Thread by @MAdamsick

My hero mom successfully donated one of her kidneys to my dad @NM_Transplant last week! As a family with Polycystic Kidney Disease @PKDFoundation we have prepared for this for decades since my grandpa was diagnosed and transplanted in 2001. 🧵

As a 7-year old, I remember feeling so confused that someone else’s kidney was functioning in my grandpa. Fast forward to pharmacy school @UIPharmacy when I learned of the immense impact a transplant pharmacist could have on the transplant process.

Close monitoring of immunosuppression, patient and family counseling, and participation in transplant selection committees - all pushed me to pursue a career in clinical pharmacy. I wanted to help families like mine through this process.

Through this passion for helping families with PKD, I learned the infectious risks in transplant recipients and I knew I was hooked. Plus I couldn’t get through all of the immunology papers without falling asleep! I had to pursue #IDpharmacy 🦠🦠

Despite ultimately pursuing #infectiousdiseases, transplant pharmacy has always been so special and heavily respected to me because I knew the day would come when my dad got his kidney, and one day I would get one, too.

Watching and helping my parents navigate the transplant process from initial selection appointments to donor evals, and pre-op appts through transplant day and post-op has been challenging. The medical world is most definitely not build for non-medical people.

I have helped dose medications for my Dad’s renal function, translated imaging reports into patient friendly language (including a cerebral aneurysm), spoken to PCPs and specialists, and answered so many questions. And this is a field with donor and recipient advocates.

Being the healthcare resource in the family is not easy. Where do I draw the line? Is it fair to receive the blunt, unfiltered info first? How do I advocate for my family without being “that family member?” How do I separate their medical care from my everyday work?

How am I, as an #IDpharmacist, not supposed to worry about infections in my now heavily immunosuppressed father? How am I supposed to avoid thinking about the crazy zebra cases I’ve seen over the years? How do I remind myself that I only see the worst cases?

I have not figured out the answers, but I do know that the young pharmacy student that fell in love with clinical pharmacy because I wanted to help my family get through transplant, is celebrating today. 💕💃🏻😍

I am so happy to report that both my mom and dad are doing so well post-transplant and are healing and in great spirits!

Even though my dad didn’t have a deceased donor, many PKD patients don’t have family members that are able to donate because PKD is so prevalent amongst families. Please consider signing up to be a donor at donatelife.net

Thank you to the incredible surgeons, nephrologists, PHARMACISTS, nurses, social workers, and more that have cared for my family! It was amazing having a @UWHealth transplant PGY2 grad do my Dad’s discharge teaching! #smallworld #thanksdave @UWPharmacist

#Transplant #kidneytransplant