October 22, 2025 – Surgery Day:
The morning arrived quietly, almost too ordinary. I broke down the dialysis machine as usual, gathered my belongings, and joined my parents for the shuttle ride to UNMC.
In the waiting room, time seemed to stretch endlessly until my name was called for surgery prep.
During the operation, my blood pressure dipped dangerously low, and the surgeon chose not to remove my peritoneal dialysis catheter as originally planned. It was eventually removed on Nov 3rd.
When I awoke hours later, I had within me a new kidney, one I affectionately named Sidney. Sidney was more than an organ. Sidney was a symbol of hope.
The following six days were filled with nurses, doctors, dietitians, and pharmacists, each playing their part in my recovery. Including my parents coming daily. Pain was real and constant, often piercing especially near the new kidney. The hospital bed offered little comfort, so my back was tight and sore on top of the incision pain. I needed help to walk and even to reach the bathroom. Volunteers guided me down the hallways, each step a reminder that strength would return. Return, slowly but surely.
In the end, everything unfolded better than I had dared to imagine. The fears that haunted me eventually became gratitude, and the unknowns became a story of a recovery.
My journey had crossed from one world into another, and I carried with me not only a new kidney but a renewed sense of purpose.
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