Kidneyversary

Today is my one year kidneyversary!  Thoughts....

Before my surgery I spent hours and hours researching the process as well as tracking down as many first hand donor accounts as possible.  Thankfully, there were several people who shared their experience online and I was grateful for that.  One strange pattern I found repeated over and over by kidney donors was that there were lots of updates and blog posts leading up to surgery and immediately after but then the updates abruptly stopped.  I was puzzled by this, especially since there were so many donors with this same immediate disappearance once the kidney was removed.  

Now I get it.

One year out from surgery there's really nothing more to say.  After the initial physical recovery from surgery the donation process does not greatly alter my day to day living.  Most days I don't even think about it unless I happen to glance at one of my scars in the mirror.  I like my scars and I am proud of them.

I still have no additional information from or about my kidney recipient, and that's ok.  It would be great if I could meet him or even exchange emails but I'm also content just knowing he is out there somewhere alive.

I had a 6 month check up with the nephrologist in May.  All of my numbers and levels were looking good.  My blood pressure has been little wonky at doctor's appointments during the last year but nothing too far out of the ordinary to raise any red flags.  I'll go back in for more labs this week and then again in another year.  After my two year check up I'm released into the world with no more follow up appointments necessary.  

I'm still so thankful for the opportunity to donate and would do it again if I could.  Thank you for checking up on me and encouraging me over the last year.