The First Post-Op Day

If you are reading this entry, you know that Sarah has been doing a great job of keeping this blog up to date and full of pictures and wit. Now for somethiung more clinical.

Katie is having a harder time today than Paula. She is still reabsorbing all the gas they infused during the laparoscopic removal of her left kidney. She is up and walking and is confident that things will work themselves out, but is pretty miserable today.

Paula, on the other hand, is doing quite swimmingly--pun intended. I have been up and walking, went to transplant class, visited Katie 3 times and have been enjoying sumptuous repasts of popsicles and tea. My creatinine went from 3 to 1.4 overnight and everyone is astounded at the volume of pee this lovely new kidney is producing. They have me on tiny doses of insulin, but this was expected due to the steroids and stress of surgery. Immediately after the kidney was implanted, before closing the incision, they did a biopsy and it showed no signs of rejection; we are told that when that biopsy is negative, they have seen no episodes of acute rejection. We are very hopeful that we will not spoil their track record.

This whole experience has been so amazing. Katie has been such a trooper and so willing to go through this whole ordeal. And it has made me so grateful to Katie and for the expertise of the doctors and nurses and the whole medical staff here in Wisconsin. They are so confident and professional and at the same time friendly and helpful. I think we are fortunate to be here.

We are enjoying your comments on this blog and we will keep you up to date on what is happening here in Madison. By the way, it was sunny today with a high temperature of 42. But I think we are expecting more snow this weekend.

Thank you for following along with us.

Paula and Katie and Sarah