Holidays: Celebration or Challenge for Transplant Families

Posted by Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor @rosemarya, Nov 18, 2022

Holiday celebrations and festivities can be a challenge for transplant patients and their families. The twinkling lights and music are everywhere enticing us to get out to shop and celebrate. Soon, we will be receiving invitations to family and social gatherings with all of the special foods and beverages. It is no wonder that some of us approach the holidays with trepidation about a season that is supposed to bring joy and cheer.
How will you navigate the holidays? What are your plans?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Dec 8, 2022

I am ready to get in the Holiday Spirit!!
Yesterday afternoon my husband and I had to make a trip to a Barnes and Noble to do some 'in person' shopping. It felt good to do the Pick up/Put down old fashioned shopping! We went mid afternoon, and there were very few people in the store. I was armed with my hand cleaner and had a mask handy if I got near anyone. Shopping was successful and we came away with some gems for Christmas gifting!
Next we went for a nice dinner, which we enjoyed with one of our sons. Did you know that at 4:15 in the afternoon that restaurants are practically empty?
After a 45 minute drive home, and a delightful evening and holiday planning for family gathering, I'm ready to get ready!

Is anybody else making holiday plans? How will you spend your holidays?

myfablife | @myfablife | Nov 30, 2022

Amen, yes he does. Thank you so much. Stay warm sounds like a lovely time u have planned.😊💚

Cheryl, Volunteer Mentor | @cehunt57 | Nov 30, 2022

@rosemarya & @myfablife thank you for the Transplantversary greetings. Initially we planned to go out to eat and to a movie to celebrate. We live in the suburbs of MPLS, Mn. Yesterday we had a snowstorm that lasted all day. A snow emergency was declared in the Twin Cities metro area. So today we will bundle up, break out the shovels and snowblower. Later we’ll warm up with soup and hot turkey/ gravy sandwiches. My husband set up the artificial tree yesterday. Tonight there are Christmas specials on TV and we’ll decorate that tree. @myfablife my prayers are being lifted up for you that this rejection scare will soon be resolved. God is good and does all things well in His best timing.

myfablife | @myfablife | Nov 30, 2022

Happy transplantversary, sounds like u have it going on w/the holidays. I know u will have a very Merry Christmas w/family😊💚
God Bless🌲
Be safe..
I am 2yrs LT had a acute rejection over the Thanksgiving holidays but on the mends I think.

Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor | @rosemarya | Nov 30, 2022

@cehunt -
Happy Transplant Anniversary!
I hope that you have something planned to celebrate this miracle of life day! Perhaps, to quote from your post, "...a very laidback day. ..no hustle and bustle..." kind of day.
What will you do to honor this day?

Cheryl, Volunteer Mentor | @cehunt57 | Nov 29, 2022

My 17 year transplant anniversary is tomorrow (11/30/2005). That year it was just after Thanksgiving and I was doing some work from home. (I was fairly sick at the time.) I had taken out boxes of Christmas decorations and our artificial Christmas tree. I planned to work a bit and reward myself with decorating and putting up the tree later in the day. That was the day I “got the call”! When I came home post transplant I discovered my daughters had decorated and put up the tree! I spent most of December doing transplant labs & follow up appointments. I enjoyed holiday specials on TV and listening to all the great music of the season. Around the 3rd week of December I got sick with something fever etc. and ended up hospitalized to more closely monitor for rejection. It turns out I wasn’t rejecting but had come down with some other ailment (thanks to immune suppression). While I was hospitalized a friend colleague from my church visited me. She was a nurse and chaplain. We talked and prayed together. At that point it looked like I might be in the hospital over Christmas. I am a Christian believer. My friend reminded me that this means to trust God with my life and to trust His timing in all things. In our prayers we thanked God for the spectacular gift of my transplant and for the GIFT of SALVATION (the reason for Christmas). I ended up being discharged on Christmas Eve. We had a frozen pizza for dinner. My daughters came over and made some Christmas cookies and a nice dinner for Christmas Day. We exchanged gifts and had a very laidback day. That year there was no hustle and bustle or attending a bazillion events. Since then things have changed a bit. Daughters are married and we have 6 grandkids. But that season prepared us for the past few years of COVID when we needed to take extra precautions for my immune compromised self.