GETTING READY FOR THE TRANSPLANT

 Let's Start The Journey ! 

Let this journey towards your recovery be your choice. This could be a life-changing decision not just for you but also for your loved ones. 

• Please obtain all the necessary information from your hospital team but also feel free to make your own research too.
• While carrying out your own research, Please make sure that the information you obtain is from reliable sources such as voluntary organisations, charities, special interest groups, other patient experiences and support      groups. 
• It is always useful to inquire beforehand, the support and services that are offered by your hospital.
• Please make sure that you do have access to rehabilitation services in the hospital or outside. 

Making informed Choices!

Your pre-transplant experience will vary depending upon your hospital policy and procedures. However, your medical and rehabilitation team should be involving you in each and every stage when planning your treatment and rehabilitation.  

• Please make sure that you are aware of the positives and negatives of the suggested treatments. There is no harm in exploring alternative treatment pathways from the one that has been suggested to you. Your medical team will be more than happy to discuss the possibilities. 
• In some hospitals, the rehabilitation team might offer a complete full body physical assessment which includes measuring your joint range of motion, strength and cardiovascular endurance. This assessment will be useful as a baseline score to compare for after transplant and in some cases where patients develop GVHD. 
• Hope for the best but prepare for the worse – Like any other medical procedure, it’s always good to plan ahead. 
• Plan for your stay and the care you might need in the hospital. Make sure you have already taken care of things which need attention while you are in the hospital. Plan for child care or if you are a primary carer, arrange support in advance. Please be aware that you might need help when you return home from the hospital.  

Working together

As an in-patient, you will be monitored and routinely assessed by the medical and the rehabilitation team to make sure you are recovering well. 

• Please be aware that feeling tired, lethargic, fatigue and unwell is sometimes part of the recovery process but please do communicate and report these or any other symptoms to the medical team so that informed decisions can be made regarding your treatment.  
• The rehabilitation team may prescribe you an exercise program during your stay in the hospital depending upon your medical condition. The exercises you will perform will be carefully designed as per your individual needs and can be a combination of strength, endurance and functional exercises. 
• It is very important that you actively participate in your rehab program to aid your recovery process. 
• Your exercise program during your hospital stay may vary from day to day depending up on your medical condition, advice from your consultant and the nursing staff.   

Check list for before you go home

Please make sure you have all the necessary medical and rehab information before you go home including: 

• How to monitor your progress? 
• Contact details of the healthcare professional in your hospital in case you have any concerns or emergency. 
• Please make sure you understand your medications, their side effects and things to look out for.  
• Please also educate yourself about the early signs of Graft Versus Host Disease.  
• Please liaise with the rehabilitation team and make sure you have your home exercise program.  
• With the help of the rehabilitation team, please make sure that you have all the necessary information on when its safe to exercise and when not, i.e. your platelet levels, blood oxygen level, blood pressure etc.  
• Pace your daily activities as per your own capacity.  
• Please make sure you have all the appointment dates and times for follow-up with your consultant, nurse or the rehabilitation team.  

Lets Get Back In Shape!

We wish you all a smooth and speedy recovery. 

Once you are out of the hospital, its now time to plan for a return to your normal activities of daily life. 

• Most patients are generally concerned about their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks, return to work and finally return to sports.  
• Firstly, it's very important that you do not stress yourself, take each day as it comes.  Don’t be too hard on yourself and also don’t be too laid back. Try and get the balance right, it's your body and you know what you can and can't do safely.  
• With the help of your medical and rehabilitation team, set short and long-term goals.  
• Before returning to work make sure you seek advice from your rehabilitation and medical team about getting a return to work assessment specific to your job.
• Depending upon your medical condition, physical capabilities and work demand, you might be advised by the rehabilitation team to return to work on modified duties or phased return to work until deemed necessary.  
• Students attending school or university might also have to phase themselves back to their routine depending upon their medical and physical condition.

Get in Touch

Remember, the cGVHD.co.uk team is a voluntary organisation with specialists from around the globe. We will be more than happy to answer any queries so please feel free to get in touch.  

Happy to help!

Please continue to read below for more information in GVHD which is one of the complications developed by some patients as a result of transplant.