#posttransplant

Scientists launch a pre-emptive strike on deadly post-transplant infection

Cytomegalovirus. Credit: CDC/Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Jr. (PHIL #958), 1982. A potential new treatment to protect immunosuppressed patients from human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) has been discovered by scientists at the University of Cambridge. Their study shows that certain epigenetic inhibitors expose and help to destroy dormant HCMV infections, which often reactivate to cause serious illness and death…

Post-transplant mortality among veterans enrolled in the VA and Medicare

This image shows a cross section of a kidney. Credit: Holly Fischer/Wikipedia In a study of kidney transplant recipients dually enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and Medicare, use of the VA for all post-transplant care was linked with a lower risk of death than care provided outside the VA through Medicare or use of both the VA and non-VA care. The study will appear in an…

Now that I have a new life, dialysis free and healthier than before. I’ve been trying to live a more yoga lifestyle, and including more adventures into my everyday life. About 2.5 months post kidney transplant, I actually started to feel better! I have more energy. I have more interest in doing activities. With the 3 months medical leave Joel and I have been taking advantage of the free time off. 

We had planned to go to Maryland and New York. Initially, for Joel’s friend’s wedding. And then talked about making it a vacation, especially now that I don’t have to schedule dialysis appointments. But after the biopsy, we decided it wouldn’t be safe to travel so far away at the moment. I was totally bummed. The east coast would have been such an exciting adventure. 

So we’ve been having local adventures. 

We went to Salvation Mountain. 

We went to one of the Desertx exhibits in Palm Springs. 

I’ve also been cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. Sounds less than exciting but I’ve enjoyed it so far. I honestly never used to have time or energy to do those things pre-transplant. It’s pretty nice to be able to do those things. 

I was in the hospital for 5 days for steroid therapy. Steroid therapy was basically an infusion of high dose prednisone for 4 days, and a tapered I.V. push of prednisone on the 5th day. 

Nothing really happened during that stay. I just relaxed, got the meds, saw the doctors once a day. I seriously watched a lot of tv. I did some treadmill on the 4th day to pass the time. Elaine and my parents came to visit. 

All my labs came out great. Doctors did not seem worried at all. I did go home with more tapering of prednisone, in pill form. I am currently taking 10mg a day until my follow-up biopsy, which is this Thursday at 9am.