Waiting for a transplant can be very stressful. You never know when exactly the call is going to come to tell you to come to the hospital. In the meantime, you can feel like your life is on hold.
Some people are on edge every time the phone rings when they are first put on the list. If you have been waiting a long time for a transplant and are feeling unwell, you may be wishing to hear from the hospital and be disappointed when a phone call is not from the transplant team. Equally, you may be looking forward to an event at school or a family party and wondering if you have to miss it if you are called in for surgery.
Keeping a regular routine
The best thing you can do while you are waiting is to live your life as normally as you can. Plan ahead as you usually would. Get involved in family, school and community activities as much as you are able to.
Arranging how to keep up with school work
You might find it helpful to talk to your guidance counsellor at school during this waiting time to let them know that you are on the transplant list. For example, they will need to know that you will need to miss school for four to eight weeks once you have your transplant surgery.
You and your guidance counsellor can come up with a plan to help you keep up with your classes and school work at the time of transplant. Your school might send work home with a parent or friend or be able to send work out by email. The hospital has teachers that can help you complete school work while you are admitted.
