UK patient recovering well after region’s first robotic kidney transplant

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW via LEX NEWS) – Jeff Johnson is just shy of 60 days removed from undergoing a historic kidney transplant at the University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

“It went relatively smoothly, I think I took one-half of a pain pill when I was in the hospital, and I have not taken one since I left the hospital, so I’m happy,” Johnson said.

For the first time in a four-state region, robotics were used to execute the transplant.

“Dr. (Matthew) Black told me it was going to be relatively easy. I didn’t believe him, quite frankly, but I believe him now,” Johnson said.

LEX News first shared the story about the robotics procedure on Monday, and, because Mr. Johnson had to travel from his home in Ohio for some post-op testing, we had a chance to get his thoughts on being a part of this first-of-its-kind operation. He’s a strong proponent of it, saying he’s recovered faster from this surgery than any he’s had before.

“If I had to do it again, I would do it again. It was seamless,” Johnson stated.

Johnson’s mask reads: “Made with recycled parts.” His lone recycled part is that kidney and the donor is not only a living donor, but someone he knows quite well.

“He didn’t even tell my daughter he was doing it. He just started coming down here to get tested,” Johnson began to explain.

His son-in-law, James, is the donor, and like Jeff, he’s doing well two months after the procedure.

“His family was supportive. Shows what kind of person he is,” Johnson said of his daughter’s husband.

Johnson expects to be cleared to resume work soon and thinks he will give it a few more years before retiring. He said his trust in Dr. Black led him to make the decision to do the operation in this new and somewhat unorthodox way. Now he swears by it.

“I just liked the guy,” Johnson said of his doctor. “I trusted him, and he said how it was a good way to go and that the incision would be smaller. And he was right. I would never tell someone not to do it,” he added.

Together, they did it and made history in our region.