This and That and Talk - My Transplant

I am glad for the pain killers. The muscle relaxer seems to work this best.

@livertrex I think I was between 3 and 4 weeks when the second set came out. They didn't prescribe me any pain killers believe it or not! I had tramadol in recovery at the hospital but nothing for home. I was about 4 days in the hospital. When I got home it was just Tylenol. The Tylenol barely even took the edge off.

Yes itt is hard to move around. How many weeks from surgery did you get the staples removed? Did you stay on pain killers?

@livertrex I thought they might have done this. Go slow the next three weeks. Be easy on yourself...you'll most likely find it difficult to move around. Contact me if you have any questions regarding my experience.

Yes they stapled back over the original incision. They said they would take staples out 3 weeks after surgery.

@livertrex did they staple you back up over the original incision? I found this the most uncomfortable part and the pain at times terrible but it subsides. If they re-stapled you when do you get those removed? That's when things start to get better. (I found anyway).

Rosemary,
I am in a lot of pain compared to the original transplant. They were able to cut through the scar tissue and find the artery. They cut through the artery, removed the kinked section and attached back to straighten it out. I have had two ultrasounds and both show the artery is completely open. I think I will stay around a few more days in Phoenix before heading back to Colorado to be on the safe side.

@livertrex, I want to check in with you. How are you getting along with recovery from surgery? When will you know if this has solved the heptic artery stenosis?

my country is Kuwait and they started doing transplants in 2018. Hope I can find a doctor for following up.

@rosemarya Things are going fine for me, post-transplant. The biggest downside so far is that I have developed osteoporosis. The endocrinologist I went to, head of the Bone Density Department at MGH, feels that my bones went downhill when I was on a higher dose of prednisone post-transplant. I am still on prednisone but a lower dose. They are not ready to take me off of it entirely yet, I asked about it in October at my yearly post-transplant appointment.
Other than that, and recovering still from my femur fracture in July which was actually high on my femur so really a hip fracture. The fracture exacerbated my recurring bursitis and now I am having a tough time with it in both hips. I am planning to see a physiatrist to see if she can give me some help. I hate getting cortisone shots, I am sure they can't be good for you to get repeatedly.

@glinda Congratulations on being about to get rid of a cane. I am sure you will enjoy having independence from it. I hope things work out well when you go to Rochester.

@2011panc It sounds as if you have had a tough year and yet you are able to maintain your good humor. That's admirable. How did things work out on the workup for syncope?

@almula I hope you continue to fare well back in your own country. You don't mention where that is, is it a country where they do transplants so they will be able to do well post-transplant?

@wildcat It sounds as if things are great for you. When I get leg cramps it is almost invariably from not having had enough water that day. Have you considered that?

@jodeej I hope Tim continues to do well. I think of you very often and pray for you and Tim. I know this will be a difficult new journey for both of you.

@danab It sounds as if your troubles are behind you, I hope they stay that way in 2020.

@livertrex I hope all goes well with your upcoming artery surgery. I had not heard of that before but apparently @gaylea1 has. Please let us know how it went when you are up to it.
JK