[EF11]

Re: What to wear during inpatient stem cell transplant?

by EF11 on Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:51 pm

Thanks for all the helpful input and ideas. We found out today that my husband will get a PICC line instead of a port for his transplant. Good to know, so we will plan on t-shirts instead of button downs.

JBarnes - On earplugs, did you have individually wrapped pairs, or were you able to bring a big container of them?

Melpen - Nice to hear you had such a positive experience at BIDMC (I delivered my 3rd baby there 6 years ago) in spite of the late engraftment problems. I read your story as you were going through it and am happy to hear you are home and recovering well! Nice timing to be in-patient in Boston – you missed out on a lot of shoveling .

KarenC - I read your story as well - didn't you have a 2 year old at the time? Must have been so challenging!! My husband weighed 7 lbs (3 kg) more today than yesterday with all the harvest fluids.

[lattecat]

Re: What to wear during inpatient stem cell transplant?

by lattecat on Tue Mar 10, 2015 2:48 pm

I'll give you the advice that a nurse in the transplant unit told me. Don't wear your own pajamas because of the diarrhea that happens during the transplant process.

[LauraScot]

Re: What to wear during inpatient stem cell transplant?

by LauraScot on Tue Mar 10, 2015 4:45 pm

Hi EF11,

I used 'Quies Ear Plugs - Wax' for my hospital stays. They mold into your ear, so they stay in very well and do a brilliant job of blocking out noise. One time use, so for best hygiene use a new pair every night. I found the constant low noise of the aircon running 24x7 irritating, especially at night, and needed to block it out. And I used an eye mask to block light too for sleeping.

Best of luck,
Laura

[Christa's Mom]

Re: What to wear during inpatient stem cell transplant?

by Christa's Mom on Fri Mar 13, 2015 12:51 pm

Hi EF11,

Good luck to your husband! I hope all goes well.

When EJ had his SCT they made him change his clothes everyday - I wasn't quite prepared for that, and wound up having to do more laundry than I imagined. He also had a PICC line, and anything he had to pull on over his head was a problem. In the end he settled for two hospital johnnies (one on frontways, one on backward) which kept him warm and made it easy to access the pic line. If I remember correctly, for his bottoms he wore his own sweats or PJs - but he's tall and the hospital pants didn't fit him.

For slippers, make sure he has some that are fairly sturdy - they made EJ walk a mile around the ward everyday!

Lyn