Saturday, February 20, 2010

Embarking on the Next Phase

I thought I would throw out a few random thoughts concerning my new life after transplant. There will be changes that will be noticeable to everyone.

Please do not visit me if you are sick. I am heavily immunosuppressed on medicines that prevent my body rejecting my new organs. Therefore my immune system is unable to defend me against all illnesses and infections. I may have to avoid shaking your hand, kissing you or hugging you. This does not mean I do not love you. I will ask you to sanitize your hands around me using the gel that we will have around.

I will be able to go out but I should avoid crowds for a while. Sushi (uncooked) is out and alcohol is still discouraged. I am still fairly weak from the surgeries and long hospital stays but all of the heart and kidney functions are doing well. I can do some travelling as long as the team is satisfied I am near a transplant center. Foreign travel may be off in the future a bit.

Today I will be seeing a home health nurse as well as Andy, Gary , Robin and Pat. My routines are very new and different and seem to take hours to complete. But things are better daily. Next week should be challenging with labs, biopsy, and clinic visits. It's all good.
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RJ/Bob/Irv is a 61-year-old beloved husband, father, uncle, brother, motor racing fanatic, and Livermore resident who received a heart and kidney transplant in February of 2010. Bob's recent years have been defined by his health, which forced him into early retirement. Unfortunately, many of his days were spent in a dialysis center or at various medical appointments, primarily due to his living with diabetes for over 40 years. Numerous were panic visits to various Emergency Rooms all over California for treatment of chest pain. But now no more dialysis and no more late-night dashes to UCSF! The main focus of Bob's family, friends, and doctors has been a prompt transplant, so that he can get back to traveling with his Sweetie, driving fast cars, enjoying great music and laughing with his friends. This blog will function as a way to communicate with all interested parties and to keep everyone informed. And hopefully it can serve a great purpose also, in making people more aware of the importance of organ donation and how each life saved has a positive effect on dozens of related friends and relatives.