Some people are surprised to learn that Arabella will remain on medication for the rest of her kidney’s life.  She is currently on 2 immunosuppresants, a steroid, a LOW BLOOD pressure med (after being on 5 meds/day for high blood pressure before transplant), two antibacterials, an antifungal and an antacid because all the meds are hard on her system.  Some of these meds will be weaned and/or removed after 100 days, if she’s doing well.  But she will remain on the immunosuppresants forever.  

She takes one medicine because I was exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus (mono) as a teen.  About 90% of the population is positive for exposure and it doesn’t generally cause much trouble for an average person, but Arabella will require additional treatment to prevent rejection if the virus is activated in her system.  Rejection is a big concern for a transplanted organ–that’s why her immune system will always be suppressed, so that it doesn’t figure out that the kidney isn’t native to her body.  And, though rejection is often treatable, they’ve explained to us that each episode, even when successfully treated, will shorten the life of the kidney.  She takes her medicines every 12 hours and is tested weekly for her immunosuppression levels.  

We don’t yet know how things are going as a result of the recent medication change since Arabella hadn’t been taking the new medicine long enough when she last had labs.  Her creatinine is still high, but is moving in the right direction (lower).  We are hopeful that soon she will start feeling better.  Tonight’s picture shows her morning meds.  The plus side is that Arabella currently only takes 19 pills a day–that’s less than she took before transplant just to eat her meals and snacks!