Kidney Trasplant

You got your new kidney today.

We got the call the night before, saying they were doing testing and would give us a call back if it was a good match. They told us 4 hours.

Four hours passed, and no phone call. I was so nervous I couldn't do anything but iron. I was too nervous to call and check on the status. Daddy did. They told him soon, within an hour or so.

We got the call you were a match. They told us to be there very early in the morning, I think it was 6.

So I didn't sleep a wink and got up to stop your very last dialysis treatment early. As I did the final step, the phone rang and they told me arrival time was pushed. I hadn't actually detached you yet. And I accidentally shut it down early, without having you do your final drain. After a frantic phone call to the cycler company, I found out I would have to disconnect you, tear down the machine, prime the machine and reconnect you - all to make sure you get your final drain. So, the very last time you were on diaylsis was, of course, complicated and unforgetable.

Oma drove to our house early in the morning. She was up with you when I came down from trying to get a few more hours of sleep. Daddy and me drove you to the hopsital in a daze. Oma followed.

Grampa Bill and Nurse Teresa came. We all waited in a room as they continued to push the surgery date.

Poppi and Nana came with Maia. We were all waiting nervously when finally, after 10 at night, they said it was time. Daddy and I carried you down to the surgery floor. I held you as they gave you the happy drug, which affected you immediately. You started giggling a lot!

We kissed you and then handed you to the anesthesiologist. Daddy cried. I was shaking.

We walked back without you to the surgery waiting area, which is normally full of people, but that late at night it was just us, Oma, Grampa Bill, and Teresa.

Hours crawled by. Finally, after 2 in the morning we saw the surgeon walk in, completely exhausted. He sat down in the chair across from me. We all gathered around to hear it went well. You made urine in the OR. Turns out, the catheter had slipped out and they were concerned there was no urine until they realized it was on one of the surgeon's feet!

Everyone was thrilled. Hugging and crying. I was in shock. I knew the hard part was to come.

It was long after that Daddy and I got to see you in the PICU. You were on a ventilator sleeping, IV lines coming out of your arms and legs. But you looked really good. You had color for the first time. You looked healthy.

Daddy and I stayed with you all night. They kept you asleep for a long time, giving you a chance to heal a bit before they removed the breathing tube.

The whole time you had the breathing tube in, I was frantic. Especially when you started waking up. Thankfully Daddy could handle it. He tried to soothe you. Once you woke up enough, they took it out.

You still had to be restrained because of all the IV lines.

Oma and I stayed with you the next night. You would call out through the night, saying "up." We couldn't pick you up yet.

When you were finally able to get that line out, we were so excited. We could hold you. While you were a bit sore, you didn't seem to mind it too much.

By the last day in the PICU, you made friends with all the nurses. You were blowing bubbles, drinking - a lot, and played tons of I Spy. You wanted me to sing Ba Ba Black Sheep over and over, which was suprising because normally you put your hand over my mouth at home anytime I would sing it. In fact, you wanted me to sing it so much that I recorded it and laid it next to you, repeating it over and over. You fell asleep. I shared the recording with others who used it when I wasn't there to calm you.

Soon you were eating with minimal reflux. We were cautiously hopeful the reflux had gotten better.

Then, the day came, a week later, when they said you could come home. So I drove you home as daddy drove separately. You had a terrible diaper rash. Screamed on the way home. The only way I could get you calm was by talking about eating ice cream. And as soon as we got in the door, I gave you some and you gobbled it all up. Oma was holding you and the two of us were amazed. You ate for the first real time. Ate and ate. Then ate pizza!

Everyone - friends, family, nurses, therapists - were blown away by how quickly you recovered and how well you progressed. Better than our wildest dreams.

The first few days after coming home were very trying. Your diaper rash was so terrible we had to lay you on towels. Plus, you had diarrhea from the meds. Your incision was substantial and we had to pack your PD site with we gauze twice a day, which was extremely painful. You also had to be hooked up to feeds throughout the day, on and off, to build your tolerance to larger quantities.

It wasn't long before you could handle higher feed rates and we were able to move all your feeds to the night. Then, your incision started healing. Then, you didn't need the PD site packed with gauze anymore.

Before we knew it, before anyone could have dreamed, you were a healthy 2 year-old. And we were all so grateful.