Katie's Liver Transplant Journey

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Katie's Liver Transplant Journey

💚 I need your help! 💚

I am currently waiting on a liver transplant and seeking a potential living donor. Please visit www.nyp.org/livingdonorliver for info!

Follow along on this journey to learn all about liver disease, transplant, and my daily life!

02/09/2026

Saw my surgeon today. He cauterized the part of the wound that is still open. Fingers crossed it does the trick and the incision is finally fully healed 😬

25/08/2026

Officially hit 3 months post-op!!! 🎉🎉🎉

Besides a few blips, it has been relatively smooth sailing. I am back home full-time, sans supervision. The driving pillow has been retired. And no more pain meds, not even Tylenol! All major milestones on the journey back to normal.

LFTs have been within range for the last 4 weeks. Still playing around with medications and the wound near the hematoma continues to drain. But neither are concerning at the moment.

Slowly but surely getting there 😊

14/08/2026

First time going out to eat! 🤤😍🥘

A few menu items were no-gos but everything we had was delicious. And the team was very understanding about my “allergy”.

12/08/2026

While I no longer need to be super strict with my sodium or fat intake, there is a whole new set of dietary rules to consider:

- No grapefruit, seville orange, nor pomegranate, as it can interfere with anti-rejection meds
- Alcohol must be cooked out
- Seafood and meat must be cooked to 145 F, no raw or rare
- Raw veggies and fruits should be thoroughly washed for food safety
- No unpasteurized dairy products unless cooked to 165 F all the way through
- Limit heme iron rich foods (e.g. beef, lamb, organ meats)

07/08/2026

Got permission to drive!!!! Took a minute to figure out the pillow/seatbelt situation but we got there 😬

If everyone could kindly stay off the roads until I remember how to do this, it would be appreciated 😉🚘

31/07/2026

Status update: 9 weeks post op

LFTs are improving, almost back to normal, so it looks like we are past the minor rejection episode. Continuing to titrate down the prednisone; went to 7.5 mg at the 60 day mark.

The two stitches remaining in the surgical incision finally fell out! So I can start using vitamin E cream to help reduce the scar. Except on the end which is still bleeding.

Time spent at home was lovely, though I had to do some re-stocking. My bathroom now has more supplies than some ERs 🤦🏻‍♀️

28/07/2026

Spending two days at home alone as the next step towards normal. Having to re-decorate with all the goodies people have been sending 🥰🥰🥰

22/07/2026

Status update: 8 weeks post op

Still trying to find the right tacrolimus dosage. Liver function tests came back flat to last week (no better, no worse) with my tacro level coming in slightly low. Continuing to monitor for now.

The hematoma at the base of my surgical incision continues to bleed. But no signs of infection so the team is not worried. And they are convinced it is getting smaller. I am convinced it is uncomfortable 😫

I have gotten permission to stay at my house alone for a few nights a week. With appropriate check ins, of course! So slowly making my way back to normal life

19/07/2026

What’s the best way to avoid cyclospora outbreak? Use snap peas from your home garden!

Technically, it is my sister-in-law’s garden but what’s hers is mine, right? 😁

16/07/2026

Weekly bloodwork shows a continued downward trend in my LFTs. Still elevated but better.

The theory is a mild rejection episode (fairly common for recent recipients) resulting from dosage changes of my immunosuppressants. But the meds seem to have stopped my immune system from attacking the graft and the liver is now healing.

Will continue to monitor.

Address

Lita 1055 NJ-34

07747

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