Y3K (Yates' 3rd Kidney) - 6 month update

April 21, 2010 was Y3K's 6-month anniversary!  This should bring anyone interested up to speed on my kidney transplant.  (BTW, unless something unusual happens, the next update will likely be in October - around the 1-year mark.)

The short story is "Y3K is doing great!"  My wonderful doctor at UWMC (Dr. Kim Muczynski, who I now only have to go see about every 2 months) says everything is going perfectly - that I could be the poster child for what successful transplants look like!  In fact, some of my blood numbers are the best they've been in more than ten years!  So needless to say, I am feeling very lucky indeed!   Sherry R. (Y3K's previous "owner") is also doing great, and Cheri and I get to spend time with her and her husband Mel regularly.

6 months was a significant milestone, in part because I got to drop some more pills...thus far, I've been able to drop about 1/3 of the original pills I was taking (I'm down to "only" about 40 a day), and I am having far fewer side effects than before.  And, of course, the longer my body goes without rejecting the new kidney, the more likely it will continue to be a hospitable host!  

One of the good side effects of my medications is that--in conjunction with the fact that my old deadbeat (polycystic) kidneys keep growing and putting pressure on my stomach--I tend not to be as hungry.  So in the first 6 months after the transplant, I lost about 50 lbs!  If I lose another 10-15 lbs, I will hit my "ideal" weight, at which point I'll actually need to start forcing myself to eat more to maintain that level!  (For anyone who knows me well, the idea of me having to force myself to eat is slightly hilarious!) 

Anyway, I've been super busy at work (I've been working full time since about a month after surgery!), without much time for anything else.  However, I went on my first Y3K dive trip--on Grand Cayman (1 week of really easy diving)--with Rick and Traci in May.  All went well, and in November I head back to Socorro (for the 5th time) with a bunch of friends.  It is great to be getting back in the water after a year!

I'll be avoiding more exotic destinations (e.g., Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) for at least a few years because one thing that could trigger my body to reject Y3K is a serious infection, and countries like that have lots of diseases just waiting for visitors.  In fact, even though those are some of my favorite places, I may never get to go back for that reason, unless my doctor is totally comfortable that it's safe.  If not, I can live with that; it's a small price to pay...and there are plenty of other places to dive/visit.

Several people have asked me if I feel differently about diving, or riding my motorcycle, than before the transplant.  The answer is "yes."  It's not that I feel I should give up those activities, but I feel a need to be a bit more cautious in the WAY I do them.  I haven't exactly been a wild man in the past, but it's a little like when you're driving someone else's child around in your car - you might drive just a little more carefully because you're aware of being "responsible" for them, and taking good care of them.  I feel a little like that - like maybe I need to hang one of those little yellow diamond-shaped signs on the back of my motorcycle that says, "Kidney on Board!"  ;-) 

Well, that's enough rambling for now.  As I've said before, I truly appreciate all of the kind wishes, inquiries and thoughts everyone has sent me.