55 days from my transplant, feels like a lifetime ago yet the words I keep hearing are 'it's only early days'
My doctor tells me I'm doing really well and I suppose I am, but I want to run, jump about, go on a night out, go on a holiday and even go back to work!
I was over the moon coming home from hospital but I was in for a shock in the following weeks. Going up and down the stairs exhausted me, my appetite was poor and even driving round the corner to my mums meant a few hours in bed that afternoon. So what did determined, independent little old me do? I pushed through it, 'power on through' is my favourite motto, I done food shopping, went for lunch and done housework, only this time it didn't work.
I had pains in my legs and back for days and ended up in hospital with a temperature of 39 due to an unknown virus, which luckily went away by itself after a week. I said to one of the doctors I don't understand this, I never got one infection whilst recovering from all my chemo, to which he replied, you're not recovering from chemo, you're recovering from a stem cell transplant which is a whole other ball game.
Lesson learnt! So the last two weeks I've been taking it easy and have really had to change my mindset, my stem cell transplant was successful and all in all I am recovering extremely well. I get to eat whatever I want which has mainly consisted of curry chips, pizza and Ben+jerrys (some healthy meals in between) My mum and sister made a comment saying they would love to be able to sit in the house and eat whatever they want and have to put on weight! So I guess I'm kinda lucky!
I'm doing some gardening and cooking but mainly watching Netflix and watching people walk past my window, I live on a roundabout and the daily horn beeping of people not knowing how to give way to the right can be highly entertaining. I was sad when love island ended but can fill in my time stalking them all on Instagram and Snapchat. My hair is coming back very very slowly, you can't even see it in daylight but you can feel it, I feel like a baby chicken!
Life is just a bit slower, I struggle at night with some joint pains and apart from the tiredness there's not too many side effects. I need to listen to my body and allow it time to build again but I will get there, my family and friends have been amazing and I'm very lucky to have good support. As much as I would love to 'power on through' I am trying to adopt a 'one day at a time' approach....let's see how it goes.....
Great to hear how you are doing. If I was to write a book (you never know) the title would be something like "The unexplainable journey" or "Now words can prepare you". I love your phrase 'Power on through' but often the reality is more 'Push on through - a day at a time' you are doing great. I am 22 months post Allo and had a VC clinic today. So my appointments are now every 12 weeks with the aim of going to every 6 months after Christmas. The longer you go the details of the bad times can start to get blurry at the edges. Well done you x
Hi Stacey, I am now day 663 post Allo :) so you have a ways to go to catch me. We have had some 3 - 7 days holidays in the UK and I as I said in a post to Ross I have been officially told (recorded in my note) that I can go abroad with the proviso that I MUST protect myself from direct sun light and I have to check back with her if its anywhere exotic (out with the main European countries) as I don't have a functioning spleen and I am still open to infection so am on low levels of maintain antibiotics 24/7........ Now to think of somewhere?
Hello Stacey. Glad to have received this update on your progress. You have a heart like a lion! Keep going! You remain in our thoughts and prayers at all times. xx
