I have a friend who needs to have a bone morrow transplant and shes very down about this. Does any one have any suggestions on cheering her up? I want to do something but I dont know what? and no matter what I said or do it just does not seem to be enough.
2007-11-02 14:39:09 · 7 answers · asked by oxygenO 6 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
Try to be yourself. Your friends will go through a lot of emotions. She doesn't really need cheering up all the time. She needs a friend who can listen to her, or who can just sit by her.
Sometimes there are no right words or deeds. Being there for her is most important
2007-11-02 14:45:21 · answer #1 · answered by xena_all 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming your friend has been through other treatments prior, the radiation (or irradaition, more properly) and the chemo to prep for the transplant is a lot less severe than the other treatments. My worst side effect with the transplant was lack of energy, puking my guts up, and I was unable to control my bowel movements. Ofcourse, she will be loaded down with narcotics and sleeping a lot. Any bowel side effects will eventually fade away over 3-4 weeks. I am post day app 120 and I am still having problems with eating and nausea. After my mother (keep in mind I am an adult, my mom was just around as a medical caregiver while I was in the hosp) went through the roof about my pot smoking to control these issues, I just had the docs perscribe marinol, legal synthetic thc. It is way better than ANY of the anti-nausea meds they will give you (most are for other things, ativan is nerve control, compasine is migraine, morphine is pain, ect) Phengran is decent though.
She will be highly susceptable to infections, and will be in isolation statues and neutropenic diets from day 1 in the hosp. She will have her own, if not very small, room. She will feel like crap but it is impt to bathe daily, do mouth care daily, and walk daily.
I have been treated at Wake Forrest and Duke (winston salem and durham, nc). If you have access to either of these hospitals, they have excellent programs dealing with transplant, and Duke is the pioneer in blood cord transplants.
To hel[ her feel better, you need to understand what she has been and what she will be going through. And even then, you still probably wont be able to do it. Dont judge her feelings or opinions. I dont know if this is for cancer or another autoimmune disease, but chances are, she has been through quite an ordeal as it is.
Read up on what she will be dealing with, and just be there to listen.
go to marrow.org
EDIT
It is unlikely anyone you personally know will be a natch except for a small chance of a full sibling. I had a ton of ppl volunteering to be tested. My insurance wouldnt pay for it (this goes into dna testing the tissue.. its called HLA tissue type matching...) nor would the hospitals, and they told ppl it wasnt worth their money to only be tested for me.
What would have made me feel better is if ppl had said, well, ok, now that I know finding matches is a problem, why not sign up for the regisrty? But, my homestate does not have a designated collection site, nor can the hospitals do it, nor are any of the hospitals set up to accept cord blood donations for this purpose (I am from wv... already lived in nc prior to diagnosis..)
I was not able to use my own stem cells, there wasnt a match for me in the registry, my only resort was cord blood.
2007-11-02 22:11:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try to chear her up somehow such as watch a movie, watch a television show, talk about friends/family or anything that the two of you would usually talk about.
Remind her of the good things in life so her transplant would go really good. If she needs someone to talk to, remind her that you will be there for her, even if it's a shoulder to cry on.
2007-11-02 21:51:21 · answer #3 · answered by Roxas of Organization 13 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give your friend something very important and valuable;......your time!
How often do you hear someone say "If there's anything can do, but how long before that gives way to "I'm kinda busy."
........ Just be there.
Once discharged, don't call and ask if she wants to go to the mall. Stop by and tell her, you're going to the mall and would she go with you???? She live alone? Stop in and grab the vacuum or do a load of wash. Don't ask. just do it.
You get the idea.
2007-11-03 01:44:30 · answer #4 · answered by TedEx 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't keep talking about the transplant. Try to do things that you would do anyway or things that might interest her. Is she crafty? Maybe you could go to a class at Michael's. If not, maybe bingo? or shopping? Or lunch? A book club at the library? A concert? Play etc....
2007-11-02 21:45:13 · answer #5 · answered by It's a secret 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think anyone could cheer her up right now. Being there for her is much more important...give her a shoulder to cry on, and be a friend that she can lean on.
2007-11-02 21:49:06 · answer #6 · answered by my two cents 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi Sweetie,
Offer her r's if r a match!
LOL, Diana D
2007-11-02 21:45:27 · answer #7 · answered by Diana D 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋