After going to Tampa General Hospital on March 20, 2006, for a check-up (and more blood work) and lung function still decreasing the doctors sent me home still confused. The very next afternoon, my co-ordinator called me and said in an excited voice, "Kim! We know what's wrong! You're going thru rejection!" I sarcastically thought to myself, "Great..." but inside, I was devastated and started to beat myself up.
I was hoping to be one of the first ever heart/double lung transplant recipients who would coast on by, not experincing rejection OR infection. Alas, that was not meant to be. Though the next day was my sister's 18th birthday (yes, it's also why I can remember the dates so well) my doctors wanted me back on the transplant floor early the next morning to start IV treatment. They had me on Solumedrol (via an IV that had to stay in my arm for 4-5 days) and increased my Prednisone--by A LOT. From 5 mg daily to 40 mg, my body went haywire! I was now very swollen, very hungry, and a bit of an insomniac! Not only that, but I was now taken off of Cylosporine and Imuran (two anti rejection drugs) and put on Prograf, Rapamune and Zithromicin (Zithromax).
After an intense year, I lost weight, was weened off the high Prednisone, adapted to Prograf, Zithromax and Rapamune and....brought my lung function back up to a stable percentage. :-)
It has been almost five years since that diagnosis. For some, it can be a grim time; sometimes leading to re-transplantation. Me? So far, not so! I continue to keep my lungs at a stable area and keep on working on my weight. I guess there's not much else for me to say except......
REJECTION THIS!!
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