Hello! I have heard from several people recently who are going to be supporting someone during and after transplant. Thank you all for trusting me to guide you, it is a true honor.
One of the questions I received I felt was good to share because it might be helpful for several of you:
I was hoping that you could give me some tips and ideas of ways I can help my friend's stay at the hospital be more comfortable during her recovery. What did you wish you had? How did you fight boredom? What was something that someone did that made a difference? Anything will help!
This was my response:
After transplant, she will have a lot of difficulty focusing and seeing, so reading or playing on a computer will not be possible. Her attention span will also be shortened, so she will not be up for doing things for any length of time. I didn't even watch television the entire time I was there, I was too ancy. Here are the top things I would recommend:
1. An MP3 player with her favorite music and a special relaxing playlist for at night or when the pain is intense.
2. Books on tape, if she has some favorite authors, audible has great audio books, she can listen for short spurts (my mom read to me from a book I had started before my transplant and it helped me to relax.)
3. Right after transplant, she will not be able to speak to you or the nurses. I had a white board with markers, that was great
because I could write down what I needed.
4. Once she is out of ICU, you will want to make her room feel cozy. I had my own pillow, and a dear friend gave me a
beautiful blanket to wrap up in. I am always cold in the hospital, so it was nice to have a cozy blanket on my bed.
5. Fresh pj bottoms to change into daily, underpants, and fuzzy socks made me feel fresh each day. It is also important to
have some slip on shoes (like crocs) or slippers by the bed so she doesn't have to walk around in bare feet. warm zip up
hoodies or sweatshirts are also nice.
6. Lotions are a must. Having your hands or feet massaged with lotion is an amazingly decadent thing and can make a
person feel so much better! Also, the yummy smelling hand sanitizer for by her bed is a great idea.
7. I am not sure how old your daughter is, but my daughter's school made a huge sign with all of their signatures and
messages to hang on my wall, that was really special. Some of Hannah's friends also made me a pillowcase with fabric
markers that had sweet messages all over it. Those are the really special things!
To my transplant friends out there, if you have other ideas, please let me know so I can share them. Thanks!
1 comment:
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