Resilience and focus
Prior to my transplant, there were points where I was running on empty, barely able to make it through the day. I don't even know how I managed to hold down a full-time job while my kidney function plummeted. I remember coming home from work, making dinner, and going straight to bed. I had no life outside of work, and my weekends were spent resting just to survive the next week. But somehow, through all that exhaustion, I kept going.
Resilience played a huge role in this. The one thing that kept me going was focusing on what I could control. While my diabetes management had faltered, once I was faced with the reality of a transplant, I knew I had to focus on staying strong and positive. I couldn't afford to fall apart emotionally, so I just took it one step at a time.
That mindset is something I've carried with me post-transplant. I have to take multiple medications daily, deal with an increased risk of infection, and live with the fact that my immune system is suppressed. But I try to stay focused on the positives. I'm alive. I'm healthier than I was before, and I’ve gained a second chance.
The emotional journey
The emotional side of the transplant was just as significant as the physical. I remember lying in the hospital next to a fellow patient who didn't make it through their surgery. The person across from me had been dealing with transplant complications for years. It was a stark reminder that while my outcome had been positive, not everyone is so lucky.
On top of that, I felt an immense responsibility toward my donor. My donor saved my life, and I felt that I owed it to her and her family to make the most of this second chance. This sense of gratitude and accountability helps me stay focused, especially on difficult days when the thought of taking more medication feels overwhelming.
"I’m also in touch with my donor’s family, and they have become like extended family to me. My donor, Sally, lost her life to meningitis, but in the wake of that tragedy, she saved five lives. That’s a powerful reminder of the beauty of organ donation, and it gives me even more reason to live fully and healthily in her memory."