It's been a while since I started this blog but I'm back! Something came up the other day that inspired me to write this one! I was figuring out dinner and realized that instead of asking Wayne if he wanted greenbeans to go with his salmon, I asked him if he still liked greenbeans! Interesting right! Keep reading! So, while preparing for the living donor liver transplant I thought I had asked all of the appropriate questions, but apparently I left out a big one: "Is there anything quirky that we can expect once the transplant is completed?" I am speaking of the changes in appetite here! Join me as I take you on a ride in the day in a life of what dinner time looked like right after transplant.
Prior to transplant, I remember being able to cook a big pot of spaghetti or chili for dinner to last a few days. I also remember having a variety of boxes of cereal because some days, that’s all he had a taste for. I remember a time where I would cook a filet of salmon and have it for dinner, lunch, and dinner the next day because I was the only one who ate it. Let’s fast forward to post transplant. I can’t count how many times I was caught by surprise and saying ‘Wait, what do you mean you don’t eat ‘xyz’ anymore?!” The no spaghetti thing blew my mind. I mean who doesn’t eat spaghetti right LOL?! I started asking questions and reading things online and found out there is a thing called cell memory, where a transplant patient may take on some traits or habits of their organ donor. Creepy right?! Some believe it to be science and some believe it’s a phenomenon that hasn’t been proven. I’m here to tell you — I am a believer!
Post transplant, pancakes and chocolate items became such a normal thing in our house to the point where I had to text his donor and ask her if she too loved pancakes and chocolate (not together of course). She did! He didn’t prefer either of them pre-transplant. Salmon is now a staple in the house for us both! Cereal is a thing of the past and big pot meals, nope — you can forget it. Wayne does not prefer pork but ironically, the first thing he asked for after waking up from transplant was a ham sandwich. He loves ham now! I find myself asking him “Hey, do you still eat *insert food*” and sometimes the answer is “I think so” or "I don't know" LOL!
If you have a loved one getting ready to undergo a transplant, or just find this subject intersting, I definitely encourage you to read up on transplant cell memory! Also, ask your physician what type of quirky things you can expect after transplant! That way when your loved one wakes up asking for something mind blowing like a ham sandwich, and they don’t eat pork for example, then you won’t be totally caught off guard!
We don't know what we don't know, so I want to open up the comments for you to share your own personal stories about quirky changes that you noticed after transplant! If it was a different event/surgery that caused changes, feel free to share below! Have a great day and an amazing weekend!