Day 20 - Life and death

2 minute read time.

3 Jul 2017

Well on Saturday morning I woke up to the delights of hair all over my pillow, decided to get a shower and see what was really happening before I rushed into shaving it all off. Clumps fell out in my hand as I washed it, well that was my kind made up, hair was coming off asap!

Rang my husband who was more than happy to come in and do the job (revenge for me shaving his while he was asleep a few years back!)

Mouth was still in bad condition Saturday, the pain relief regime was really helping but still unable to swallow anything.

My consultant called in saturday mid morning to tell me my white cells were 0.1 as were my neutrophils, he said this was a good sign but I was nervous as this could just be my old immune system trying to grow again and I need mine to be dead to allow my brothers to grow.

Anyway, I put it to the back of my head and that evening the kind nurse gave us some razors and my hair went to heaven (in the bin), I looked at myself and thought oh no, then I looked again and said, well I've no makeup on, eyebrows need done, no jewellery so what did I expect, once I get out of here and get my face on I think I'll be alright!

And that was that, haven't thought about it since.

On Sunday morning the door flew open with a junior doctor bouncing in happy to tell me my neutrophils were 0.7 and that it was amazing news, well I was over the moon! My consultant came round later and said it was great news and explained how this could not be my bone marrow (it could not recover like that after the chemo) and that it was my brothers stem cells growing well and quick. Well it was the best news I've heard in a while, he explained that although I'm doing brilliant there's still a long recovery but in meantime chemo symptoms should start clearing up.

He was right, I didn't have to ask for any morphine during the night and my mouth doesn't feel too bad this morning, I'm currently eating a tub of wee mandarins, not too bitter and just nice and cold....hurray!

So after saying goodbye to my hair, I'm now saying hello to my new baby immune system, without sounding dramatic, my life had been saved. It's going to be a good day!

FormerMember over 6 years ago

Fanbloodytastic news !!!!!

... ...

Ronan
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FormerMember over 6 years ago

Great news Stacey. Through all of this your dogged positivity is remarkable. We hope that things continue to progress. A wee Aborigine saying which sums you up well: "Keep your eyes on the sun and you will not see the shadows"

Love Barry and Terry.
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Thehighlander over 6 years ago

Hi Stacey, sounds great.

Lost my hair two times, first during my R-EPOCH Chemo and then during the prep for my second ALLO SCT. It has changed texture, has become straight and slightly darker, I was white before I started this journey.

My Neuts were dormant for a week, then went up to 0.1 for a further week then up to 1.2 within a couple of days, at that point I was given my marching orders home. Stacey, your well down the road and your our own bed calls with no obs at stupid o'clock, no bloods at 5.00am and darkness, yes darkness and real coffee........ its just round the corner. Your doing great and in my mind I am walking through my hospital journey whenI read your blog.
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