Tomorrows the big day...

[topazbeauty]

Any suggestions on what to expect, or what you wish you knew/had prior to transplant?

I'm going in at 8, surgery is at 10. My mom starts her surgery at 8, so she's in at 6.

Right now I have my bag packed and just started thinking, what am I missing. So, are there anything that you wish you had while you were in the hospital? Or anything that you found out after the surgery that you wish you would have known?

[jbeany]

 
That's great news!

Hoepfully, you will be up and moving quickly, so you won't be stuck in the hospital for long.  As for stuff I wished I had brought -

A decent pillow.  The flat, plastic coated ones they provide are horrid, horrid, horrid.

A small fan.  The temps in the room never seem to respond to the setting on the thermostat.  It's always either too hot or too cold.  I purchased a $6 battery op fan for my last stay - it was fabulous, especially when I woke up in a puddle of sweat from sleeping on a plastic mattress. 

Ear plugs.  If you don't get a private room, either your roommate will snore, or be on a sleep apnea machine, or have the tv on all night long.

A roll of real T-paper.  That stuff they call t-paper in their bathrooms has the same texture as a brillo pad.

A sleep mask.  Everything has blinking lights - the IV pump, the call buttons, the in-room computer for records access.  And the blinds on the windows don't really block much light - especially if you end up in a room with a view of the helicopter landing area like I did!

And a big stick, to whack the nurses with when they wake you up to ask if you need anything...... 

[kellyt]

Yes, take your own pillow and a warm blanket.  Mine was lime green and my bathrobe was hot pink.  It really brightened up the room and believe it or not the nurses liked the color for a change and they were pleasant when they came in.

You should get a private room.  That is the policy for most transplants I think.  Or it should be if it's not!  It was the policy at my hospital, but it was a transplant hospital.

Take something loose to wear home.  I bought a pair of jeans a size bigger, but even they were a little snug on my incision.

Take some good snacks for your room, like peanutbutter crackers or fruit (apples would be best), cause the food stinks!  Mine did, at least.

Take your own bath towel, too.

Congratulations!!

[Rerun]

If you are going to be on Prednisone you will be starving.  Do not give in to it.  Eat small portions and know that is sufficient.  Otherwise you will gain weight fast.  Keep it under control from the start.

Best of luck to both of you.   

[Chris]

A better cough pillow than the one they give. The thicker the better if you are sensitive, a bag for dirty laindry, not the clear plastic one they give you.Plus what else was said previously.

[kellyt]

I was given a great little cough pillow shaped like a little blue kidney.  It was just big enough and firm.  I used it for months around the house.  It almost became a security blanket (pillow) for me.  It just felt good to have it pressed against my incision.

I was also able to avoid sneezing for about 2 months.  Everytime I got that tingling feeling in my nose I would sniff really hard and the sneeze would go away.  But the first time I did sneeze it kindof hurt.

Get you house clean for when you come home.  All trash out.  Dirty dishes washed.  I did a full cleaning of the floors, bathrooms and had the furniture steamcleaned.

[okarol]

Good luck! Please let us know how it's going. I will PM you my phone number - an update would be great!!
 

[Chris]

Kelly, I didn't get one of those. I was given a cheap disposable hospital pilliow that was small and not so great. So I say be prepared.