After nearly 40 years of Type 1 Diabetes, and over two years of Dialysis due to CKD/ESRD, I received a successful kidney-pancreas transplant. Transplanted organs give you a second lease on life and allow you to breath without the constant thought of how your illness will prevent you from enjoying your time.
For me, the ability to be “spontaneous” is something I was never able to do. Even the smallest of diversions required planning and packing of supplies and medications to ensure I could live. Having both diabetes and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the amount of planning that goes into a single meal can be mind boggling. Now, most of those “restrictions” have relaxed, allowing me to be in the moment at mealtime, and enjoy the company of friends and loved ones. If I could list one thing that is my favorite post-transplant “gift,” it is the additional space in my brain to focus on the things I love like art, music, and my work.
