3 weeks post-op

It's Wednesday, July 7, 2010. I had my nephrectomy 3 weeks ago yesterday.

I took it relatively easy all of the past week needing to get more rest and to not move as much as I had been doing.

Monday, July 5 though I had Brittany drive us to the dojo. She had to train so I just observed. Last night, she was tested for her next belt in karate and passed! Again, I just sat, observed and took pictures. Well, that's not entirely the truth. I was up walking around and tried to simulate some moves to help the students with some curriculum before class. I didn't go full tilt but when I got home I felt "sore" in the lower abdomen and swollen as well. It still looked swollen today so I am not moving around very much.

It surprises me how little exertion I can put forth yet have larger than expected repercussions! Other than some fatigue, I feel pretty good. I am still moving around slowly. Sometimes I can get up off the couch with ease, other days I take my good ol' time! I cannot stand for long periods of time without feeling tired which is really weird.

I want to be more active but I also know that will come in time. I don't want to injure myself and end up needing more time to heal than necessary. I don't want any permanent damage just because I was impatient! I find the numbness is strange and some of that numbness is now feeling tingly, like the pins and needles are coming out but I was told that sensation is normal and that it will subside. It's just that the fine nerves are mending and my muscles are healing.

It was suggested to me that that I should be consuming protein to help those muscles heal too. I had been focusing on taking lots of high-quality vitamins and eating lots of fruits, vegetables, grains and fiber but being vegetarian I neglected to make protein a focus point too, so yesterday I made a large pot of chili with lots of beans. I am also eating nuts, seeds, kamut pasta and spelt flakes which is more easily digestible and has protein and fiber in it as well!

I made a new 'kidney donor' friend online who lives in Dubai... Samah found me on Living Donors Online and we became friends on Facebook. My blog and messages to her have helped ease her mind with her surgery being Monday, July 12 so I'm really glad about that. That has sort of been the point of my blog. First, it was to document everything for myself but secondly and just as importantly, it's to help anybody else going through the same experience. By far, message boards and speaking with others is the greatest way to gain knowledge about what is to come from this.

What has been unexpected by me is the emotional side of things. I've had outstanding support from friends, family and colleagues alike and it is almost overwhelming. I've heard many good - and bad - 'kidney stories' from various people and it just makes me well up with emotion. I felt weird starting this process but in the end, there was nothing that could keep me from going through with it. I would do it again.

I haven't taken anything for pain in 2 days and it was 2 days before that that I had needed anything. I haven't needed stool softeners for a week or more now. I feel my digestion is nearly back to normal with a daily bowel movement but I'm still eating lots of fiber, fruits, vegetables, yogurt; drinking lots of water and 100% pure cranberry juice and black coffee (which I am slowly cutting back on). Overall, I feel pretty good other than some sporadic dips in energy levels which may be due to restless nights of sleep but every day is better than the day before!

I just read this today on a message board:

If you had your left kidney removed, your left adrenal gland was also disabled during surgery. For some donors this can cause fatigue, etc. An MD suggest to add DHEA as a supplement. There are published studies that indicate DHEA's improvement in adrenal function.

I'll have to research this further!