The Do's and Don'ts of Waiting for Transplant

There's been a lot of seriousness going on here at The L Word lately. In the spirit of both lightening the mood a bit and as a fun way to kick off my blog's new look, I thought I would come up with a list of things to do and not to do while waiting for a transplant. And p.s., while searching for images for this blog I came across this series of hilarious pregnancy-related pictures that, while totally unrelated to my particular subject matter, were just too funny not to include.

DO - Eat a lot, sleep a lot, exercise a lot.
DON'T - Eat an entire 2-lb bag of candy corn in one day, even if it is the most delicious candy corn you've had in years.

DO - Continue socializing with friends, as energy allows.
DON'T - Go anywhere you can't either have your transplant bag with you in the car or be within 20 minutes of the house.

DO - Watch movies and stream your favorite TV shows.
DON'T - Watch shows that hit a little too close to home, like, for instance, Six Feet Under.

DO - Order as much as you can online to avoid having to do errands while carting around an oxygen tank.
DON'T - Let your husband know that you have ordered so much online that you have memorized your credit card number, expiration date and CVC code.

DO - Keep up body hygiene* with regular hair washing and sink baths. Be generous with lotion and chap stick at all times...post transplant is an extremely dry time and you want your skin in the best shape possible. (*I cannot take showers with my port accessed)
DON'T - Wear anything that has too much of a scent (lotions, essential oils) - especially to rehab - both for other people and for fear of setting off a reaction in yourself.

DO - If you are going out, look like it! I spend 90% of my waking time in exercise clothes and pajamas. Those skinny jeans and cute tops have never felt better.
DON'T - Let it be obvious at rehab that you wear the same pants multiple times per week - usually just breaking up the days you wear them will do.

DO - Be communicative with people with what's going on with you. But learn to edit/tailor what you say, when necessary.
DON'T - Go to the wrong friend/family member for the wrong reason. Everyone has their strengths and comfort level with what you share with them.

DO - Surround yourself with things that make you comfortable; indulge (nice sleepwear, stuffed animal replicas of your pets, your favorite night cream).
DON'T - Go through Starbucks drive thru every single day after rehab.

DO - Continue to keep up with things around the house, do what you can when you can.
DON'T - Stress about things you don't have the energy to do; learn to let things go that aren't important.

DO - Make sure you prioritize your energy into things that matter the most (snuggling with kitties, dinner dates, taking care of yourself, keeping up hobbies).
DON'T - Overextend yourself.

That's it for now! Have you thought of anything I missed? Feel free to comment below. Also, I'd love to hear what you think about the new blog design.

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