A look back: Transplant Day 5

This was a big day for me.

Matthew came over and ate with me.  Then he went back to his room to get ready for his discharge.  I had a lot to accomplish.  I was supposed to get my catheter removed and pee on my own.  They do three bladder scans to make sure you are emptying your bladder before you get to leave.  I also had to get an ultrasound of my blood clot and get my chest tube removed.  These are all big time consuming things.

So the first thing was to get the damn tube out of my bladder.  I hate removing those things.  They scrape you on the way out and peeing hurts a little for a few days.  After two doctor's visit and a bit of whining, they ok'd taking it out.  My nurse came in and did the honors.  Then I had to drink a lot to get the urge.  About an hour later, I tried to pee.  I remember the first pee from my first transplant.  It is a little scary.  You are afraid it is going to hurt and it kinda does.  But I squatted and pee came out freely. It burned a little at the end, and...ok, this is a little gross, but air comes out.  I think it has been trapped up there from the surgery and from the catheter?  But you, well, pass gas with your pee and I have to say it is the most foreign feeling.  Super strange.  But I have come to love it in a strange way.  My first time peeing on my own with someone else's kidney.  It's a huge moment.

Then I was wheeled down to ultrasound.  The tech poked around for a while and said he would show me the clot when he found it.  Then he said, "I actually can't see it."  I gasped. What??  It is possible?  And he grabbed a different camera to be sure.  "Yeah, it's gone.  No more clot up here."  I almost cried.   I was so relieved about this.  I have hated that clot since I got it in July.  The blood thinners are a hassle and a nuisance.  And now I don't have to take my infusaport out!  I was so happy.

But when I got back to my room, they told me they couldn't take the tube out that day.  I might have to wait three weeks.   I was fine with that.  I figured they wouldn't remove it until they were totally sure I was ok.  But then another doctor came in and said we could remove it the next day at 11:00 AM while Matthew had his post op appointments.  Yay!

We still had to wait for me to pee three times and bladder scan each time.  Finally I did that and passed the tests.  Then they counseled me on physical therapy, medications, and financial stuff before they let me go.  We ended up leaving at 4.

That night we were pretty tired.  We ate Chinese food and passed out.  Only to wake up early and go right back to the hospital for more!