Sick, sick, sick



Well, its that time of year.  The time of year that everyone dreads.  Flu season!!!  Yes, everyone dreads it, but I think, the immune-suppressed dread it a little more.  What may take a normal healthy person to recover after a few days, takes probably twice as that for the immune-suppressed.  I have been laid out on the couch for at least 3 or 4 days.  I don't have much energy and I don't even have much of an appetite.  I think, in those few days that have passed, I have only had one meal per day.  It's not intentionally, just can't seem to have an appetite.  I called my doctor yesterday and now I'm on an antibiotic, so I'm feeling a bit more energetic.  Not much, but some, at least enough to want to eat.  I have been sustaining my body on Vitamin water, so at least I am getting some form of nutrition.

This is just one of many struggles after transplant.  Even though it will be two years, there still are complications.  It can be frustrating because you go for a period of time feeling as if your body and energy is returning back to normal than, yes, another WHAM, and your knocked back to feeling like crap.  I know sickness is a part of life and even the healthiest of people experience the common cold or flu.  But for me, and maybe other people who have experienced a long-term disease, it can be frustrating because it seems to take so much longer than the average person to recover. 

On FB, I have seen postings through bone marrow donor/survivor sites that patients have made stating their continued struggles after a year or two of transplant.  Many return to work, even full-time, and I wonder how they do it?  I know each person's experience is their own and no two people share the same experience when it comes to transplant, but sometimes I feel as though I'm lazy or weak.  I really try to motivate myself to move forward and keep fighting but its like my body doesn't want to follow me or try to catch up.  It can be most frustrating.  I wonder will I ever feel 100%???  As I have said in many other blogs, I am quite a stubborn person, and I won't give up, but geesh, give me a break. Haha haha  I just want to keep moving forward and not hit those rumble strips.  They're definitely rumple strips and not speed bumps.  Because speed bumps you have a longer length of time between and with rumple strips, you experience quick ups and downs, then things go smoothly for a brief period of time, and then before you know it, your hitting those rumble strips again.  So, that is where I am know.  I'm driving over those rumble strips and I'm looking forward to the smooth driving.  There is no way of knowing how long it will last.  But, hopefully, the period between rumble strips keeps getting further and further apart.

Here are a few tips for cold/flu season:

1. Optimize your Vitamin D - important for your immune system
2. Avoid Sugar- it cripples your immune system
3. Boost your immunity with "power" foods
4. Get enough sleep - don't be too tired to fight the buggers
5. Exercise regularly
6. Wash your hands - so it won't spread
7. Careful Sneezing - no hands, use a tissue or into your sleeve

(Matys http://www.matyshp.com/blog/Steps-to-prevent-flu-naturally/)