me and my marrow, get comfortable

Get Comfortable

In some hospitals, you’ll stay in a special germ-free room from the time you’re admitted until you’re discharged. In others, you’ll move into a new room after your transplant.
Either way, you’ll probably feel more at home if you fix up your space to make it yours. Bring things from home to help you pass the time and make yourself comfortable.

“I brought a laptop computer so I could play video games and go on the internet.”

Age 14, 1 month after transplant

To help you pass the time, bring books, games, craft/hobby kits, stationery, your address book, videotapes, CDs or audiotapes, and a Walkman or boom box.

“I brought my stuffed animals and my pillow from Camp Sunshine—a camp for kids with cancer.”

Age 14, 6 weeks after transplant

To make your hospital stay more comfortable, bring loose-fitting clothes, pajamas, slippers, a robe, and a quilt or pillow from your bed at home.

“I hung a string of fun, decorative lights to make my room more cheerful. Since I traveled to another city to get my transplant, I also brought pictures of my favorite doctors and nurses from home, and a photo of friend who was a patient there.”

Age 13, 1 year after transplant

“I put up posters that a friend drew. They mostly had positive thoughts.”

Age 12, 9 months after transplant

Important!
Leave live plants and flowers at home—your room must be kept sterile. (Plants may carry fungi, molds, or bacteria that could cause serious infections.) Check to see if your hospital has any other restrictions.

“The first thing doctors wanted me to do was to make the room look the way I wanted it to. I put up pictures of my family and made a big collage on the wall of all the cards I got,” says Cristina.

To see how other kids made their hospital stay more comfortable, place the mouse over items in the picture to the left.