Mountain Ash,
My fluid was due to liver problems. Long story spanning a few years of terrible health-recovery-illness returning & finally a Liver Transplant in 05. At one point just days before my transplant, I was actively dying...so I fought BOY did I fight. Literally I heard the nurses telling each other at shift change (thinking i was asleep), "She's on comfort Care", OK I have medical experience I knew what that meant. LOL I sat right up in bed, turned on CMT at midnight ordered jello pudding and and rocked the whole ward! Anyhow, the entire ordeal is a whole new topic...Today, I'm pretty much fine, probably not as fine as I profess, but I will not allow anything to slow me down..just a personal motto, but for me "to give in (to the I don't feel like it's) is to give up". BY all rights I shouldn't be here. I now consider Pain as 100% proof that I'm alive! I take meds every 12 hours for antirejection and run with the big dogs. LOL Fluid isn't a problem as long as I keep a high protein diet, exercise and drink lots of water...However it could come back at any given time if the internal balance of my system were to get too far off. I do have monthly complete blood workups + a check on all liver fuction and the level of meds in my system at time of next does, and annually go far beyond a routine physical. At this time I'm having a potassuim problem (too high) readjusting meds, hoping to get it under control. I've had or will have by weeks end 4 extra labs done this month. I am feeling a tad out of wack, but life goes on. My outlook is good mentally and physically as long as I play by the self and medically induced rules.
I do promote organ donation and comfort new or waiting transplant patients, talking about transplants my own or in general isn't a problem for me. I answer all questions open and honest.