COVID-19 and Transplant Patients

@contentandwell, I am sorry for your situation. Have you ever tried starting a new hobby? I have found myself in a similar situation to you. I work from home, and I stay at home in case I should need to visit my immune compromised parents. I only venture out when necessary and found myself with the same isolating thoughts you express. I remembered back to days with my grandma who taught me how to crochet some 30 years ago, and I found a ball of yarn in the house and tried it again. Now I am "wasting" hours a day making stuff that probably no one wants (it really is a lost art). I find myself looking at the clock and hours have gone by. I know that people often poke fun at Pinterest, but there are literally 1000s of hobbies on there. You can order supplies from some craft stores and do curbside pickup.

Just an idea for you - take a peek online and find something you might like to do. YouTube can teach you almost anything you want to try! If I learned crochet, anyone can learn it. And I plan to donate all my scarves and blankets to our homeless shelter - keeps me busy, and keeps someone else warm. A double win!

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope those of you on the east coast are braving the snow. Here in MN, we just don't have anything to discuss in terms of the weather. It's an usual December for sure.

We wanted to be sure you all saw the recent update from Dr. Poland. If you don't know, Dr. Poland is an infectious disease expert, and he is the head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. Since the beginning of the pandemic, he has been posting many videos a week with Q&A information about the pandemic, the virus, the safety measures, and now, the vaccine.

In this recent video, around minute 16:00 - 18:00, Dr. Poland talks about the vaccine related to transplant patients. We thought you all might like to hear this information, but please remember, the information about COVID is changing so quickly. The videos we post today could be quickly outdated with the release of new information. And also please remember, you should consult the transplant teams caring for YOU before you embark on any decisions to receive, or not receive, the new vaccines.

We will continue to update you with new information as it becomes available to us. In the meantime, make sure to get your COVID information from a trusted source, such as the CDC or your local health department or your transplant physicians. Take care!

Thanks for the link to update. Makes perfect sense.

@keggebraaten Thank you, Kristin, for your caring response. I don't have a hobby as such, I used to do crewel a long time ago but with age my close vision has diminished a lot and it makes things like that more difficult. Back when I did it I had to be doing two things at once, that and generally watching TV since just the crewel couldn't hold my attention -- I have some ADD. I actually am pretty busy though and most often do not get everything done that I want to do. That's why I am now an alumna mentor on Connect, lack of time for everything. Still though, I miss my real life, I miss having a social life and seeing my son and daughter, I miss going to my health club for exercise even though I am exercising a lot at home.

I was dealing with all of this fairly well but there was that light at the end of the tunnel - the vaccine - but now that light seems to have gone out. From what I have read this week it's somewhat up to the individual hospitals to decide what they want to do for their patients. I heard that Johns Hopkins is advising getting the vaccine and that Mayo says no. I have not seen a statement from my transplant center, Mass General. I have read that there is a feeling that any possible ill-effects associated with the vaccine would not be as bad as getting Covid so that is why many hospitals are in favor of their patients getting it. I have also read that the vaccines will not be as effective for those of us on immunosuppressants as they are for the general population, which makes sense. So, bottom line, even when we do get the vaccine we will have to continue to be very cautious.
Please do not take the preceding paragraph on transplant centers as gospel. It is what I have heard and read on various sources but I cannot absolutely vouch for it, although I do believe the last two sentences make a lot of sense.

Kristin, that's such a great idea to donate your crocheted things to a homeless shelter. I'm sure they will be much appreciated. I tried crocheting when I was pregnant with my daughter and made her a darling "sack" type of thing. It was very basic and that's as far as I ever got with it.
JK

I had a liver transplant in 2008 and am going well. On Dec 29th I tested positive for Covid-19. Very mild symptoms but my local doctor recommended I get an experimental drug that may relieve some symptoms due to being a "high risk" patient because on transplant, 80 years old and other complications. Today Dec 30th I received Bamlanivimab intravenously. I went through the 4 hour procedure and all vitals are normal but I have to quaranteen for 2 weeks and get a blood test sent to Mayo every week.
I just wanted to let everyone know there are experimental treatments out there. I am feeling fine and will try to update this of any complications.

Thank you for your post. I'm interested to know what the Mayo transplant doctors thought of your experiential drug regime. Were they on board? Thanks. And I hope you are feeling better already.

hope you get well soon..God bless you and happy new year..

@jerrynord, I hope that your symptoms remain mild and go away soon. Please keep i touch - because we care about you.

Thanks for letting us all know! You will be in our thoughts and many prayers!! Stay well!!

I just had a kidney transplant 12/7/20, and asked my Mayo Transplant Nephrologist yesterday about the Covid vaccine, and said that if I am offered it to go ahead and take it, as it is not live and won’t hurt my transplant. However, she also agreed that it is unknown at this time how well it will work when we are severely immune compromised. (I am just under a month since transplant) That said, any immunity is better than no immunity. I wonder if we might need future “boosters” if we do get the vaccine?
I just returned home yesterday, and am so thankful to Dr. Prieto (my surgeon), my donor, and all of the Mayo Transplant team members!