[Suzi]

Returning to work after a stem cell transplant

by Suzi on Thu Sep 25, 2014 12:52 pm

My husband is now at Day +13 of his auto stem cell transplant, and they are talking about discharging him home tomorrow. On one hand I'm over the moon but on the other I'm worried about all that it brings with it.

He has been told to give himself six to eight weeks at home before even thinking about going back to work, even on reduced hours. He is self employed and mainly office based responsibilities, with only a handful of staff and an office of his own.

I would be interested in other peoples work returns.

His has handled the whole SCT experience really well and I think he got away lightly with side effects. Nothing too bad, but he is now extremely fatigued, which we are told will be the hardest to recover from.

Thanks for your words of support when I was struggling. I did really appreciate them

Suzi

[Mike F]

Re: Returning to work after a stem cell transplant

by Mike F on Thu Sep 25, 2014 2:13 pm

I was released on day 15. I went home in the late afternoon and felt great that day and the day after (I think I was a little over-energized from being home again). The day after that, I was laid up on the couch the whole day - I could barely get up and down the stairs. That's a fatigue that I've never felt before.

I slowly got my energy back over the next several days and was walking up and down the block within the first week of getting home. Within two weeks, I was walking the one mile loop my wife and I do around the neighborhood. Another couple of weeks after that and I was up to walking six plus miles a day.

I did follow my doctor's advice about staying away from crowds and small children for the first four weeks or so, but there was only one occasion in which I felt sick at all, and that was when I developed a fever about five days after getting home. The doctor who was on call at the time told me to just rest and monitor the situation and the fever resolved itself within about four hours. Otherwise, no incidents to report.

My doctor refused to let me go back to work until eight weeks after I got back, and I was feeling very good by week three or so. I just looked at it as a temporary early retirement and enjoyed it quite a lot. Sounds strange to say this, but it was really great.

[Blackbird]

Re: Returning to work after a stem cell transplant

by Blackbird on Thu Sep 25, 2014 2:26 pm

I was admitted on November 6, 2013. I was discharged on November 22. I started working from home full time in mid-December after about 3 weeks. I returned to work January 9, 2014.

The biggest problem with physically going to work isn't how you feel. It's the threat of infection because your immune system is still compromised. Care needs to be taken to avoid crowds, and sick people with colds and the flu. In particular, stay away from sick children because all of your childhood immunities are gone.

BTW, I thought I was going nuts because your post was moved to over here at the same time I was responding to it in the other discussion. After I posted, yours was gone!

[Beacon Staff]

Re: Returning to work after a stem cell transplant

by Beacon Staff on Thu Sep 25, 2014 2:34 pm

Glad to hear your husband's stem cell transplant has gone so well, Suzi.

Regarding your question about experiences with work after a stem cell transplant, there are a few previous discussions here in the forum that you may want to check:

"Working after stem cell transplant (SCT)," forum discussion started Apr 29, 2014
"Stem cell transplant and ability to do light work," forum discussion started Jun 14, 2011
"Post stem cell transplant (SCT) experiences," forum discussion started Apr 14, 2014

Also, these Beacon weekly polls may be of interest to you:

"Weekly Poll - Return To Work After Stem Cell Transplant - 2013"
"Weekly Poll - Return To Work After Stem Cell Transplant - 2012"

[NZMum]

Re: Returning to work after a stem cell transplant

by NZMum on Thu Sep 25, 2014 5:36 pm

Hi Suzi,

Today is my +day 14 following stem cell return. I got home yesterday after a reasonably uneventful hospital stay. I believe a 'plan for the worst, hope for the best' attitude got me through.

Fatigue is certainly the biggest problem and is making me well aware of my limitations. I had problems with blood pressure in hospital and they kept trying to correct it with IV fluids. After a few days, I managed to convince them to leave it to correct itself, as I could function. It is still a problem now but appears to be improving. But I can't stand and shower and are very limited to what I can do around home.

As a nurse I have always encouraged patient to 'do a little more than you did the day before', and it has worked well. That is my plan and appears to be working well. Except I had expectations set a little high when I got home and they were very quickly squashed!

I need clearance to return to work due to risk of fractures from lesions and have been given another two months off and start on a return to work program, building up to a level of work I can cope with.
I plan to start exercising next week (hand weights first, then on static bike), because a plan gives me goals to aim for but i will evaluate daily and change plan if necessary.

Hope this helps, Suzi, but your husband's work is very different to mine. What I'm trying to say is you need to make a plan, set achievable goals, evaluate how things are going and be flexible enough to change that plan when necessary.

Best of luck for the future,
Jen