Heather,

I totally agree with Kris. Day +100 is a day to take a breath and see where you have come. But know there is so far to go.

As you know, we will be at Day +100 next week. I don't see us changing things up real soon. Right now with his stomach issues, Doug doesn't feel much like eating anything. Dinner out will not be frequent. And we have given up salad bars for the rest of our lives--both of us!

I will always have wipes in my purse, car and suitcase. I wipe everything down constantly and I am sure I will continue to do so.

It will be nice if we can introduce some fresh fruits and vegetables into Doug's diet. We were told two weeks ago that he could eat a banana if I washed it, peeled it and cut it. He loves fruits and vegetables and has not had any fresh in 7 months!

It is funny the things you learn. I have never used a sponge for the kitchen. Some of my friends do and I will NOT touch another one:rolleyes:

Best of luck and stay the course.

Deb

Heather, the thing that struck me the most about how careful i should continue to be after day 100, is when I watched a GVHD video on the Blood & Marrow Transplant site: http://www.bmtinfonet.org/

The video mentioned that GVHD risk &/or symptoms could increase with cold/flu or other illness, including food borne.

This made me decide not to put myself around anyone with any symptoms until my 1 year date (later this month). We even cancelled a planned flight, when my hematologist suggested that unless it was a necessary to fly on a commercial airline, she wouldnt recommend it until my 1 year date.

We did start eating out at 60 days as my counts were normal, but only at times when the restaurants were relatively empty. I made sure all my food was cooked to 165 & I still haven't eaten any non cooked food except at home, where I know its been properly cleaned. We avoided sitting near anyone who appeared to have symptoms & I am still 100% hands free everywhere except at home, using disposable gloves or paper towels to open doors...

At home, my husband continued to wipe down surfaces for 6 months post transplant and anyone entering our home had to be healthy and use hand sanitizer.

Truly we've been following most of these rules for almost 3 years because my immune system has been compromised since March 2011. These precautions worked so well that my first illness in more than 3 years was a cold end December. Even though we have been out and about quite a bit.

Deb it's funny when I realize the things that seem so germy to me now, or should I say shocking the things I didn't think were before!!! Sponges are super high on that list!!! Did you see the post I had about Ron's nutritionist advise about fruits and veggies (all berrys excluded)
Big bowl, one cup white vinagar, room temp water, rinsed and rubbed well veggies, soaked 10 min in the mixture. Then rinsed again cold water.
Anything that has a lot of hard to clean aspects (berrys, some veggies that you always find grit on) still avoid. But I would by the pre rinsed or organic when available spinach, kale, romane then soak those (Double clean!)
Ron loves and really missed fruits and veggies. I think that even w this wash they like for the nutriphils to be decent.
Ask Doug's Drs and maybe you can blend theses things for him or he can start eating them.
Dena thank you! I needed that advise! Those are the important things that really keep Ron on track. If he is given the reason for something's purpose it's easier for him to stay on track!
Kris thx again! I used that tonight w Ron " well so far the things your doing have been working so why stop now!" bc he's getting antsy!

When my wife was immunocompromised, she craved fresh vegetables but many of them were off limits. Canned vegetables can be nutritious enough but they just aren't the same. I remember separating the lettuce leaves and washing each one individually when she could finally have mixed salads.

Even now, years later, we're more careful than the average person. We're always wary of buffet lines; we would rather be near the front of the line than following a bunch of careless people.

With the recent scares about unsafe grocery store chicken, we're again reminded to protect ourselves from sources of infection.

Heather, regarding the sponges. My transplant clinics food & home safety instructor from Fred Hutchinson advised to rinse them and put the damp sponges in the microwave for 1 minute before using again. She assured us the studies they've done show this to be fully effective. We kept 2 glass containers near our sink, 1 each for clean & dirty sponges & microwaved the dirty sponges daily (more if we ran out of the clean ones).

Though if your clinic suggested not using sponges this is likely what is follow if I was a patient at your clinic.

Best,

Great advise thx y'all!