1. I'll begin today's blog post by looking back to late October, 2018 to late February, 2019, the period of time that I was under consideration to be transferred out of Baltimore's University of Maryland transplant program and enrolled in the kidney transplant program at Providence Sacred Heart in Spokane. The meetings I had with the Sacred Heart transplant team on October 30th introduced me to this program's thoroughness and caution and introduced me to what a superb transplant team I'd be working with.
Among the most important things that happened during those four months the program considered my case was assuring the transplant team that I had support in place, that I would have a primary support person to transport me, help monitor my medicines and my liquid intake and output, and help make sure I was taken care of in other ways after the surgery.
The program's pre-transplant social worker, Helen, oversaw this crucial dimension of my transplant preparation. I remember then, and she brought it up again back in April of this year, how deeply impressed she was that not only had Debbie committed herself to be my primary support person, but that Christy and Carol also made it abundantly clear that they would be available and were ready to step up when needed.
I bring this up because as it has turned out, my surgery and my recovery have gone so well that Debbie has missed very little work, I've been able to take care of things like my medication schedule and pill box maintenance and fixing myself meals on my own, and, with Debbie going to work, Christy and Carol have fulfilled their promise that they would step up and help out when needed.
Until today, once Debbie (with my full support) stepped aside, Christy has been my driver, taking me to Spokane for labs and my appointments.
Today, however, Christy had a morning appointment she didn't want to miss (with my full support!), so Carol drove me to Spokane and the plan we drew up back in 2018-9, the plan that so impressed social worker Helen, was fully realized. Now the entire support team had participated in transporting me to Spokane for the crucial blood work and other appointments!
Today, Carol really got slammed by weather. She kept her cool and maintained a steady hand at the wheel as we traveled through plummeting rain, a burst of hail, and high winds to get to Spokane and back.
It all worked out.
Carol occupied herself at Rocket Bakery after dropping me off at the Outpatient Health Center around 7:15 and then went on a browsing and shopping spree at Trader Joe's and, to my relief, enjoyed herself. I was tied up for about three and half hours and knowing Carol was having a good morning was a relief.
2. Today I got to talk again with Dr. Monita Poudyal, the nephrologist I worked with in the afternoon of May 11th before I went into surgery. She also paid me a follow up visit in ICU on May 12th.
Dr. Poudyal reviewed the blood work I'd had drawn a bit over an hour earlier and told me things looked "extremely good". My creatinine level continues to slowly decrease. My blood pressure is good. I'm producing a good volume of urine. My lungs and heart sound great. I have some swelling in my lower legs and ankles, but nothing alarming.
I've reached a first turning point in my post-surgery care. I no longer need to make two or three visits a week to the lab. My next blood draw will be in a week, on June 10th. I'll also have clinics that day and it's likely that my clinic visits will go on an every two week schedule instead of once a week and that I'll be able to have labs done either in Kellogg or Coeur d'Alene.
Dr. Poudyal prescribed me daily doses of Veltassa to lower my potassium level, the level pushed higher, not by my diet, but as an impact of one of my immuno-suppression drugs. I'll continue to take magnesium supplements. Dr. Poudyal removed two medications from my regimen.
We talked about the occasional discomfort I feel and experience in the area where the surgery took place.
Dr. Poudyal relieved me of any anxiety that I had done something to bring on this discomfort. She told me such episodes "are to be expected". Let's just say there's a lot going on in that surgery area and that I'm going to feel the discomfort that accompanies, say, scar tissue forming and other transformations taking place. She reassured me by being matter of fact and unalarmed that these occasional episodes of discomfort have happened.
3. I came into my visit to Sacred Heart today hoping to get some things settled about prescription refills and about the pharmacy's home delivery/mail program. I went to the pharmacy after having my blood drawn and, no problem, all the man who helped me at the counter could do was tell me to discuss my questions with my transplant team.
That was excellent advice.
I raised my question about the prescription delivery program with Nurse Angela and she said, "Oh! You need to talk with Tracy. I'll see if she'll come over." Well, I had two prescriptions to pick up, so instead of Tracy coming over, I asked for her at the counter at the pharmacy.
BINGO!
I got my two prescriptions.
Tracy set me up to have my prescriptions mailed to me in Kellogg.
Carol picked me up during a hail storm and I was relieved and happy.
I had a great morning at Sacred Heart!
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