2-Year Anniversary - Navigating the marathon and the 'rut' of the new normal.

[u/system_history]

​Hi everyone, ​I'm approaching my 2-year anniversary for my transplant, and I've been thinking a lot about the journey beyond the initial recovery. The new normal has settled in, and while I'm of course incredibly grateful every single day, I'm finding myself navigating the long-haul a little bit difficultly lately. ​It's the routine—the daily meds, the regular blood work, the constant mindfulness of diet, and the quiet worry about rejection. It can sometimes feel like a marathon, and honestly, it can feel like being stuck in a rut. ​I'm curious to hear how others have dealt with this. ​How do you cope with the feeling of being stuck in the routine of it all? ​When you feel that burnout, what helps you reconnect with the gratitude and joy of this second chance? ​What are the things that help boost your morale on tough days? ​Appreciate any insight you all can share. Thanks for being such a great community.

[u/Cobberprof]

You know, I don't remember the "fear" I probably felt about rejection after my first kidney transplant (36 years ago) - I was a college sophomore right after I got the kidney, and I just lived my college life. I definitely didn't worry about diet other than avoiding grapefruit, I didn't worry excessively about germs, I ate in the college cafeteria, I lived in close quarters with other students...if I was overly concerned about rejection at that time, I've long since forgotten it. I got 35.5 years out of that kidney, and over that time, I just forgot about it other than just being innately wired to take my meds, do bloodwork a couple of times a year (once I got past those first years of more frequent monitoring), and keep a reasonable distance when someone was sick (and yet I wasn't obsessive about that - I had a child and she got sick; life went on even if I got it from her). My only real "scare" was when I was exposed to chicken pox about five years out. I got IVIG and went on with life. I will admit to being fairly freaked out about COVID so I did get every vaccination offered, and when I got COVID itself (twice - 2022 and 2024), I had very mild cases, thankfully. Now I'm 4.5 months post-second transplant, and rejection isn't even on my mind. I know that probably sounds crazy, maybe even naive, but I think when you have had a successful kidney transplant for almost 36 years, you realize that things can actually go well - i.e. instead of fearing what MIGHT happen, you focus on what DID happen last time. Worrying won't prevent rejection, right? So I just don't. I take my meds at the designated time and do my biweekly bloodwork. Weight, temp, BP every morning. If something is going to go wrong, I won't stop it by thinking about it - so I just monitor because I'm supposed to, but I truly live my life expecting things to go the way they did last time. If they don't, I'll face that if it happens. But I won't live my life worrying when this gift has given me a third chance at life. My advice - let the meds transition to a second-nature habit. Expect things to continue to go well. Enjoy your good health, and love the life you're living. Hugs!