This stuff kills everything!

Transplant recipients have no doubt they are different the first year after surgery. Doctors appointments are frequent and blood lab visits are so often that most of us start to think we could draw our own blood at home if they would let us.

In the second year, things ease up for most of us. We see docs every 3 months or 6 months and get stuck with a needle once a month. We talk about our transplants less and don’t lead every conversation with it.

It gets a little better each year. At least it did for me … and now it’s a problem. I’m coming up on my five year liverversary and some days I think, other than my prescription meds alarm every 12 hours, I’m just an average Joe. Sometimes I actually forget I had my liver yanked out and a new one put in.

Why is that a problem?

Well, I get stupid and lazy, don’t wash my hands and I leave my hand sanitizer at home. So, because my pills knock down my immune system so my body doesn’t reject my new organ, I catch every bug going around.

I forget that it takes me longer to dump a cold and that I probably should not be so huggy. But, I like to be huggy!

I spent yesterday and last night bowing to the porcelain throne with something that’s “going around.” If I’d just have squirted that sanitizer stuff on my hands more regularly, I probably would be fine.

I used to squirt it after every doorknob encounter. I squirted it and rubbed it on my steering wheel and shifter. Handshakes brought it from my pocket almost instantly.

Now, I’m usually not even sure where my travel squirter is. Maybe I left it home in my other coat?

So, last night while bowing to the porcelain throne, I made another resolution. I am going to remember to start carrying that sanitizer with me, pass on the salad bar, wash my hands more frequently and be more careful.

Life is good! But, I’m NOT normal and won’t be normal ever again.

Now where’s my sanitizer?