low as 5-10% kidney function before requiring dialysis. I have lots to think about in going forward. Part of me says ride it out, but dialysis is so hard on the body it makes sense to get another transplant from either a living donor or wait my turn (3-5 yrs) for a cadaver kidney....which would likely have me on dialysis by then. I appreciate all prayers in this matter. Thanks guys.

hey Brent,

i've been going thru something related. about 8 weeks ago i had pains in my side and thru tests we discovered a mass in my right kidney. i had the kidney removed last monday and pathology came back and it was indeed clear cell renal cell carcinoma. I had robot assisted radical nephrectomy and now just have 1 kidney. i'm starting to get back to normal. My situation might more aptly apply to a living donor if you find one. its a major surgery but within a week, you'll feel close to normal.

i don't envy your situation. my path was clear which was kind of a relief. but being a 37 year old person with cancer or any crazy disease is pretty disturbing. you said you have lots to think about moving forward.....i think you have a lot to live for. get your mind ready for a fight.
bh
 

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