🏥 Being Admitted
Often, they ask you to come into the hospital the day before – so expect this!
You will need to sleep in the hospital bed – I brought my own pillow, eye mask, and earplugs, and these were AMAZING!
⏳ The Wait
I found the lead-up to the actual surgery the hardest mentally – there was a lot of waiting around, and you’re often around sick people and in a place that is unfamiliar. If possible, ask someone to wait with you and wait outside the ward – maybe a cafe in the hospital or go for a walk. Make sure you know when the doctors/nurses need you back in the ward.
🧑⚕️ The Surgery
First things first: you’ll be asleep during the surgery! You won’t feel anything and won’t know what’s happening. Try to keep breathing, and if you need to hold a nurse’s hand or close your eyes when you get on the table. The surgeon will typically explain (roughly 20 minutes to an hour before) that the donor kidney will be placed in your lower abdomen. The blood vessels of the new kidney will be attached to blood vessels in your abdomen, just above one of your legs. The kidney’s urine tube (ureter) will then be connected to your bladder. Your own kidneys will usually be left in place unless they are causing complications.
As you head into the operating room, here’s what to expect: it will be bright and spacious, usually with a large room and plenty of open space. There will likely be 2 to 4 medical professionals present to assist during the procedure.
One thing to note: since you’ll need to fast before the surgery (nil by mouth), it might be a bit harder for the anesthesiologist to find a vein. DON’T PANIC – this is completely normal, and they are well-trained to handle it!
🌅 Waking Up
When you wake up from surgery, you will have A LOT of drugs in your system – you are unlikely to feel any pain. But I did hear lots of stories of people acting strangely when they wake up due to the effects of the anesthesia. Everything from being violent to myself flirting very heavily with the female doctor. Please try to consciously tell yourself prior to the surgery that you need to relax, as you need to leave all the lines, breathing tubes, and other medical equipment in place and not pull out it. I have heard stories of people pulling out lines or even their breathing tube when they woke up which could lead to complications.
You are likely to be in Emergency Care – where you have one-on-one care for around 24 hours and then likely to be transferred to a ward after that. To read about what the hospital stay is like, see ‘hospital stay’.
⚠️ Complications
Kidney transplant surgery, like any major procedure, comes with some risks. Your team will be aware of these – but being aware means that you can monitor for any odd symptoms yourself. These can include:
- Blood clots and bleeding
- Issues with the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder (ureter), like leaks or blockages
- Infections
- The donated kidney not working as expected or being rejected by your body (watch for high temperatures)