In 2020 we had our first lockdown and I walked the 3.5 km around our hill (including the last km up a fairly steep hill) for the first time since the transplant. I made it far easier than expected. Also during the lockdown, I had my last Fruitburst and broke a filling. I've already mentioned my less than perfect short-term memory - by the time lockdown was over I had forgotten.
I'd also found things weren't as good as they had been. After months of talking to my GP, suddenly remembered my broken filling. I rang a health line who said the first thing I should do is get it fixed by my dentist. Both dentist and GP were sceptical, but the day after the dentist had fixed it, the problems had gone.
In 2021 I came down with worse problems. My GP sent me to the heart team, who when they heard I'd seen a neuropsychologist wanted to send me back to her. She's no longer available in the public system, but as much as I admire her I didn't see her as being relevant this time. After almost a year I finally got another appointment with my new kidney doctor. The previous one had been cancelled by the second knockdown. She suggested I take three weeks off my statin. I'd been on this for well over a decade.
To say I was sceptical is an understatement, but this new kidney specialist has quickly earned my respect, so I did it, not expecting anything to change. I started on a Monday and was talking to my wife the following Saturday about possible improvements. As we talked I realised they were much more than I'd appreciated. I had much more physical and mental energy than for most of the year.
She reminded me my mother had been unable to take statins, and I then found out my sister was the same. Also, three BILs and a SIL also had potential statin issues. The thing was I'd been on statins for well over a decade with no issues.
So that's another lesson I've learned the hard way. Things change. In my case, both the ability to process lactose and the side effects of statins changed.