((Now Playing - Lupe Fiasco the entire Lasers album))
Yesterday I received my packet with instructions for my upcoming appointment for my donor workup schedule. This 20-page packet prefaces with a generic letter with your basic info and contacts.
So my schedule looks like this:
Day 1 @ home - 8am: Start 24hr urine collection.
(Instructions must be followed to a T otherwise, if the testing is inaccurate, we're in trouble.)
Day 2 - 10am: Lab +
EKG, Chest X-ray & Blood Pressure screen.
(No food/drink from midnight the day before...sad face)
1pm: Transplant psychiatrist
(To make sure I'm mentally competent to make this decision, and to make sure I'm just not a crazy person in general....may as well turn myself in now, save the time haha)
Day 3 - 10am: Transplant nephrology.
(Kidney doctor checks me over and we go through the procedure...as if Google hasn't educated me enough to where I could probably do it myself...just kidding, relax)
12:30pm:
CTU (CAT Scan) (They're going to put dye into my blood and take pictures inside to see how healthy my kidneys are, and pick which one they're going to operate on)
Hopefully all the tests and consultations come back normal, and hopefully I won't have to repeat any of said tests or consultations. It would probably take a few weeks/months before they set a surgery date.
Surgery is called
laparoscopic nephrectomy (the surgical removal of part of the kidney). Risks are the same as any other surgery, and I'm very aware of what can happen. Statistically speaking, I think I have better than "pretty good" chances of living through this...as long as I stay away from
USC :-P
Of course, there's a quiet jingle of emotions right now, but I still feel calm and collected. I have a few weeks to mentally prepare myself for all the testing, poking and prodding. I'm confident that I've taken care of myself and there's nothing wrong with me. So for now, I will continue to watch what I eat/drink and walk around the park every day...wish me luck!!
