transplant

[rileysmom]

Hi there i have a few questions regarding getting a transplant/. a friend of mine has been testing to see if she is a match to me and so far everything is coming back positive for the transplant. however i am a little hesitant to go thru with it as i am a single mom and am not sure how i will be able to take care of my special needs daughter after the transplant during my recovery and how i will get back and forth to the doctor followin gthe procedure as i live an hour away. sure i have family but they live an hour away and they have their own families to take care of and they work during the day as well. also how long was the recovery time before you can get up and move and drive ? what about the precautions you need to take after the surgery. both short term and long term?..ie lifting, workout ,how long before you can go back to work to a very physically demanding job ( i am a flight attendant and am on medical leave as i cant do my job while doing dialysis every night for nine hours) and ia m not sure if i could go back to flying after a transplant as i would be in a "flying sick tube" sometimes for 16hours at a time around sick people , germs, etc..... precautions so you dont get sick, etc. etc, etc. any info i can get to help me make this decision would be really appreciated.

[MomoMcSleepy]

Oh, Riley,you have a lot on your plate!  I have not had a transplant, but lifting restrictions post op are generally 6 weeks or so.  You will have to take it easy in general for at least two weeks, and then still be good to yourself and get list of rest, but you'll feel a lot less useless and less I. Pain by then.  If you try to rush it, your body will rebel, so make sure you have enough help. 

What sort of disability does your child have?  Do you have to bathe, dress and lift her?  Howls you manage now?

I guess I would suggest  moving I with a relative post-op.  It is a lot to ask, but you'd doit for them, right?  Maybe your daughter can go with one person and you can go with another.  Do your relatives live close to each other?  I'm just thinking, that way. You're not trying to take dare of her, impeding your recovery, and you've spread the help around instead of saddling a relative with two people to care for.

In my experience with my kidney workup, social workers are wary of recommending transplant for someone who doesn't have a strong support network, so you must rally the troops somehow.  If you feel bad about it, offer to do something for them once you're well (but I would try to just take the help and not mar it with offers of remuneration, cause they can get sticky).

I woould about the plane germs, too, but talk to your health team about it.  Shook get sick a lot as it is?  Maybe already have and a lot of the germs you can expect on the plane.  I would thinks new line of work, maybe even just in a different area at the airline, might be a good idea, but I'd check with the doctors.  Your health is priority #1, do what is best and don't be afraid to ask forhelp-- if  you need it, you need it.

Good luck!