My New Full-Time Job

We had our first follow-up visit last Tuesday. Since this was our first visit, we met with everyone: the social worker, the nephrologist, the dietician, and the pharmacist. We reviewed how I am feeling, my stitches, my general health, my diet, and my medications, including any changes in dosage. It was a pretty long visit: three hours. Overall, they said that I am doing really well.

The social worker reminded me that my new full-time job is to recover. I mentioned to her that I have been frustrated as I am moving slow, taking naps in the middle of the day, have no appetite and sleeping early. This is very unlike me; I am usually a Type A person – always on the Go. Dialysis had slowed me down, but every other day, I had my energy back: I worked full time, baked or cooked during the weekends, went to aikido class two or three times a week, attended a twice a year hula dancing weekend seminar, went to the gym two times a week, and enjoyed skiing during the winters. Now, I can barely get a full day in – Very frustrating!

She reminded me that I probably just went through the most major surgery: kidney transplants can be more complex than even heart transplants because the pipes are much smaller, plus your core is cut open. Recovery time is really important. Without allowing myself a proper recovery time, it may be even for my recovery. After that, I can go back to going 110% again.

So my full-time job now is to recover: drink, pee, and recover.

I guess I can’t be a full-time blogger either.