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DiscussionOne-week pre Autogolous BMT: I'm afraid I'm not prepared
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) & CAR-T Cell Therapy | Last Active: Jul 24, 2023 | Replies (34)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "Did you find a need for a shower stool?? I know everyone is different but, this..."
Not everyone will have the same experiences after the transplant but I’m pretty sure most had the fatigue and weakness the first couple of weeks.
It was tough to admit…being the fiercely independent type, but I was very weak and fatigued for that first month. So I did use a shower stool. I also had a Hickman chest port. Not sure if you’ll have the same type of port? It had to be covered with an Aqua-gard adhesive waterproof covering. I swear by the time I wrangled in the lumens and got everything on and sealed on my chest, I was so exhausted that I couldn’t finish the shower…sitting or standing! 😅. Some days I could only manage a sponge bath…in separate attempts.
My sweet husband also bought one of those adapters for the shower to make it into a handheld one for me.
That is odd that there weren’t any handles for the shower in your condo. But your idea of suction cup handles is great just to steady yourself.
I also used a wheel chair to get around the hospital…husband pushing. Mayo has those available everywhere and free to use!
I know this all sounds so scary but really, think of it like a bad case of the flu. I’m sure you’ve had that in your lifetime where you were just bone tired (no pun intended) and just wanted to sleep. You shuffled to the bathroom and everything was an effort. That’s pretty much what this will feel like.
The infusion of your stem cells will be very easy. I think I mentioned it’s just like a blood transfusion and very anticlimactic after all the hoopla! The cells miraculously find their home inside your bone marrow and within 10-15 days or so, they will engraft and set up housekeeping again. Your team will check your blood numbers daily to watch for signs of engraftment. When your wbc starts to increase, bingo!!! You’ll start feeling a whole lot better rapidly.
Having this done as outpatient has its advantages over staying in the hospital. Being ‘home’ you’ll recover sooner, have less exposure to germs, move around more and feel less like a patient. ☺️
It sounds like you have everything ready. And if not, please don’t stress! There is nothing that can’t be gotten as you need it. ☺️ Our nurses at the hospital are a great resource too! I’d asked if I could have a one of those disposable pads they put on patient’s beds just in case. My nurse gave me an entire package. So don’t hesitate to ask your care team for anything that will make you comfy, from anti nausea meds to pain meds if you need them.
I’ll be right there with you in spirit. ☺️