Sorry for the delay in my blog update but I hit the dip that was promised soon after my last one and haven't really felt up to it since. Today is day 16.
Last Thursday I was moved from my atrium view room to a room with no windows and a significant walk to my designated bathroom. Not good for someone with sickness and diarrhoea but weve managed so far without any accidents. I've mastered the clenched buttock mince down the corridor to the bathroom.
Also not great for someone who was struggling with the mental aspect of isolation. I even asked Jen to bring a shovel so I could tunnel my way out. Then I remembered I was on the 3rd floor. I'm not proud to say I lost my temper with the nursing staff and said some things I probably shouldn't have done. I have since apologised and I think all is forgiven.
My health deteriorated on Friday as my blood count hit zero, the high dose chemotherapy from 12 days previously having the desired effect. Extreme fatigue as my body tries to deal with the chemotherapy and the new stems cells and the injections that promote even greater stem cell activity.
I received platelets on Friday and Saturday as well as IV ABX for an infection that was showing in my bloods. Luckily the infection doesn't seem to have materialised.
I seem to be over the worst as my blood counts have begun to rise and the doctors are very pleased and I am now classed as engrafted as the stem cells are now in the bone marrow and are producing healthy blood cells as well as multiplying correctly too. So everything is looking fine.
I missed some key milestones this week, taking the boys for their school haircuts - they had to go alone and seeing the children off to school on their first day today. That was particularly hard, I've not missed one yet and to wish them good luck via Skype wasn't quite the same
I am reminded how lucky I am though. Last night a patient on the ward died and cancer claimed another victim. I know there are people who read this blog who have lost loved ones and therefore whilst it's been hard here in my prison cell, I know I will be fortunate enough to walk out of ward 44 in the next week or so and go home to my family. Others havent been that lucky.
Will update in the next few days.
