Three Safety Tips for Blood Disorder Patients This Spring Festival

Title: Three Safety Tips for Blood Disorder Patients This Spring Festival

Introduction: Spring Festival brings reunion, but patients with blood disorders must avoid crowds, manage diet, and follow medication schedules.

The Spring Festival is a joyous occasion for family reunions in the Chinese culture. However, for patients undergoing treatment for blood disorders, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and aplastic anemia, as well as their families, this seemingly prolonged holiday can feel more like a big exam that requires careful navigation. Irregular schedules and various minor accidents can have extremely adverse effects on these patients. Therefore, it is particularly important for them to adhere to the following three don'ts.

Patients with low platelet counts should avoid engaging in crowds to prevent bleeding.

During the Spring Festival, due to the large number of people and noise, it is easy for accidents to occur.

Dietary Restrictions: It is advisable to avoid foods that contain many fish bones or hard bones (such as salted fish and smoked chicken), as well as hard foods like fried peanuts, to prevent injury to the esophagus that could potentially lead to gastrointestinal bleeding.

Behavioral Taboos: It is best to limit time spent at temple fairs or crowded places to avoid collisions. When brushing your teeth, use a soft-bristled brush, and if your gums bleed persistently, seek medical attention immediately.

Patients with neutrophil deficiency should avoid eating leftover foods as much as possible to reduce the risk of infections.

During the New Year, there are often many leftovers, but patients who have just completed chemotherapy possess very low immunity.

It is important to note that the refrigerator is not a safe deposit box: overnight dishes and cut fruit platters (such as cut cantaloupes) are susceptible to the growth of Listeria or Gram-negative bacteria, which can lead to sepsis in patients with neutropenia. Therefore, it is recommended that all food be freshly prepared and thoroughly heated.

Remember to take your medicine on time, and don't believe the old saying that it's bad luck to take medicine during the New Year.

Each year after the Spring Festival, there are tragic cases of relapse due to patients discontinuing their medications on their own. It is crucial that targeted therapy, hormones, and immunosuppressants not be interrupted for even a day during this festival. If you require platelet transfusions or white blood cell boosting injections, please contact the hospital's blood transfusion department or emergency room in advance to confirm their schedule during the holiday. Do not wait until you have a fever or bleeding to seek medical help.

The significance of the Spring Festival lies not only in reunion but also in peace and safety. Remember, compared to a lavish New Year's Eve dinner, a body that can digest steadily is true fortune; and compared to the bustling sound of fireworks, a steady and strong heartbeat is the best news. If you experience fever, bleeding, or any discomfort, do not hesitate and please do not worry about causing trouble for doctors during the holiday—seeking timely medical attention is the best New Year's gift you can give yourself.

May every patient with a blood disorder navigate this Spring Festival smoothly, and as spring arrives and flowers bloom, may they embrace a longer, healthier future with improved blood health.

Creative Team: Huang Xingqin, Deputy Chief Technician of the Hematology Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Army Military Medical University, and Zou Jingbo, Chief Technician (Science Popularization China Expert) from the Volunteer Service Team of Blood Donation and Life Care at the Red Cross in Yongchuan District, Chongqing.