General
Cold and flu season
So many of us seem to be navigating colds and flus right now, myself included! And I know having a "regular person" sickness on top of transplant can feel like a lot to manage.
I mentioned I have a checklist for when I start to feel under the weather. I double down on things like hydration, making sure I'm eating right and getting plenty of rest. The flu especially is one of those things that tilts me towards excess stress (pre-transplant I was hospitalized every time I had a stomach bug) and something my transplant team and I have worked on together is making sure I have the tools to support my body at every stage, including knowing when to call for help (and yes, they did give me a list of symptoms that, when I meet X criteria I should head to my local ER)
Getting sick is a part of life, unfortunately, and I try to orient my focus to ways I can support my body instead of stressing about what I can't control.
What do you do when sickness inevitably hits?
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Art helps me. Whether it be painting or something time consuming, like diamond painting. Art helps me all around. Yes, hydration is super important. If letting your transplant team helps you feel safer, do it. They are there to support you. And we are here! Yay.
It has taken me a while to reach my body’s “new normal” feeling post-transplant, and now I’m learning to listen my body’s new “illness signals”.
Specifically for me, I now recognize that when I’m feeling extra-fatigued, sleepy, tired etc., and also in a bad mood that showering, eating, and sleeping don’t help, my body is fighting off something. A few days later, I’ll start to have the actual physical symptoms of the cold/whatever.
I’m able to better cope with the physical symptoms when I am able to get a head-start on hydration and food prep and cancelling appts so I can rest.
I know that I’m guilty of minimizing symptoms in my mind when I feel acutely ill. I don’t recommend it. After so many years of doing this as a transplant I had a rude awakening recently as I had a rejection. I thought I had allergies, sinus infection, stress but turns out when your transplant center abdicates your immunosuppressant monitoring to your local nephro things can go sideways. Even for a seasoned transplant warrior.
if I get COVID, transplant starts me on anti-virals immediately which shortens the illness considerably. (I have had COVID 5 times and 7 vaccines) I am on a fluid restriction for chronic hypoatremia so extra hydration is not an option. I do use a good electrolyte powder in my water when I am sick and I believe it helps. My biggest challenge is my emotional well being. When I feel unwell or downright sick, my mental health declines. I think “oh no, this is it. I will never feel better again.” I was sick for so long pre and post that my tendency is to fall into the mode of thinking I will never get better. This sends me spiraling and I suffer emotionally. I have to work really hard to stay in the moment and not project. Easier said than done. And rest. Lots and lots of rest.