Transition after transplant: Anyone afraid getting back to normal life

Hi Hugh I think it is normal to be a little extra careful and take it slow. But maybe it's time to start going out more ? I had my liver transplant a little over 2 years ago. The first six months was super careful. Only out of the house about once or so a week. Masked up, super careful always. But after about 6 months started to branch out gradually. Was only sick from bugs caught in the wild twice in two years. Now I get out every day , have been to ball games , concerts, church once a week , shopping, etc.. We have even had a couple of parties at our house with about 30 people twice with no issues. I think taking it slow is fine but after about 6 mos. Mayo told me it was fine to get out more. Thant worked out for me. Being apprehensive is normal but it may be time ? Best of luck Hugh ! Shoot low !!

The situation is that prior to transplant our quality of life and involvement degraded over a period of several years. We gradually "unplugged" from life because we were sick. Our loved ones knew not to expect much from us any more. After transplant, the whole adaptation to the medication regimen plus the precautions for not getting sick is a dramatic change. We are then told to go ahead, live and enjoy our new lives. What we have is a form of medical PTSD. Normal. What we do with it is up to us. We need to shed our old selves from years of sickness and embark in our second lives. Look ahead, not back - help your family see the new healthy you, not the sick you. Medications and precautions will become the new normal. Think of yourself as having years and years to live waiting for you and you choose to participate, not just exist. BTW, next month is my 28 years liver transplant anniversary - hard to believe! I am thankful to the donor and family forever.

In the early days of my liver transplant I found a real gem written by a man who had a heart transplant. Take a look at the subject lines on section 2 and beyond, just read randomly what sounds of interest, each one is self contained, not sequential. I found great wisdom and enlightenment in this man's perspective. It truly helped me navigate the early days of uncertainty.
https://www.rjwitte.com/changeofheart/GiftFromTheHeart/

Hi @hughwmyers

I think the experience @craigcraig had is very similar to mine. At 6 months they start to cut back on your meds, your body adjusts and you start to feel a lot better. Listen to your body and follow the guidelines from your care team, but get back to living as soon as you have the energy.