I just had my final post-donation check-up at Baystate. It was nostalgic to make the drive and see the offices one last time – I spent so much time there in 2020! My numbers are even better, so it’s really like I never donated, and I forget about it for weeks at a time. Joyce, the donor coordinator who guided me through the whole process, has retired, but she happened to be in the office working per-diem so I gave her another farewell hug. Nancy, the current coordinator, is another sweetheart, and she emphasized that I can reach out at any time if I have any questions or complications. But I doubt I will. Best of all, the donated kidney is still working well, and Chris says she’s only taking one anti-rejection drug, which is great!
| | Reference range | Pre-surgery | Day after | 6 weeks | 6 months | 1 year | 2 years |
| Creatinine (mg/dl) | 0.5-1.0 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| EGFR (ml/min/[height^2) | > 60 | 96 | 50 | 56 | 54 | 61 | 73 |
| Protein, urine (mg/dl) | 0-12 | 16 | | | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Micro-albumin | < 20 | 12.6 | | | < 12 | < 12 | <12 |
| Urine creatinine (mg/dl) | 20-275 | 183.5 | | | 164.4 | 144.2 | 100.2 |
I had thought Hartford would be my last marathon because I was getting so slow. But when I resumed regular blood donation, I got deferred for low iron a few times in a row, and it turns out I was anemic! I’ve been vegetarian forever, but probably between age and dietary changes (no more breakfast cereal) it tipped over into a deficiency. I’ve been taking supplemental iron and B12 and my levels are normal now. I can donate blood again (maybe not as frequently – playing that by ear!), but also my running speed is back up.
I’m still a little slower than I was 5 or 10 years ago, but I won’t shut the door on another marathon. I might want to do New York again… But until then, this blog goes back into mothballs!