Hi, @kmlowe. Welcome to Connect! I hope that your evaluation is going smoothly for you! It is an exhausting exprience for sure.
I want to address your question about pain after transplant. I am going to assume that you are speaking about pain from the transplant surgery and not painful joints?
My response is that pain is well controlled after the surgery. I was transplanted at Mayo Rochester with both a liver and a kidney. Both organs came from a deceased donor in one surgery. I also worried about the possible pain and everything else that is imaginable! After the surgery my pain was well controlled. While in the hospital, I had a pain pump so that I could push a button and the pain med was released into my IV line. The dosage is well contr olled and you will not get hooked on the medication. The doctors and nurses told me that patients do better when pain is controlled, and I totally agree because on the day after my surgery they helped me out of bed to begin slowly walking. After my 7 day hospital stay, I was able to take something orally as/if needed. That was 16 years ago, so forgive me for the vague answer.
If you have not already done so, I would encourage you to begin a note book where you can enter your questions as you think of them. You can take notes during appointments. It is so easy to forget with all that is going thru your mind.
@kmlowe, What other question would you like to ask? How can I assist you as you begin your liver transplant journey? Will you be at Mayo for the transplant?