It's been 2 years! Time flies! Yes, I would still do it again. Here's a quick update.
Staying hydrated- I was a little worried about my last check up because I know I haven't been drinking enough water, but my levels seemed to be fine. I just had a friendly reminder from the doctors that I need to stay hydrated. I lost my water bottle and what a difference it makes not carrying it around with you. I can definately tell when I'm not drinking enough. Dehydration comes easily. Solution? I bought a new water bottle. :) Also, if I'm drinking alcohol, I drink a glass of water for every other drink I have.
Exercise- The only thing I've been cautioned against doing is hot yoga. Naturally, this is because you are losing way more fluid than regular yoga. But I can run, do cardio and strength training, play sports, hike, swim, all that is fine, as long as I have plenty of water. I went through a long spell of being at the gym 5 days a week and was fine. I did some intense hiking in Utah last July and was concerned about the combination of heat and physical exertion. As long as I had water, I was okay, but I would suggest bringing a lot! I'm little-5'1", and I brought a gallon with me (hydartion backpacks and water bottles) for hikes that lasted usually about 4 hours. At points, I wished I had more.
Pain- I still have a slight sensitivity on my left side. It's not at the incision site. It's between the large scar and one of the small one inch scars. It's been suggested that it might be nerve damage, but it's nothing that intereferes with my daily life. I'm just careful with that one area. For whatever reason, yoga seems to help. The surgeon suggested that stretching is good for it. Also, the pain is not bad at all. It's more of an annoyance if, for example, the cat jumps up my stomach. It seems to be something I feel when there is a lot of pressure on it or when I'm stretching it out. It's not constant by any means and not something I'm constantly aware of.
Scar- My scar is not pretty, and it's very noticable (see "Healing and Reflection" pictures or "One Year Update). At my last check-up with the transplant team (last month), one of the doctors looked at my scar and promptly excused herself. When she came back, she said, "I just want you to know that I spoke to the surgeons about this, and they are working on better solutions to reduce the scarring." Well that was vague. But I'm glad to hear it. I think I've come to terms with the way it has altered bathing suit season but it's not always easy. I have had several people tell me I should get plastic surgery or sue my surgeon. One little boy at the beach took one look at me and said to his dad, "Daddy, I don't like that girls belly." But alas, it is a small price to pay! (She is doing fantastic two years later, by the way!) I know that not all the scars from these surgeries look like mine. Some are in different locations or don't look nearly as noticable.
Other than those issues, I operate like a normal and healthy human being.
Also, by posting this blog and my videos, I've met plenty of people going through the same thing. One of these great people is Laura P who has just posted an excellent blog about her experience. It's really thorough and helpful. As I read it, it brought back very vivid memories of this whole journey. Some made me laugh out loud and others made me cringe. If you are looking for more info and another perspective, I encourage you to check out her blog. http://happykidney.blogspot.com
