My surgery is planned as a laparoscopic surgery, which should take 3-5 hours. The surgeon will make three or four small cuts on my belly and side, and use probes and a camera to mobilize the kidney. Veins and arteries are cauterized and cut, and the adrenal gland is separated from the kidney and left with me. Fat and fascia are cut away from the kidney, and the ureter (which carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) is clipped and cut. The surgeon will make a larger incision low in my pelvis - which will look similar to a cesarean incision - and will pull the kidney out of this incision. The final step before removing the kidney is to cut the renal artery and vein. The kidney will be flushed and immediately taken 'next door' where Teddy will be ready to receive it.
For a much more detailed (and accurate) description watch this video.
Surgery is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, May 9th. I am expecting to be going home on Sunday, but will cross my fingers for Saturday.
As far as recovery, I have heard a lot of different recovery stories and I'm hoping for the best! My surgeon has said no 'heavy lifting' (which was defined at over 5 pounds, which does not sound very heavy to me!) for 4-6 weeks, but I should also "listen to my body."
I have read stories of donors who were still having a hard time walking around the block six weeks out, and I have read stories of donors who were back to running a (slow) 5k by four weeks out. I am currently in the best shape I've ever been in, and working out four to six days a week. So I am hoping I'll be in the "5k at four weeks" camp, but I am telling myself now that I will take it easy. I am afraid, though, that with two little kids and a gym addiction, that is easier said than done.
My husband will be off work from the 9th through the 19th, so he will be able to take the kids to their last week of school and I will be able to rest as much as I need to. We will likely have a sitter keep the boys the mornings of the following week, or have someone at the house, to help me. We are very lucky to live near our families, and we have a wonderful community so I know we'll be taken care of.
For a much more detailed (and accurate) description watch this video.
Surgery is scheduled for the morning of Thursday, May 9th. I am expecting to be going home on Sunday, but will cross my fingers for Saturday.
As far as recovery, I have heard a lot of different recovery stories and I'm hoping for the best! My surgeon has said no 'heavy lifting' (which was defined at over 5 pounds, which does not sound very heavy to me!) for 4-6 weeks, but I should also "listen to my body."
I have read stories of donors who were still having a hard time walking around the block six weeks out, and I have read stories of donors who were back to running a (slow) 5k by four weeks out. I am currently in the best shape I've ever been in, and working out four to six days a week. So I am hoping I'll be in the "5k at four weeks" camp, but I am telling myself now that I will take it easy. I am afraid, though, that with two little kids and a gym addiction, that is easier said than done.
My husband will be off work from the 9th through the 19th, so he will be able to take the kids to their last week of school and I will be able to rest as much as I need to. We will likely have a sitter keep the boys the mornings of the following week, or have someone at the house, to help me. We are very lucky to live near our families, and we have a wonderful community so I know we'll be taken care of.
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