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Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 10:10:34 AM

LadyConstanze

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A friend of mine had a heart transplant and I'm going to visit to care of him for a few weeks, now apart from all the usual stuff and information I got from doctors, I seem to recall there were a few comments of people here who had organ transplants and was hoping they can give me some practical hints as they have 1st hand information and help me to take care of my friend even better. Just a few little pointers about daily life issues and how to make things more comfy and easy for him...

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 10:30:33 AM

hausboy

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Hi LadyC

I don't have any expertise in organ transplants, but can at least offer some tips for post-surg that apply to just general living...

in no particular order...

Follow all directions to the letter...especially dietary ones. So if his/her instructions say...no salt...or no raw greens...or no potassium...whatever.... don't tempt fate! follow them. I was able to eat without any restrictions post-surgery (not an organ transplant, mind you!) but what I found was that toileting after surgery was tedious, painful (every moment, every muscle caused my incision to hurt) and challenging. Not to be graphic, but my first 48 hrs, I needed assistance with certain rather private tasks. (I'll leave it at that) So for me, that meant that I ate foods the first few days that didn't have me going to the bathroom more than normal.

I didn't have a lot nausea post-surgery, but I know a lot who did, and so they told me to have jello, ginger ale, crackers--things that were more "agreeable"--nearby in my room. I definitely did a lot of ice chips afterwards--I woke up extremely thirsty and dehydrated.

Surgical sutures can take awhile to heal. Abdominal incisions can take a particularly long time, so remind your friend to take it easy and be patient. Avoid stretching/bending. Sneezing and coughing were a BIG problem, I'm sure his/her doc will show them, but I had to have a pillow near me ALL the time in case I sneezed/coughed, and had to place it against my chest.

Ahead of time, I bought one of those "grabbing hooks" where you squeeze the handle and it picks things up for you. Fantastic--I used it to tie my shoes, pick up dropped items (light ones), grab my cup for drinking, etc. Prevented any stretching.

Along those same lines....
I made sure anything up high was moved down low BEFORE the surgery, I made sure my home was "surgery" ready so that when I got home, I wouldn't have to navigate any clutter, my shoes/clothes were ready and places low so I could get them, and any items that I would need regularly, I had out and ready. (toothpaste, toothbrush, cups, dish etc.)

I bought food, water, comfort items, medications from the pharmacy...ALL ahead of time, so that post-surg I could just focus on getting better, and not have to run errands or ask others to run them for me.

Bendy straws. Little thing, big difference. I had a box of bendable straws near the bed, this allowed me to drink from a cup, can, bottle etc. without having to raise my arms, bend, stretch etc. a true lifesaver!

Comfy pants like pj's and sweats were also a godsend...nothing tight or constricting, and I only wore shirts that buttoned and were loose fitting. Trying to put a t-shirt on after a major surgery is no picnic.

last: support! having friends and acquaintances who went through a similar surgery was incredible helpful and reassuring. I still called my surgeon if there was any medical issue, but just talking to others who had been there was a huge help.

good luck and I hope your friend is recovering soon!

(in reply to LadyConstanze)

Post #: 2

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 10:38:10 AM

barelynangel

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Talk to SnappyKappy, he had a lung transplant last year. His caretaker is also on here i believe.

angel

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 10:44:33 AM

LadyHibiscus

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Your friend will be *exhausted*. True, you don't feel great before needing a transplant, but surgery then anti rejection drugs....wipeout.

Also, depression and heart surgery seem to go hand in hand. Keep an eye out for that, and maybe come up with minor distractions/entertainments.

Good luck! Planet Caretaker is not easy! Make sure that YOU eat and rest enough. A baby monitor is a good thing to have, so he can give you a shout out when you're elsewhere. :)

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 11:09:20 AM

LadyConstanze

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hausboy and Lady Hib, he's already at home and currently has another friend looking after him, I talk to him regularly on the phone and we make sure our time will overlap, he has a nurse as well, but it's exactly the cheering up issue and having a friend by his side that might make all the difference and why I'm going to cross the pond.

His diet has a couple of restrictions (very limited salt, no potassium) and I've been doing test runs already of cooking calorie reduced, salt and potassium free food that's still tasty, also signed up for a a class (more like a crash course) in how to take care post surgery of organ transplant patients, but again, that's all very much theory and hands on experience is always a great thing. I took care of having a complete check up, one before I fly and one after, to make sure I'm not carrying anything that might be little in a normal case, but with somebody who's taking meds to suppress the immune system, a simple flu or cold could cause major problems.

Despite having a nurse, there's a big difference between having a paid caretaker look after you (not to take anything away from nurses and the wonderful job they do) and having a friend around who just wants you to be comfortable and can cheer you up. To top it all off, his assistant left him in the lurch and the whole office in a mess while he was in the hospital, sorting out the mess is something I can do for him as we worked together in the past.

My biggest worry currently is that I step off the plane after roughly 20 hours on planes and airports and that I might have picked up something on the plane (closed system with recycled air, tons of people so any germ will be blasted through the system again and again). I upped my vitamin C intake, garlic pills, etc, increase my exercise daily to boost my system.

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(in reply to LadyHibiscus)

Post #: 5

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 1:16:28 PM

hausboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyConstanze

hausboy and Lady Hib, he's already at home and currently has another friend looking after him, I talk to him regularly on the phone and we make sure our time will overlap, he has a nurse as well, but it's exactly the cheering up issue and having a friend by his side that might make all the difference and why I'm going to cross the pond.

His diet has a couple of restrictions (very limited salt, no potassium) and I've been doing test runs already of cooking calorie reduced, salt and potassium free food that's still tasty, also signed up for a a class (more like a crash course) in how to take care post surgery of organ transplant patients, but again, that's all very much theory and hands on experience is always a great thing. I took care of having a complete check up, one before I fly and one after, to make sure I'm not carrying anything that might be little in a normal case, but with somebody who's taking meds to suppress the immune system, a simple flu or cold could cause major problems.

Despite having a nurse, there's a big difference between having a paid caretaker look after you (not to take anything away from nurses and the wonderful job they do) and having a friend around who just wants you to be comfortable and can cheer you up. To top it all off, his assistant left him in the lurch and the whole office in a mess while he was in the hospital, sorting out the mess is something I can do for him as we worked together in the past.

My biggest worry currently is that I step off the plane after roughly 20 hours on planes and airports and that I might have picked up something on the plane (closed system with recycled air, tons of people so any germ will be blasted through the system again and again). I upped my vitamin C intake, garlic pills, etc, increase my exercise daily to boost my system.

Just practice good hygiene--that is, washing your hands frequently before eating and before/after using the toilet. Try to avoid touching your nose/face and cover your own cough or sneeze. The good news (well, sort of) planes do filter their air thru HEPA filters, but that doesn't help you if the person is less than 6 ft away and doesn't cover their cough/sneeze.

good luck--he's lucky to have you as a friend

(in reply to LadyConstanze)

Post #: 6

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 1:56:14 PM

LadyConstanze

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Actually he's been a fantastic friend and a great boss (a pain in the neck sometimes but one of the bosses who also help you along and even after I wasn't working for him anymore he's been a great mentor), so I'm lucky to have him as a friend.

I was wondering if I should maybe get a hospital mask, got hand sanitizers already, will cut my nails quite short, basically the last thing I want to do is to endanger him. He keeps on telling me I worry far too much, but I don't think in a case like that you can worry too much, he's got a 2nd chance not many people get.

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(in reply to hausboy)

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/27/2011 9:10:29 PM

hausboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyConstanze

Actually he's been a fantastic friend and a great boss (a pain in the neck sometimes but one of the bosses who also help you along and even after I wasn't working for him anymore he's been a great mentor), so I'm lucky to have him as a friend.

I was wondering if I should maybe get a hospital mask, got hand sanitizers already, will cut my nails quite short, basically the last thing I want to do is to endanger him. He keeps on telling me I worry far too much, but I don't think in a case like that you can worry too much, he's got a 2nd chance not many people get.

check with his discharge instructions.

Here's my two cents....from a Communicable Disease perspective....

Recent transplant patients definitely have weakened immune systems, and you are wise to be vigilant about not bringing in "bugs" into his house.
1. Good infection control is one of the most effective risk reduction acts you can take, and that starts with proper hand washing.

2. If you are sick....or feel you might be getting sick...your best bet is to wait, stay home until you are sure you are well. (or at least, not contagious)...and remember, you can still spread flu even if you are no longer symptomatic--be sure you are fever free (without the use of fever reducing agents) for at least 24-48 hrs.

3. Get a flu shot

A word on masks. Surgical masks provide only droplet protection--so essentially, if you sneeze (or someone else sneezes) it prevents those larger droplets from entering your nose and mouth or his. It does NOT filter out bacteria or viruses in the air. For that you need an N95 respirator (or greater). In the states, to ensure a respirator truly fits properly and protectively, it must be fit-tested using a computer-aided machine.

I certainly wouldn't have any objection to him (or you) wearing a mask, but it can offer a false sense of security and should never substitute other effective disease control techniques. If you believe you need to wear a mask to protect him because you may have a virus or other infection, your best bet would be to avoid contact entirely.

In addition, the patient should do what he can do to protect himself. Good hand-washing applies there as well, and he may need to limit visitors and avoid those who are sick.

< Message edited by hausboy -- 11/27/2011 9:11:54 PM >

(in reply to LadyConstanze)

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/28/2011 4:18:10 PM

peppermint

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First thing to know is that new tranplant patients are anal about taking their medications at the very minute of every day that they are supposed to take that med. However, due to the fact that some are still on medications because of the surgery, they just might forget if they did nor did not take the meds. Keeping a chart where you check off when meds are taken might be a good idea.

Depending on your friend's personality you may have to encourage him to get the proper exercise the doctor has ordered. Exercise will help the healing process.

I wasn't there when Gary had his lung transplant but his daughter was. From what they've talked about she drove him to the clinic every day at first for his check ups. She cooked. She cleaned. However, she was mainly there to give moral support. He felt safer to have someone there just in case something went wrong.

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(in reply to LadyConstanze)

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/28/2011 4:24:21 PM

tazzygirl

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quote:

I certainly wouldn't have any objection to him (or you) wearing a mask, but it can offer a false sense of security and should never substitute other effective disease control techniques. If you believe you need to wear a mask to protect him because you may have a virus or other infection, your best bet would be to avoid contact entirely.

In addition, the patient should do what he can do to protect himself. Good hand-washing applies there as well, and he may need to limit visitors and avoid those who are sick.

I agree this wont do much for the patient once she gets there. But what about wearing a mask while she is on the plane? Its not perfect protection, but do you consider that useless?

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/28/2011 7:37:20 PM

hausboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

quote:

I certainly wouldn't have any objection to him (or you) wearing a mask, but it can offer a false sense of security and should never substitute other effective disease control techniques. If you believe you need to wear a mask to protect him because you may have a virus or other infection, your best bet would be to avoid contact entirely.

In addition, the patient should do what he can do to protect himself. Good hand-washing applies there as well, and he may need to limit visitors and avoid those who are sick.

I agree this wont do much for the patient once she gets there. But what about wearing a mask while she is on the plane? Its not perfect protection, but do you consider that useless?

hey Tazzy
Not necessarily useless... it does provide droplet protection when the clod next to you sneezes in your face....but it's certainly not going to provide the same level that an N95 does. Quite honestly, it would actually be BETTER if the person sneezing wore the droplet mask, that would actually provide far better protection for everyone. But it seems like the sneeziest, coughing person on every plane gets assigned next to yours truly.

And what most folks don't realize (at least around here, where during H1N1 we saw some of the stupidest things I've EVER seen) if you expose your nose....or mouth....putting the N95 back on "real quick" isn't going to help you if there's something in the air that can get into your system. Those little buggers are much faster than you are, the old "5-second rule" does not apply to airborne viruses or spores.

I fly a LOT....I try to avoid touching things unnecessary, I use hand sanitizer before putting my hand into the little bag of pretzels and don't touch my nose/face/eyes if I can consciously help it....and I do use one of those OTC herbal remedies. When the flight attendants come through, I ask for a cup of water, no ice, and then I drop one of those "Airborne" immune boosters tablets into it.

(in reply to tazzygirl)

Post #: 11

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/28/2011 8:45:51 PM

tazzygirl

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You do realize "Airborne" offers no protection and settled a lawsuit as a result of that claim.

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Telling me to take Midol wont help your butthurt.
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Duchess of Dissent 1
Dont judge me because I sin differently than you.
If you want it sugar coated, dont ask me what i think! It would violate TOS.

(in reply to hausboy)

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 4:08:55 AM

LadyConstanze

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I fly quite regularly and I always found that ecineza (sp), slow release vitamin C pills and a bunch of other vitamins help a lot, additionally to that the sanitary hand wipes (easier to get on a plane than the liquid), I tend to avoid touching things at airports if I don't have to (hand rails for example) and after using the public restrooms definitely using the hand wipes when I'm back at my seat, no point washing my hands otherwise when the person before me possibly didn't and touched the door handle...

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There are 10 kinds of people who understand binary
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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 6:29:49 AM

tazzygirl

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I always use the towel I dried my hands with to open the door. And while those vitamins may make you believe you are boosting your immune system actually do not work fast enough to assist in that function once you are about to enter a "germy" environment.

quote:

The idea proposed by the company, that you could take this formula and be instantly protected when you enter an airplane or other closed quarters, is incorrect, Schardt says. "There is nothing you can swallow -- no vitamin, no mineral, no herb -- that will instantly protect you," he says. "The immune system doesn't work that way."

The formula, while not providing proven protection against colds, may even be hazardous, he adds. It may have too much vitamin A. Two tablets include 10,000 IU of vitamin A, considered the maximum safe daily level, and the company dose instructions advise not exceeding three tablets a day.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20080304/cold-remedy-airborne-settles-lawsuit?page=2

_____________________________

Telling me to take Midol wont help your butthurt.
RIP, my demon-child 5-16-11
Duchess of Dissent 1
Dont judge me because I sin differently than you.
If you want it sugar coated, dont ask me what i think! It would violate TOS.

(in reply to LadyConstanze)

Post #: 14

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 7:47:08 AM

LadyConstanze

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The thing is to start taking them well in advance, I started taking them as soon as I knew I would be flying

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http://exdomme.blogspot.com/2012/07/public-service-announcement.html

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RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 2:56:34 PM

hausboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

You do realize "Airborne" offers no protection and settled a lawsuit as a result of that claim.

no kidding? I didn't know that...but sadly, not surprised.

I'm curious to see how the Zicam one plays out. A friend of mine is a part of the class action lawsuit .

(in reply to tazzygirl)

Post #: 16

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 3:01:54 PM

hausboy

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I'll be damned! Thanks Tazzy....And here it is....
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20080304/cold-remedy-airborne-settles-lawsuit

sorry. it's a bit of a hijack...

I will add here Tazzy...that those of us who regularly use it saw it as a nice supplement (for those who haven't taken it, it's basically a zinc and vitamin C tab that fizzes in water) I never thought it was full protection but it was a helpful booster--I do believe that zinc and C are good boosts to the immune system.

(in reply to hausboy)

Post #: 17

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 4:23:46 PM

LadyConstanze

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ZINC!!!! Got to add that too

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http://exdomme.blogspot.com/2012/07/public-service-announcement.html

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Post #: 18

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 5:21:24 PM

bemyslut

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Zinc works not by boosting the immune system, but by coating the oro/naso pharynx with a layer of zinc in the mucous. The effects, while real, are hardly practical (it only shortened the duration of symptoms by 24 hours; it did not prevent the spread of viruses) As has been previously mentioned, much to the dismay of many herbalist apothecaries, Airborne was essentially worthless in preventing the spread of virus related URIs (its main components were mega doses of Vit C, Zinc, Echinacea, and a few other minerals/vitamins; high doses of Vit C can precipitate renal calculi). When tested in a rigorous scientific double blind placebo controlled study, such OTC naturopathic remedies rarely have any proven benefit; though users will often attest differently

Your best bet, if you truly intend to prevent the spread of pathogens to someone who is immunologically compromised (as all transplant patients are). Maintain hygiene, avoid contact or proximity if you are ill or experiencing any symptoms, cover your mouth/nose when coughing or sneezing (you can spread viruses via coughing or sneezing--eventhough you might not have an active infection), liberally use sanitizers. When I worked on the transplant service as an intern, we couldnt even enter the ward if we had a fever, cough, rhinorrhea, diarrhea, cold, fever, etc etc etc......Apply those same measures during your visit, and you should do well and so should your friend

(in reply to LadyConstanze)

Post #: 19

RE: Organ transplant patients - 11/29/2011 5:59:40 PM

LadyConstanze

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I'm really aware of the importance of hygiene and that is immune system is fairly low (hence that post), I'm also aware how viruses are spread and that I should not go near him when being ill or suspecting I might get ill, hence me being checked out before I fly and when I arrive, well before I ever go near him. To cover your nose/mouth when coughing or sneezing is just fairly basic good manners, I tend not to hang around with people who randomly cough and sneeze on others or were raised by wolves.

Though I don't think upping my vitamin C intake will lead to kidney stones, especially since you are possibly aware that vitamin C is very beneficial if you are having stress, stress can lower your immune system considerably, recent studies show that animals and humans that were given additional vitamin c showed considerable less stress hormones (lower cortisol levels) than the ones who weren't given vitamin C - a long distance flight tends to be quite stressful and for a few weeks I can brave the danger - a very low one - of possible kidney stones. Also the current RDA for vitamin C is vastly outdated and goes back decades, the 60 mg are the amount that you need to not develop scurvy...

There is actually also no conclusive evidence that vitamin C is related to the build up of kidney stones, it's simply a widely held belief but sadly lacking evidence.

_____________________________

There are 10 kinds of people who understand binary
Those who do and those who don't!

http://exdomme.blogspot.com/2012/07/public-service-announcement.html

(in reply to bemyslut)

Post #: 20

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