It Works

Friday morning. 9:35 to be exact. I’m waiting to speak with the doctors regarding my biopsy results. Nervous? nah. If the results are at least neutral, I will be happy. Bad news, that’s another story.

Waiting in the waiting room is similar to watching grass grow. Grass that hasn’t had rain in a long time. It could take hours. Especially if they are running behind. Today, the room is filled, which means they are behind. I observe the patients and families waiting. Some read, some talk, while the younger ones text on their cell and then there are the ones who pretend to sleep, but you know they really aren’t. They are just trying to shut out the world and be alone for a few precious minutes. And then there is me, and my nice, big, laptop to keep me occupied.

Sitting a few seats away to my left is a Polynesian gentleman that has had a grueling time since his transplant last June. He is back in sweats, with a matching beanie pulled over his head. He is a tall, gentle giant well over 6 ft, but the way he is hunched over in his chair, I doubt he feels half his size. His sweet pea sized mother, sits by his side quietly reading. In front of me, a  Pilipino family of 3 are talking and texting… A grandmother and her teenage grandkids who act as her translator.  Things seem to be going well for them. And then there  is a Hispanic family. These people really stick together and come in full force. The patient who comes with the cousin, grandparent, grandkids, spouse…there is about 7 of them. They take up a whole section of the waiting room.  The adults just sit there, while the kids are coloring on the floor or running around in a two foot radius of the adults. It’s almost like there is an invisible electric fence keeping them in the perimeter. Do not cross.

……My name is called. I love Julie the nurse. She’s about my age and way cool. She does the usual temp, blood pressure and weigh in and sends me to my room. I get all kinds of friendly heads poking in to say hi.

Doc walks in. The results.  INCONCLUSIVE. Really? Doc Steiner explains to me that a very good pathologist studied my kidney samples and nothing showed up to explain the current situation. It may be too early in the stages to find anything, meaning nothing has developed enough for the humans to interpret. (Duh, coulda told you that…in fact, I thought I brought it up pre-biopsy.) Okay, so the good news is there are no signs of rejection. Yay! Therefore, everyone has done what they could they’re just going to let it go for now.

In fact, being the star prisoners, ‘B’idney and I am doing so well, that we get the A-OK to return back to my regular Nephrologists in Orange County for the next 3 months. They will keep a close eye on my progress, which I know will be ok. If my symptoms get worse, they’re going to bring me in for another biopsy… Or so they think, ha! I would like my ‘B’idney to continue looking like a kidney, and not holey swiss cheese, thank you very much.

P.s.- Brian my donor suggested maybe I need to give ‘B’idney a shot of Mountain Dew, since that’s what he pickled his kidneys with before and they seemed to love it. I’m surprised ‘B’idney isn’t glowing fluorescent green. :)