I had made it through my first full week at home and was enjoying a wonderful weekend with my family. That Sunday, we went to church, but while I was there, I began to feel unusually tired.

 

Whenever someone asked how I was doing, I told them that I felt well, just tired. After church, we went home, had lunch, and I lay down for a nap.

A few hours later, I woke up with a fever of 101 degrees.

My transplant instructions clearly state that I must contact my kidney team at Mayo Clinic if my temperature reaches 101 degrees or higher. I immediately called the after-hours number, and the transplant team instructed me to go to the emergency room.

David took me to Orlando Health Horizon West Hospital at approximately 7:30 that Sunday evening. The medical team completed bloodwork, collected a urine sample, and contacted my kidney transplant team at Mayo Clinic.

It did not take long for Mayo Clinic to decide that they wanted me transferred back to Jacksonville so I could be evaluated and treated directly by my transplant specialists.

Medical transportation arrived to pick me up at approximately 2:00 a.m. I reached Mayo Clinic and was settled into my hospital room around 5:00 a.m. After getting situated, I was able to eat breakfast a few hours later.

David arrived around 9:30 a.m., just in time to be there when the doctors began making their rounds.

Searching for the Cause

By Monday morning, the search began to determine what was causing the fever.

For a recent kidney transplant recipient, a fever could mean several things. It could be a simple infection, a serious infection, or even a possible sign of kidney rejection. Because my immune system was suppressed by my anti-rejection medications, the medical team needed to investigate every possibility carefully.

I underwent blood and urine cultures, nasal swabs, and testing of my surgical wound, which had still not completely healed. Because bacterial cultures can take several days to grow, we had to wait for the laboratory results before the doctors could identify the exact source of the infection.

In the meantime, I was given a broad-spectrum antibiotic designed to treat several types of bacteria until the medical team knew exactly what we were fighting.

After three days, we finally received the answers.

I had developed both a urinary tract infection and an infection in my surgical wound.

Once the bacteria were identified, my doctors changed my treatment. I began taking one antibiotic by mouth and another through an intravenous line. Because the intravenous antibiotic would need to continue after I left the hospital, a special line was placed so the medication could be administered at home.

The nurses trained David and me on how to care for my surgical wound and how to safely administer the intravenous medication.

I was discharged on July 3, just barely making it home in time for Independence Day!

Interestingly, I spent five days in the hospital treating these infections, which was longer than the three days I spent in the hospital after receiving the kidney transplant itself.

 

More Medical Management at Home

Now that I am home again, my daily medical routine has become even more involved.

In addition to checking my vital signs, organizing my medications, and following my regular transplant schedule, I now have wound care twice each

day and intravenous antibiotics every evening.

I must also visit the infusion center once a week so the dressing around my intravenous line can be changed and the site can be checked.

I will receive the intravenous antibiotic treatment for two weeks. My final dose is scheduled for July 15, and I am definitely counting down the days!

Thankfully, the antibiotics appear to be working. I have now gone an entire week without another fever. I am excited to complete the treatment, and I am praying that I can avoid any additional infections in the future.

Even through this unexpected illness and hospital stay, my new kidney has continued to function well.

Praise God!