Do you know your social worker?

Karin

I do not....

Karin

@AliEm14 @Hannahksh @ChefAmanda @TServold @mikem @brandonm @meg

TServold

I met with the social worker when I met with my transplant team for the initial evaluation... have not spoken to her since. In fact, I had to think about it before posting this to make sure my social worker was female, as I couldn't even remember. Now that I do think about it, the consultation with her was so interesting to me... it was like she was searching for a trauma in my life that would disqualify me from having transplant surgery. I understand why she was searching for a trauma, but it almost felt insulting to me that I don't recall any major trauma in my life such as abuse, or neglect. The only thing was that I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes... and that sucks.

ChefAmanda

I seen my current social worker twice. Once for my work up evaluation and the second time in clinic to update paper work. My transplant coordinator is my number one person for contact on my team.

AliEm14

@TServold yes! I met a social worker once pre transplant and she asked me so many personal questions about abuse history and random things I did in high school and I felt so awkward about the whole thing. And I’ve never seen her again. Spilling my guts to a stranger to be able to qualify for a life saving surgery feels like the weirdest thing ever. And like, what, if she doesn’t like me or I don’t open up to a stranger I don’t get my liver? She also talked to my husband, parents and siblings.

brandonm

I had a similar situation as @TServold had. I also haven’t heard from them since my first meeting, which left me very discouraged. Now I work with post transplant coordinators for medical things.

Jeanmarie

I met with a social worker pre-transplant and 1 month after transplant and that was it. Now most of my interactions are with the transplant PA's or the RN's.

JimGleason_TRIO

I have enjoyed long-term relationships with many of my heart transplant program social workers over the 27 years now, both getting great support from them at critical times and also working closely with them in my providing support for the program overall. Social workers, as I have seen them, don't usually play a regular role with most patients, rather are brought in when you ask for the support they can provide (short-term issues) or your team recognizes issues that a social worker is best equipped to provide. I would strongly recommend that you ask to be introduced to that team so you can know when to engage with them at times of special need which may not be strictly medical which the docs and nurses provide. They can be especially helpful in dealing with emotional issues, as one example. They also have access to many resources that can be connected to in unique circumstances.

AliEm14

@JimGleason_TRIO yes! I wish my social worker had been more involved to provide me with emotional support. In hospital I got most of my emotional support from the nurses (who also had a million other jobs to do) and now I’ve created my own little support community but I really wish a social worker had been given to me for that reason or that I’d had more connection/options for long term emotional support through my centre

Deb

I totally agree Jim. My nurses provided so much of my support and my post op coordinator but not the social worker. My nurses were amazing!!

mikem

I used to have relationships with some social workers. It seems that these days I only have relationships/know the post transplant coordinator.

Denise_R

I have had and have now great relationships with my social workers! At first in the evaluation stage, she was a fantastic resource for me. Now they are peers and friends!