#20 "There's no place like home"

She's home sweet home, and she couldn't be happier.  Mom was able to come home around 7pm on 1-17-11.  She was in the hospital a mere 6 days and boy does she look and sound good.  I keep having to tell her to chill out, and just relax.  The doctors told her to take it easy, and I yelled at her that she's going to make Fred (her new Kidney) fall off.  ;-)  She was able to take a shower when she got home, which made her super duper happy.  While she was upstairs I started making a spreadsheet for her medication time schedule.  Woooweeee she takes a LOT of medications.

That's 32 pills a day, for basically the next year.  She's on antibiotics, immunosuppressants, and the list goes on and on.  She's agreed to do a drug study with the drug Velcade.  So today she had to go to the hospital at 6am.  She must go to the hospital multiple times for the next couple weeks for them to monitor how the new kidney is doing.  They draw blood, take vitals, amongst other tests.  And figured if she'd be there anyway she might as well help out and try a new use for a drug that might help pave way for future successful transplants.  This drug takes about 4 hours to administer.  Somehow though she was there for over 10 hours today.  She is happy to be back home.  

   If the donor and his wife hadn't done enough already. they brought my mom some soup, fresh fruit and muffins!!!!  She's addicted to fruit right now.  There are so many foods that she hasn't been able to eat for so long she's rummaging through everything like she was on a munchie attack.  Her other craving is for beans.  

    This has been such a crazy and emotional week that has just blown me away in every aspect.  It's fascinating how mom seems to have been shocked to life.  I had read about how the recipients feel so much better almost right away, but this is absolutely a-ma-zing!!!  And the donor is also up and about almost like nothing happened.  This has been such a cool experience to be involved in.  I want to give someone my kidney (I always have through this whole thing).  Though I know there are risks with all surgeries, the success is far greater than the failure.  

   I go to school for entertainment business, and soon will be moving to Florida to finish up my school, and one of the things I want to do with that degree is fuse it with my passions, and work on a Living Donor awareness campaign.