Transplant Chronicles
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Transplant Chronicles Volume 6 A publication for transplant recipients of all organs and their families, Number 2 published by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Crossing the Finish Line by Jennifer Kinlund y ordeal started when I During the seventh grade, I wasM only 18 months old, with a was ready to begin an active flu virus I picked up on a life in the world of sports, but family vacation. After a few that was not to be. The doctor days I was still not getting who did my sports physical better and was brought to the informed me that I did not pass hospital. I was given fluids the physical due to a high through an I-V because I was protein level in my urine. I dehydrated. The nursing staff headed back to the Mayo Clinic did not do an adequate job of and found that I would need a monitoring the fluid, which transplant unless my kidney lead my kidneys to shut down. function stopped declining. My kidney function did not But the next few years showed return and therefore, I had to continued deterioration. I be put on dialysis. Luck was began a trial with prednisone, again not with me; part of the which did not help. So equipment needed for my throughout the next few years, dialysis treatment had to be I was on a restricted diet, and flown in from California, and it added routine blood pressure ended up in Washington. With checks and medicine to my surgery already scheduled, the daily routine. doctors had to use an adult piece to get the dialysis started, My senior year was the most as my body was beginning to Jennifer Kinlund (right) races her way to recovery difficult, as my kidney function shut down. Several weeks and a successful college track career. went down to about 15 percent. after the surgery, I was taken My energy level was also getting home. The doctors told my off dialysis and my kidney lower, and even simple things parents that I would be fine, but function slowly returned. Six like getting to class became a in actuality my future had been weeks after I had entered the struggle. We scheduled the altered. hospital, I was able to return Continued on page 3 Transplant Chronicles is a Program of the National Kidney Foundation, Inc., supported by Pharmaceuticals Corporation National Kidney Foundation® ✍ editor’s desk Transplant Chronicles This issue of Transplant Transplant Chronicles is published by Chronicles is dedicated to the theme the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. “Taking Control of Your Life.” When Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the National Kidney Foundation, Inc. a chronic illness hits you, much of Editor-in-Chief: the control you once had over your Beverly Kirkpatrick, LSW life is stripped from you, your family Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and those around you. Over the Editors: Ira D. Davis, MD Vanessa Underwood, BS, years, many patients have Cleveland, Ohio AFAA, ACE Plaistow, New Hampshire succumbed to the loss of control, Maurie Ferriter, BS Lakeland, Michigan Jim Warren, MS Beverly Kirkpatrick feeling that it was all a part of the San Francisco, California Cheryl Jacobs, LICSW transplant process. This issue of Minneapolis, Minnesota Becky Weseman, RD, CNSD, LMNT Omaha, Nebraska Chronicles is here to tell you that this is not so, and Teresa Shafer, RN, you need to get back in the driver’s seat. It takes MSN, CPTC Laurel Williams, RN, MSN Ft. Worth, Texas Omaha, Nebraska time, persistence and determination, but these Nancy Spinozzi, R. Patrick Wood, MD articles will be helpful in your attempt to gain back Boston, Massachusetts Houston, Texas the control and independence you had prior to your Editorial Office: End Stage Disease. National Kidney Foundation, Inc. 30 E. 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016 The responses we’re receiving on our “Hot Topic” (800) 622-9010/(212) 889-2210 http://www.kidney.org questions have been numerous. We will put a Executive Editor: Editorial Director: diverse few in each issue. Thanks for the feedback Diane Goetz Gigi Politoski and, as always, we love to hear from you. T Managing Editor: Editorial Manager: C Sara Kosowsky Marla Behler, CSW Design Director: Production Manager: Beverly Kirkpatrick Oumaya Abi-Saab Stephanie Knox for the Editorial Board transAction Homepage http://ww.kidney.org/transplants/txactin1.shtml VISIT OUR WEBSITE Support and education for transplant recipients, their families and friends on the Internet! Go to: www.kidney.org ➔ Transplant Recipients ➔ transAction For: • Up-to-date information about the transAction Council • Membership opportunities • transAction Message Board • Information on transplantation and donation • Information on upcoming events • Links to other relevant sites 2 Transplant Chronicles, Vol. 6, No. 2 I then began my summer by training, knowing Crossing the Finish Line Nationals would be in sight again. I wanted to be Continued from page 1 in great shape when the season began. I was among our top five runners. As our meets went transplant for June 16 of my senior year, so that I on everyone kept dropping their times and we could recover and be ready for college in the fall. kept looking ahead at the conference teams to My father was the first to be tested, and he was beat. Our coach received conference coach of the found to be a match. We felt very lucky, as it is year. This gave us the confidence we needed for difficult to find a matching donor. Regionals. With 28 teams on the line, knowing that we would have to place in the top three June brought finals week, a graduation party, teams to go to Nationals, we ran extremely well. my uncle’s wedding and the transplant. Monday and Tuesday were days of testing to be sure that At the Nationals in Boston, we strided out onto everything was ready to go. Lots of blood tests the starting line as a team and did our team were used for matching; I was surprised I had any cheers. It was the greatest feeling. As we toed the left. Wednesday I checked into the hospital, and line, we could feel we were going to do great! The that evening all of my friends and family came to race started out fast and I made sure that I got keep me company. Later that night I was taken out quick. Mud was flying everywhere and down to get a pic line into my artery so that blood everyone was trying not to fall. During the race could easily be drawn. The surgery was there was rain, snow, sleet and hail! But before scheduled for the next morning. I was taken we knew it the race was over! A teammate and I down to surgery at 7 a.m. and it began at 8:30. had claimed All-American! She had taken 33rd By 11:30, I was the lucky recipient of a new fully and I was 35th. I couldn’t believe it. functioning kidney. I am currently taking anti- rejection medications, including azathioprine, On our way out of the park, we noticed the cyclosporine, prednisone and diltiazem. I will results were posted. We took second! I think my continue taking these for the rest of my life. heart stopped; we were screaming, crying and hugging each other. Our fans who came to cheer My first year at the University of Wisconsin-Eau us on from Eau Claire were there to congratulate Claire was a time for adjusting to being away from us. We then headed to the university to dress for my family, studying, working and making new the awards ceremony. While we were getting our friends. At this point, I thought I was done awards, I remembered the year before when the running competitively, until I met some girls who other teams were getting their awards, and I had were on the cross country and track team and thought to myself, I will be up there next year. And decided that next year I was definitely going to try there I was. It was one of the greatest moments of competing again. My first year back, I was close my life. to the end of the pack, but still enjoyed being part of a team again. When the ‘96 season came This dream would never have come true if I had along, I just wanted to improve my times from the not had the transplant. I am so thankful to my year before. With the help of our new coach, I dad for giving me another chance at life and moved from the bottom third of the team to being standing by to watch me accomplish my goals. one of the top seven runners. Our team ended up My dad tries to make all of my races, but even if placing second at Regionals, which brought us to he is not there, I know that he is thinking of me Nationals, where we ended up 12th in the nation. and wishing me luck! I am doing great and continue taking my anti-rejection medication. I Personally, I also had a great track season. I am still running and have just finished indoor was one second away from qualifying for track. I had started the season running the 5K, Nationals in the 800 and five seconds in the 1500. 3K, 1500 and 4x400. My events changed at the I was so happy and couldn’t wait for our outdoor conference meet. I ran the open 600 and took season. But then I ended up catching a cold and fourth, having never run the event! I also placed was given medication that reacted with my anti- fourth in the 1000 and 4x400.