Billy
Samantha and her family hoped that the kidney, who they named Billy, would start working immediately. The very next day, her blood tests showed it was working great, filtering the waste products from her blood and instructing her bone marrow to start making red blood cells.
Billy
Post-Op
Samantha was in the hospital for about a week, and by the third day, she was already feeling brighter. She lost the strange feeling that comes with kidney failure, like the insides of your body are trying to push outwards. It’s a pressure that drains your energy and clouds your thoughts. Thankfully, recovery was quick for Samantha; she zipped through her list of post-op “firsts”: first solo shower, first dog walk, first glass of wine. Eight weeks after the operation, she was jogging and back to work by week 12. Her energy returned. She wasn’t exhausted by lunchtime, her skin and eyes got brighter. Despite her array of drugs to prevent her immune system from attacking her kidney, Samantha felt normal for the first time in a while. The side effects could be difficult to manage, but she would need immunosuppressants for as long as the transplant lasts. The best part is that her dad was back to his old self. Back to work and back to yelling at the TV when his favorite team is playing.
Post-Op