Transplant Clinic No. 3

Well, what we all knew before has now been confirmed... I am a unicorn 🦄 LOL

Okay, okay, I'm kidding. Sort of. Yesterday was both eventful and not eventful at the transplant clinic for visit no. 3.

To start off, I got 25 vials of labs drawn off me. That was interesting.

(Side note: My regular kidney doctor pulled 5 vials on Monday and my hemoglobin was low so he is redrawing today - Friday- I am sure this will cause my hemoglobin to be low again.)

Then, I met with the Nurse, PA, and Doctor. They asked all the standard and routine questions. Do you smoke, drink, take drugs? No to all. Do you have a history of hypertension? No. Any major medical issues? No... And so on.

The transplant doctor told me that of the thousands of patients they've ever seen, I had the shortest med list she's ever seen. Just two blood pressure meds only. She was surprised that I feel so good and have had mininal symptoms for the last 7 months (fatigue + nausea/vomiting).

By all accounts, I look like a healthy, 35-year old. Then, the doctor asked if I'd ever been told that I am an anomaly. I laughed and said, "Yep, by every doctor I've seen since August." She replied, "well I am sure it's not fun not having anyone be able to figure this out."

According to the her, my case is highly unusual, and I am going to be in an extremely small subset of patients... but they have no idea what that is & will have to solve the puzzle to find out the root cause. Now where have we heard that before?

Basically, the transplant doctor prefers to not do a kidney transplant until they figure out what is happening. They are going to continue moving me through the transplant list process, but searching for the reason behind the failure, so my body doesn't cause a new kidney to fail too. That's understandable.

I am being referred to see a hematologist for MORE blood work and genetic testing. Essentially, they are now looking for a marker or something, anything that can explain it.

What is so unusual is this... When I had presented to the hospital in August, my blood pressure had been high for a month (at most) but likely about 3 weeks. It was normal at the OB office at the end of June, and I started the birth control in mid-July. Three weeks of high blood pressure, according to the doctor, should NOT have caused a catastrophic failure of the kidneys in such a short time, especially in a relatively healthy individual. Usually this type of failure is in people who have had hypertension for 10+ years, not several weeks.

When I got home from the transplant clinic, my family & friends got a good laugh out of it all too. They couldn't believe that I've stumped even the transplant doctors. Our prayer is that they can figure out what the root cause is, treat it, and I'll avoid a transplant or dialysis altogether, but that will all be up to the God.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 ESV

I can't help but laugh at this point. I know God knows all the root causes, and just like my other hematologist prayed over me in August... God will tell the rest of us in His perfect timing. We are all just leaving it in the Lord's hands and looking at this as an adventure - what an incredible testimony this is going to be on the other side.

In the meantime, I will continue to minister to others wherever He sends me while He continues to build my faith & refines me.

Kimberly