Life After Transplant

You might wonder how it feels to be a person who has received a transplant.  Besides the fact that you feel incredibly blessed because your life has been saved you actually feel pretty normal.  I feel like it is surreal.  I know it happened, and I have a magnificent scar to prove it, but it is hard to realize it fully, too.

I do have to take several medications.  They all have possible side effects, but I don't read about them or worry about them.  I decided right away that God wouldn't save my life and then let medications kill me so I will handle side effects if and when they appear.  One of them gave me severe migraines so a change was made.  That is the only problem I have noticed.

I feel well which can be deceptive.  Three times I have felt perfectly well and found out I wasn't.  Two of those times I even had to enter the hospital.  I am blood tested fairly often to keep an eye on things.  Sometimes medication changes are made, but after the first year that has not been as frequent.

I walk a fine line with my immune system so that I don't go into rejection.  My immune system can be a fighter and give me trouble!  I am a social person and have had to learn that sometimes I can't go where there's going to be a crowd, especially during flu season.

I was so weak and sick before my transplant that I never dreamed I could feel this well again.  In my opinion I am pretty much back to normal which is a MIRACLE!  There is absolutely no way I could have had company last weekend at my home.  Actually, I seriously doubt I would have lived to my 42nd anniversary.  God used a wonderful young man's unselfish choice to be an organ donor and saved my life!