Mending Mandie

02/15/2026

01/14/2026

6 years today!!

Doctors appointment and echo this afternoon. Everything has been good, fingers crossed everything is as good as I feel.
I decided it’s probably time to ask the questions about the donor. Just simple ones, what was his first name and what day was his birthday? I don’t think I’m ready for the rest yet, so baby steps.
All in all, life has been good. 💜

09/23/2025

Yesterday at my appointment with the kidney doctor. He better explained the kidney transplant situation. So, Yes, at my current state he does not feel I need the transplant right now but if it is a perfect match, then yes I should. He put major emphasis on perfect. He feels putting my body through the shock of having to drastically up all of my medications and running into the thought of my already suppressed immune system being susceptible to infections following surgery can be pushed off. As long as it can.
I’m also approaching 5 years since my last dialysis and laugh at my doctor’s proud papa bear stance he has with that. He’s so excited, he shared all of this with my Cardiologist, who was surprised with how animated the kidney doctor is about everything. The kidney doctor is a serious, straight forward, prim and proper person. It’s not his normal behavior. lol
Ive offically graduated to 6month appointments instead of 4 with the promise that I will call if anything comes up that needs his attention.
November will mark a full year of my creatinine being cut in half and my kidney filtration level rising because of medication changes.
December, I turn 40! 🎉🥳 Rick and I are so very, very happy that I get to celebrate this milestone birthday. It’s the first since everything happened and big hopes for many, many more in the future. 💜

05/20/2025

Since November, after stopping the lasix (water pill) my creatinine has dropped, my kidney function has come up. Yesterday I went to the kidney doctor for my 4 month check in. He’s is ecstatic with how well everything is going, happy that my creatinine is half of what it was last year. He told Rick and I that if the transplant foundation calls with a kidney to not expect it. I’m well enough that the doctor feels I do not need it at my current state. The focus is on what function I have and prolonging it the best we can. It’s a great step in the right direction. 🤩🥳🎉💜

03/19/2025

I had a feeling the messages to shut down the page were BS but I wanted to cover bases if it was actually true.
Happy to Announce that I’m still here. 🥳👍🏼

03/12/2025

With in the next 24 hours, Facebook/Meta is deleting this page. For what actual reason I don’t know. It has been a complete run around on how to have it reviewed or possibly save it. I’m completely clueless on what guideline was violated or who would be cruel enough to report a page that just shares a recovery journey.
With that being said,
My Family and myself would like to express our gratitude. We thank everyone who has followed my journey. We are truly grateful for all the love and support you all have given these past 6 1/2 years.
Truly, Thank You!
Mandie 💜

02/07/2025

Happy Heart Month!!💜🫀

01/14/2025

Hooray 5 Years Today!!! 🥳

Had my annual appointment this morning. Bloodwork, EKG, and echo. The bloodwork seems to be better since they stopped the water pill. My creatinine (toxin levels in the body) is at its lowest right now, and kidney filtration seems to be up. Still in failing range, but it's better than it's been. I'm very excited about that. 🤩 The EKG looks good, and nothing came up with the holter monitor from November. So I was definitely just crazy thinking something was wrong. 👍🏼 I'll take this news happily. 💜

12/25/2024

💜💜💜

11/13/2024

The past few weeks I’ve been having issues with dizzy spells. Sunday being the worse, I passed out. Like full blown tree falling “timber” passed out. Scared the ever living s&* # out of Bailey and Emmett. Luckily I did not hit my head but messed up my back pretty good. It clearly took the brunt of the fall. Called the doctor about it Monday, needed to see them down in the city.
Yesterday we travel down to Philly and I’m completely scared, feeling I’m going to have to stay. I packed my bag and pillow just in case, remembering the last time being right before transplant, about the same time 5 years ago. And how I cried cause I just knew I’d have to stay. This time was different though, fingers crossed.
We got there early, one of the first appointments. First the Coordinater and transplant pharmacist comes in asking the laundry list of questions. Are you eating enough? Drinking water? Changed anything? How have your blood pressures been? Everything has been good and stable. How ever I did lose a good amount of weight. “Ok, we’ll be right back with the doctor.”
When they come back in with the doctor after a few minutes, the doctor immediately asks “after losing weight, did anyone adjust your medication?” No, no one did. I’ve been on the same everything at the same dosage since year one of transplant. Almost 4 years and 65lbs ago.
Bingo!! One of the medications is doing it. Immediately stop taking the water pill. In her words, “you’re an entirely different person after weight loss, it should have been adjusted.” The water pill is trying to pull fluid that isn’t there off of me. It itself is what is making me so dizzy. I’m no longer in heart failure to need it. Especially since I don’t have a history of retaining fluid.
Then we discussed the heart and do I feel palpitations. Kind of unsure how to answer I went with “maybe”. Maybe was enough to say I would have to wear a heart monitor for two weeks. All in agreement it’s better to be on the safer side. So heart monitor for the next two weeks with hopes that I’m just crazy and overthinking things.
These last three days have been stressful but I’m home where I need to be. 💜