My wife mentioned over the weekend that she wanted to "transplant-proof the house"
If you were able to plan ahead prior to your liver transplant, what, if anything, did you do to prepare for your recovery that involved your house? Do you wish you had done anything differently? What worked, what didn't......
If your transplant was a surprise and you did not have time to do anything to your house, what do wish you had done?
I was told today that I’m getting very close to a transplant. My bilirium continues to climb. I was hospitalized a few weeks for an infection but that has cleared up after getting an MRCP. Has anyone tried to reduce their bilirium by taking vitamin supplements or something all natural? Maybe, cleansing or detoxing the liver. Although, there is no indication that there is something wrong with the liver just the narrowing of the bile ducts!! I hate this disease.
Ok, so I was discussing your post with my husband and I said I would have a cleaning person come in an do an overhaul cleaning on my house. I continue to clean but sometimes too tired to scrub bathrooms. In an overhaul I mean windows, blinds etc. the things that I would not do normally everyday or weekly.
If it was an er than it is what it is!! Hopefully, my husband remembers what I wanted!
This has me thinking so I’m going to reach out to a cleaning crew!!
Plan to live on one floor as much as possible. Have a very comfortable over-stuffed recliner to sit/sleep in. Walking up and down stairs may be difficult at first.
You will most likely still have three or four open drain holes in your abdomen. You will need a waterproof mattress pad and disposable waterproof absorbent cloths to put under yourself when you are in bed. You will drain enough clear fluid to soak 5 or 6 bath towels over night. Have clean dry ones right at your bedside because getting up is difficult at first. This draining keeps up for about a month and then stops naturally. Have at least 12 bath towels that you will be washing every day.
Bathing will be done with a shower until your doctor okays taking baths. You will have scabs and discharges from incisions that will rinse off when you shower.
Get a big 7-day, 5 compartment pill sorter for your meds. I get mine from www.activeforever.com (800) ■■■■■■■■. It is called Medichest-Large. Costs about $8.00 and lasts a long time. Have someone help you prepare the pill sorter because it will be hard to focus on the mental details early on in recovery. Certain medications, e.g. Prednisone affect your mental judgment that will improve as they reduce the dosage.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting pants and tops. They are most comfortable. Stairs will get easier as your muscles heal.
Have someone prepare meals to keep in the refrig so you can eat when hungry, any time of day or night. Or, get a supply of frozen dinners you can warm and eat.
If you have to leave home to go to appointments while you are still leaking, get an elastic waistband and surgical padding at the drug store. Also, get a big box of tampons. Place three tampons sid-by-side directly over the drain holes on each side of your abdomen. Cover that with surgical padding and hold it all in place with the elastic waistband. Improvise. The tampons hold more water than anything else. Carry replacements with you to change out in a washroom. It is the only way to stay dry. Take a change of clothes, socks and an extra pair of slippers with you. If you leak, it will fill your shoes in a hurry.
Drink plenty of fluids so you do not dehydrate during that drainage period. You will be very happy when that ends. Try and let your caregiver (yes, you will need one) get some sleep. It is exhausting mentally and physically for them. Rest is very, very important to both of you.
Wow…thanks for the info.
I thought nowadays people get out of the hospital few days after the transplant and are pretty much ready to go back to work.
I wasn’t aware of the drainage period.
Hi Deb,
My mom took Milk Thistle by Jarrow, per the doctors advice at Stanford. Per that advice, she took more than the bottle said, with 2 in the morning, and 2 capsules at night. She was also told to take Alpha Lipoic Acid, as it is a complement to the Milk Thistle. She took one capsule every morning, We all believed that it made a big difference for her.
Deb said:
I was told today that I'm getting very close to a transplant. My bilirium continues to climb. I was hospitalized a few weeks for an infection but that has cleared up after getting an MRCP. Has anyone tried to reduce their bilirium by taking vitamin supplements or something all natural? Maybe, cleansing or detoxing the liver. Although, there is no indication that there is something wrong with the liver just the narrowing of the bile ducts!! I hate this disease.
Ok, so I was discussing your post with my husband and I said I would have a cleaning person come in an do an overhaul cleaning on my house. I continue to clean but sometimes too tired to scrub bathrooms. In an overhaul I mean windows, blinds etc. the things that I would not do normally everyday or weekly.
If it was an er than it is what it is!! Hopefully, my husband remembers what I wanted!
This has me thinking so I'm going to reach out to a cleaning crew!!
Paul,
I just now read your post. Thank you so much for going into so much detail about these points post-transplant. We need to start a discussion just dealing with these types of issues of post-transplant things to expect. Those of you who have gone through with the surgery, it would be such a blessing and help to those of us who are anticipating it to know how better to prepare. Wow, thanks!
Paul Hain said:
Plan to live on one floor as much as possible. Have a very comfortable over-stuffed recliner to sit/sleep in. Walking up and down stairs may be difficult at first.
You will most likely still have three or four open drain holes in your abdomen. You will need a waterproof mattress pad and disposable waterproof absorbent cloths to put under yourself when you are in bed. You will drain enough clear fluid to soak 5 or 6 bath towels over night. Have clean dry ones right at your bedside because getting up is difficult at first. This draining keeps up for about a month and then stops naturally. Have at least 12 bath towels that you will be washing every day.
Bathing will be done with a shower until your doctor okays taking baths. You will have scabs and discharges from incisions that will rinse off when you shower.
Get a big 7-day, 5 compartment pill sorter for your meds. I get mine from www.activeforever.com (800) 377-8033. It is called Medichest-Large. Costs about $8.00 and lasts a long time. Have someone help you prepare the pill sorter because it will be hard to focus on the mental details early on in recovery. Certain medications, e.g. Prednisone affect your mental judgment that will improve as they reduce the dosage.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting pants and tops. They are most comfortable. Stairs will get easier as your muscles heal.
Have someone prepare meals to keep in the refrig so you can eat when hungry, any time of day or night. Or, get a supply of frozen dinners you can warm and eat.
If you have to leave home to go to appointments while you are still leaking, get an elastic waistband and surgical padding at the drug store. Also, get a big box of tampons. Place three tampons sid-by-side directly over the drain holes on each side of your abdomen. Cover that with surgical padding and hold it all in place with the elastic waistband. Improvise. The tampons hold more water than anything else. Carry replacements with you to change out in a washroom. It is the only way to stay dry. Take a change of clothes, socks and an extra pair of slippers with you. If you leak, it will fill your shoes in a hurry.
Drink plenty of fluids so you do not dehydrate during that drainage period. You will be very happy when that ends. Try and let your caregiver (yes, you will need one) get some sleep. It is exhausting mentally and physically for them. Rest is very, very important to both of you.