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Patient Support - Post Transplant
Be An Active Participant In Your Long Term Care After Transplant Discharge You will be discharged from hospital when you are medically stable and when you have achieved independence with your self care including your medications. The average hospital stay is around 2 to 4 weeks Following discharge, you will be regularly reviewd in the Transplant Outpatient Clinic. At each visit, it is advisable that a family member accompany you. The Clinic visit may take between 2 and 4 hours, so bear this in mind when parking the car or arranging transport. Being an outpatient means that you become responsible for your health although we can always be contacted by phone if you are uncertain of anything. |
Activities
Each person varies a great deal in their rate of recovery and you should use your discretion as to what you are capable of doing. If you are concerned about undertaking any activity, consult the Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist.
In the first few days following discharge, you will probably tire very quickly and need to limit visitors. You will bebefit from a rest during the day.
Light daily tasks should be commenced within the first week, e.g. folding light washing, making a cup of tea/snack, washing dishes. Gradually introduce more tasks into your daily routine. You will need to be aware of your individual level of physical endurance and grade the introduction of tasks appropriately, which the Occupational Therapist can guide you with.
Major restricting factors for participating in domestic tasks are usually muscle fatigue, poor endurance and lack of confidence. Due to the time required for the wound and bone to heal, you should avoid lifting heavy weights, for example anything heavier than a full kettle or moving furniture for two months after the transplant. use of heavy vibrating machinery e.g. vacumming, lawn mowing, power tools, should be avoided for threemonths after transplant. You can commence shopping and other tasks in the community as soon as you feel capable, keeping i mind restrictions in lifting weights. You can begin to use public transport at approximately 2 months post transplant, grading from no peak to peak times.
Leisure activities can also be commenced taking into account your individual physical endurance, lifting restrictions and confidence and following the guidelines of warm-up. period of activity and cool-down. Begin suitable leisure tasks as soon as possible for self esteem and life enjoyment
Return to Work
Return to work or vocational goals are usually addressed from 4 to 6 months post transplant. The Occupational Therapist can assist with establishing goals, assessing our ability to return to work and establishing a graded return to work program.
The Department of Social Security, Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service and Commonwealth Employment service offer comprehensive assistance with retraining and return to work
Your Long Term Future
Your commitment to look after yourself after transplant is important for a successful outcome after discharge and for the rest of your life. Keeping this commitment will require that you do the following:
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Take all your medications as prescribed by the doctors.
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Keep all your medical appointments including clinic visits and biopsies.
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Call the transplant team about potential problems.
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Do not abuse your body by smoking, drinking or using non prescribed drugs.
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Adhere to dietary guidelines and restrictions as instructed by the dietician
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Adhere to exercise guidelines s prescribed by the doctors and physiotherapist
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