Your best traveling tips

Posted by jodeej @jodeej, Sep 21, 2018

My husband had his transplant July 7. We are doing a weekend getaway next weekend and I'm just wondering what things I need to remember besides not eating the hotel free hot breakfast and bring the sunscreen.
Thank you,
JoDee

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@jodeej

@contentandwell we had a great trip! We saw a show and did some hiking. It was so relaxing and much needed. Eating was a struggle. The breakfast at the hotel had only a few items that Tim could safely eat. He did eat a wedge salad our last day there. I know it was a risk, but he only likes a few vegetables. I wasn't thinking and we got malts one day. It didn't even dawn on me to think about the machine bring clean until after we had eaten them. So, I worried for a few days about him possibly getting sick, but thankfully it turned out ok.
If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!
Blessings,
JoDee

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BRAVO ! It sounds like you had a terrific first travel experience.

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@jodeej

@contentandwell we had a great trip! We saw a show and did some hiking. It was so relaxing and much needed. Eating was a struggle. The breakfast at the hotel had only a few items that Tim could safely eat. He did eat a wedge salad our last day there. I know it was a risk, but he only likes a few vegetables. I wasn't thinking and we got malts one day. It didn't even dawn on me to think about the machine bring clean until after we had eaten them. So, I worried for a few days about him possibly getting sick, but thankfully it turned out ok.
If you have any tips, I'd love to hear them!
Blessings,
JoDee

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@@jodeej Sounds like a successful little vacation. I am sure you and your husband both needed to relax so much.
Eating is tough, I have the same problem with the breakfast buffets at hotels. I generally stick with yogurt, bananas, stuff like that that's packaged, although I did have some oatmeal that was in a big covered vat. I hated bypassing the beautiful cut up fruit but I knew it was in my best interest. Whereas the coffee makers in rooms are not often well cleaned I would imagine that the equipment in the restaurants must be well cleaned so the malt was probably -- obviously actually -- fine. It never would have occurred to me to not have one if it was within my "trying to lose weight again" diet. Was the wedge salad on a buffet? I have never seen that type of salad on one. I have not been big on salad bars for years now, so I do not miss that at all.

No further tips that I can think of. We should keep track of tips that anyone mentions and have that list to share.

I can't believe that I was so conscious of not eating at buffets at my daughter's wedding but when they passed appetizers around it never occurred to me that I should not have taken any. Of course, that worked out fine (and the appetizers were fabulous), it was the air somewhere, probably in the function place, that caused Legionnaire's disease.
My daughter was supposed to have my plate prepared in the kitchen and forgot to so as soon as they announced that the food was out my husband rushed up to be first in line to get mine. Now that I think of it, that is a good tip -- if you are in a position where you have no other option than to eat from a buffet, be the first in line. If the buffet starts at a certain time, make a reservation for the time it starts. Not only will it not have been breathed on, but it won't have been held at unsafe temperatures.
JK

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@jodeej

@gingerw we packed fruit and some veggies along with some other snacks. We also took some drinks. We avoided the salad bars and didn't do the dinner cruise. It is really hard for us at times because we used to pick a restaurant by how much we liked the salad bar. We really miss that part of eating out.
Blessings,
JoDee

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We always pack fruit and veggies, cheese, and beverages. Most hotel rooms have little fridges so you can keep food cold in there. I pack yogurt too and some Kind bars.
JK

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@contentandwell

@@jodeej Sounds like a successful little vacation. I am sure you and your husband both needed to relax so much.
Eating is tough, I have the same problem with the breakfast buffets at hotels. I generally stick with yogurt, bananas, stuff like that that's packaged, although I did have some oatmeal that was in a big covered vat. I hated bypassing the beautiful cut up fruit but I knew it was in my best interest. Whereas the coffee makers in rooms are not often well cleaned I would imagine that the equipment in the restaurants must be well cleaned so the malt was probably -- obviously actually -- fine. It never would have occurred to me to not have one if it was within my "trying to lose weight again" diet. Was the wedge salad on a buffet? I have never seen that type of salad on one. I have not been big on salad bars for years now, so I do not miss that at all.

No further tips that I can think of. We should keep track of tips that anyone mentions and have that list to share.

I can't believe that I was so conscious of not eating at buffets at my daughter's wedding but when they passed appetizers around it never occurred to me that I should not have taken any. Of course, that worked out fine (and the appetizers were fabulous), it was the air somewhere, probably in the function place, that caused Legionnaire's disease.
My daughter was supposed to have my plate prepared in the kitchen and forgot to so as soon as they announced that the food was out my husband rushed up to be first in line to get mine. Now that I think of it, that is a good tip -- if you are in a position where you have no other option than to eat from a buffet, be the first in line. If the buffet starts at a certain time, make a reservation for the time it starts. Not only will it not have been breathed on, but it won't have been held at unsafe temperatures.
JK

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@contentandwell here ordered the wedge salad from the menu. It was an odd combo of a wedge salad and a baked potato. That's it. He loved it. Lol

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@jodeej

@contentandwell here ordered the wedge salad from the menu. It was an odd combo of a wedge salad and a baked potato. That's it. He loved it. Lol

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@jodeej I do not think I was told to avoid raw veggies as long they are clean and have no signs of spoilage. I have a salad almost every day for lunch and sometimes again for dinner. I have been avoiding romaine since the two scares, if it happens again I don’t want to be the first case! My daughter said that this could be the end of the “romaine empire”. ;-). Romaine is my favorite but now I am using other varieties.
JK

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Here are More Transplant Tips for you to read. Don't forget to share your own tips and questions and comments!

Transplant Discussion: Living Life after your Transplant
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/living-life-after-your-transplant/
Transplant Newsfeed:Top Transplant Hacks: Patients Share Their Best Tips and Tricks
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/transplant/newsfeed/top-transplant-hacks-patients-share-their-best-tips-and-tricks/

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@contentandwell

@@jodeej Sounds like a successful little vacation. I am sure you and your husband both needed to relax so much.
Eating is tough, I have the same problem with the breakfast buffets at hotels. I generally stick with yogurt, bananas, stuff like that that's packaged, although I did have some oatmeal that was in a big covered vat. I hated bypassing the beautiful cut up fruit but I knew it was in my best interest. Whereas the coffee makers in rooms are not often well cleaned I would imagine that the equipment in the restaurants must be well cleaned so the malt was probably -- obviously actually -- fine. It never would have occurred to me to not have one if it was within my "trying to lose weight again" diet. Was the wedge salad on a buffet? I have never seen that type of salad on one. I have not been big on salad bars for years now, so I do not miss that at all.

No further tips that I can think of. We should keep track of tips that anyone mentions and have that list to share.

I can't believe that I was so conscious of not eating at buffets at my daughter's wedding but when they passed appetizers around it never occurred to me that I should not have taken any. Of course, that worked out fine (and the appetizers were fabulous), it was the air somewhere, probably in the function place, that caused Legionnaire's disease.
My daughter was supposed to have my plate prepared in the kitchen and forgot to so as soon as they announced that the food was out my husband rushed up to be first in line to get mine. Now that I think of it, that is a good tip -- if you are in a position where you have no other option than to eat from a buffet, be the first in line. If the buffet starts at a certain time, make a reservation for the time it starts. Not only will it not have been breathed on, but it won't have been held at unsafe temperatures.
JK

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We ate at the motel restaurant for breakfast on a recent trip. I selected a freshly baked roll, but avoided the fresh fruit bowl because it had been picked over. The hostess inquired if there might be a problem with the food selection. After I explained that the selection was most satisfactory, but that I was being germ aware because of my post transplant status. She surprised me and asked if I would like some fresh fruit from the kitchen. Then she brought me a beautiful bowl of fresh fruit.
That doesn't happen often.

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