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Going Home!

Tuesday 27th March 2018

So they reduced my Prograf level and I felt so much better really quickly! Prograf is one of my anti rejection drugs and its extremely toxic, it works by effecting the production and function of your T cells which are your cells that fight infection (essential part of your immune system). The levels need to be between 8 and 10 and mine were 14.5 when I went back onto the ward, so it's no wonder I didn't feel well!

Before going home I spoke to the occupational therapist and went through things at home, the main thing we talked about conserving energy when I go home. She explained that I'll be way more tired at home than in the hospital because I'll be doing so much more, so I need to sit down when cooking and she suggested a bench for the shower as well. I also spoke to the dietician about food safety, so I am more likely to get food poisining but also if I get food poisining it's very dangerous for me to be sick because I wouldn't absorb my medication. I don't eat meat, seafood or cheese so I don't eat most dangerous foods but I have to be careful when I eat out. Also, I can't eat buffet food because it's been sat out and becomes germy and when I eat out I need to check the hygiene rating of places.

I had my second biopsy Monday 26th and all was good, no rejection, which I was really worried about because I'd been so sick a few days before! When I go home I don't need to have another biopsy for 2 weeks, but I need to come in in a week to have my bloods done. They're still checking my bloods for my kidneys, white cell count, infection markers, prograf level etc.

Tuesday morning my doc said I can go home! I knew it would take a while because it always does when you're discharged from hospital! The pharmacist came and made sure I had all my medications to go home with. So on the ward I was taking:

IV: Paracetemol, ondansetron (antisickness), antibiotic
Oral: Prograf, MMF, Prednisilone, Aciclivir, Sildenifil, Co-trimoxazole, Fluconazole, Lanzoprozole, Cyprofloxacin, Pravastatin and Metronidazole. I was also on Bumetanide (diuretic) but I came off that only a couple of days after being on the ward. I was also prescribed 2 laxatives but I never took those on the ward, I think they're prescribed in case I had issues from codeine.



MMF, Prograf and Prednisilone are my three anti rejections, which I'll go into in more detail in another post, and the rest are to prevent issues from the antirejections such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, stomach protector etc.

So I finally went home at about 4pm on Tuesday evening, my mum helped me pack up all my things and drove me home. I got dressed, even put on a sports bra and knickers which was weird as its the first time I'd worn underwear in over a month! Haha. I put on a bit of makeup too for the first time, and it made me feel more like myself! I was quite sad to leave all the wonderful nurses on Jim quick and the safety of the hospital but I was very excited to get home!




The one thing I'd been craving in hospital was chinese noodles with tofu, possibly because it's the last meal I had at home or just because it's full of veg and tastes so good! So Ciaran made noodles for dinner and ran me a bath! It was soooo nice to have a bath! And the warm water really helped my chest pain as well. I got quite emotional while I was in the bath, I am so blessed to have recieved my transplant and to be home and be so well! And to have such a wonderful family and boyfriend that have supported me throughout it and taken care of me.







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