Sherri needs a kidney

Sherri needs a kidney Diagnosed with end stage renal disease in November of 2022 and in need of a kidney.

05/22/2025

Hello friends! It has been over 6 months since my transplant, so I wanted to give an update on everything… and it’s long. First and foremost , Linda the kidney is doing GREAT! My last set of labs (for ALL the things… not just kidney related) were the best they’ve been since I first got sick in November of ‘22! For that I am super grateful, and will continue to thank my donor for this amazing gift. Thank you again Laurie!!! 💚

That being said… I gotta give you the good AND the bad. Side effects suck. Since transplant, I have added 4 new doctors to my care team, bringing my active care team up to 10 doctors, 2 PA’s, a dietician, a transplant nurse who is amazing, a couple of physical therapists, and a handful of phlebotomists who know me by name. And for those who remember where I was before diagnosis (no active care team at all), this is kind of hilarious.

Quick little recap since the beginning of the year: The medicines have my hair thinning and have given me the itchiest damn scalp. Doctor gave me a shampoo to use, but i really need to see the dermatologist. Of course, first available isn’t until the end of July. 😩

Transplant amplified some lady issues that I’ve had for a while, which gave me 1 new PA and 1 new doctor. It also gave me a new medication. Also, I pretty much begged for a hysterectomy, but they won’t do it unless there are no other options, due to all of the bad things that could happen. So, that’s irritating.

I started having severe lower back pain and stiffness, as well as worsening weakness and pain in my left leg. I already had degenerative disc disease and arthritis, but new xray confirmed that the ddd has worsened and spread… adding PT to my list of appointments. What is most sucky about this, is that I’m not able to take pain pills that also reduce inflammation, and am pretty much limited to Tylenol… so I might as well swallow a tic tac. 🙄

The most recent “side effect” is bladder issues, which most likely came about due to the way my kidney was hooked up, along with the back issues affecting certain things. So, add another doctor and medication!!

I’m not complaining, but it’s all just super irritating. I just really wanted to let every one know the latest, since I haven’t updated in a while. And I wanted to just give you a reminder to NOT BE LIKE ME! SEE YOUR DOCTOR ON A REGULAR BASIS! Get the annual physical. Get the screenings. Get annual bloodwork done. Get the mammogram. Check your blood pressure! DO ALL THE THINGS!!

01/23/2025

Hi everyone! I’ve had a number of people reach out to me in the last few days to see how things are going, so I thought I’d give an update.

It has now been 3 months since transplant and Linda, the kidney, is doing amazingly well! My numbers have been really good for the most part, with the exception of my vitamin D (low). My kidney function is around 70%, which is a far cry from 7% in November of ‘22!

The side effects from some of my medications, however, are kicking my ass. One of the anti rejection meds was giving me major GI issues, so my doc changed that med and things seem to be getting a little better. Without going into a lot of detail, I cannot even think about going anywhere if there is not a restroom very nearby. 😞 My bp is still running on the higher side, so my bp meds and or doses have been changed, I think, 5 or 6 times. I have terrible insomnia at night, and typically do not get to sleep before 4-6 am…. And therefore, I sleep most of the day away.

It also seems that surgery may have fast tracked menopause for me, so those symptoms have been awesome. 🙄 And as of about a week ago, my hair has started to fall out, which I knew was a possibility because of another of my medications, but it still sucks.

This all being said, I continue to be ever so grateful for my donor and for the gift of her kidney! My transplant team made sure to tell me many times before transplant, that a transplant is not a cure. It is simply a treatment and that there are more than likely going to be some crazy side effects and a lot of ups and downs with the first year.

I am sooo ready to get back to “normal”, but it’s gonna be a little while yet, and that’s ok! We’re just going to keep taking it day by day and continue to be grateful for my gift!! 💚

As always, thank you all for your love and support!!

11/20/2024

Well, today i am officially 1 month (4 weeks) post transplant and it still feels really weird to say that I’ve had a kidney transplant! It is also almost 2 whole years since I found out that I was sick, and our lives were turned upside down!Things are going well, for the most part and Linda, the kidney, is doing her job!
A week after surgery, I found myself back in the hospital for a few days to 1) get my bp down 2) work on pain control, because all of the concoctions that they were giving me, just weren’t cutting it (WAY worse than childbirth, BTW) and 3) to treat a nasty UTI. Since then, the bp is controlled, and I am no longer needing to take any pain meds…. However, we are pretty sure that I have another UTI, and we are waiting on the culture to come back, so my team can figure out how to treat it. I’m praying that it can be treated orally and that another hospital stay is not in my immediate future, but we will do what we need to do!
I’m kind of going stir crazy, because due to my non-existent immune system, I’m pretty much stuck in my house ( except for doc appts) for another 2 months. I’m normally a homebody, for the most part anyway, but when I’m TOLD that I have to stay home…. I don’t like that much! 🤣 Matt is starting indoor drumline practice tonight and it’s killing me that this drumline mom can’t visit her kids! 😞 I will also be missing another one of Dylan’s concerts on Friday, and that makes me super sad too.
But it’s all good! A year from now, I will look back and realize that it was all completely worth it and things will hopefully all be back to normal!
Once again, I need to thank my amazing donor, Laurie, for the gift that she has given me ( and her husband Keith, for being onboard with the whole thing)! And again, thank YOU all for your prayers, cards and donations that you have sent. You have made a touch situation so much better! 💚

11/01/2024

Wellllllll, I’m home! Was discharged from Geisinger around 8:00 this evening. Pain is a tiny bit better and they sent me home with 4 different pain pills to add to my collection, AND they found that I have a UTI, so they added antibiotic for that too! I’m glad to be home, but I will miss breakfast in bed!!!

I missed this place so much that I decided to come back! Staying another day or two to hopefully get a handle on this p...
10/29/2024

I missed this place so much that I decided to come back! Staying another day or two to hopefully get a handle on this pain and blood pressure. 😢

Breakfast of champions!!! Hope you’re hungry, Linda!!!!! 🤣
10/27/2024

Breakfast of champions!!! Hope you’re hungry, Linda!!!!! 🤣

Saturday update: my weight is now up 34 POUNDS from when I arrived on WEDNESDAY! My output is absolutely outstanding, s...
10/26/2024

Saturday update: my weight is now up 34 POUNDS from when I arrived on WEDNESDAY! My output is absolutely outstanding, so we should get that off within a week or two. The pain is getting more tolerable… so, yay for that! I need one more medication through my IV, and then I think they’re gonna cut me free late this afternoon or early this evening! Kind of hoping it’s after dinner, because I’m actually looking forward to this one. Hahahahaha!!!

Laurie is going home!! My 😇!! (Thanks for making the awesome shirts Jamie Mertz)
10/24/2024

Laurie is going home!! My 😇!! (Thanks for making the awesome shirts Jamie Mertz)

You guys! I have a new kidney! Her name is Linda. 🤣 Thank you all sooooooo much for your prayers and well wishes! The...
10/24/2024

You guys! I have a new kidney! Her name is Linda. 🤣 Thank you all sooooooo much for your prayers and well wishes! The pain is pretty awful, but I’m on 4 pain medications, so we’re keeping up with it. I’m peeing a lot though and my important numbers are trending down…. So that’s great news! AND I GOT TO EAT …. Woohoo!! Laurie is doing great too and she should be getting released later this afternoon! Please enjoy the pic of my delicious breakfast. 🤣🤣

10/24/2024

This is Matt. Sherri is out of surgery. Doing well. Laurie is also doing very well! Today was a huge success! Now the recovery can begin.

PS. She is peeing like a champ!

Today’s the day!!! 💚 Laurie starts at 1:00 or 1:30 and I start at 2:00.
10/23/2024

Today’s the day!!! 💚 Laurie starts at 1:00 or 1:30 and I start at 2:00.

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