Before jumping into transplant life, meds, recovery, and everything that comes with it, there are a few important things I need to get out of the way.
First—and this matters—I’m not a doctor. I don’t wear a white coat, and no one has ever handed me a stethoscope. I’m just someone who’s been through a transplant and learned a lot along the way. Think of this blog as a companion, not a replacement, for your medical team. Your doctors, nurses, and specialists are the experts. Use what you read here to understand your journey better and ask smarter questions—not to override professional advice.
Second, transplant medicine moves fast. My transplant was in 2020, and even since then, things have changed. New drugs, new protocols, new research—it’s a constantly evolving world. If something your doctor tells you doesn’t line up exactly with what you read here, trust them. Always. Medicine beats blogs, laptops, and social media posts every time.
Third, your transplant experience will not look exactly like mine. Medications, dosages, routines—those are highly individualized. What you’re prescribed depends on your body, your health history, your transplant center, and what treatments are current at the time. That’s why I won’t be listing specific medication regimens here. Your plan is yours, and it should stay that way.
Another thing that surprises a lot of people: transplant care isn’t identical everywhere. Even within the U.S., procedures and protocols can vary by hospital, region, or transplant center. Something that’s routine in one place may be handled differently in another. That’s normal—even if it’s a little confusing.
And finally, the future is coming fast. Artificial kidneys and other breakthroughs are already in development. In a few years, parts of this journey may look very different than they do today. Some basics—like recovery, healing, and learning to live with a transplant—will always apply. But the landscape is changing, and that’s a good thing.
So if you remember nothing else from this post, remember this: when in doubt, trust your medical team first. Everything else—including this blog—is here to support that conversation.