The Thomas family

The Thomas family
From left to right, Tania, Dave, me and Corina

Saturday 10 December 2011

Sorry it's been so long

I apologise for having not posted for so long (8 weeks I think).  I am still here and doing well, just not very good at getting around to doing updates.

Going back to my last post, I had been to the hospital for my regular 6 weekly appointment and they took extra blood for testing for residual disease. The last count had been 0.007% and the latest one has gone down to 0.002%!  Edging ever closer to that elusive zero!

Since then I have been for another appointment where all was well again.  They took extra blood for another test, with the cool name of Chimerase test, which shows how much of my blood DNA is donor blood compared with my own.  The results came back last week and it is 100% donor which is perfect!

I have had a couple of special days since my last post: the anniversary of my transplant on 25 November; and my Birthday last Wednesday (7th) which was a lovely day, a lot better than a year ago when I was in hospital and just losing my hair!  It's amazing to think about how much has happened in that time, and how well I am now.  My time in hospital is just a distant memory.

I am now back at work for my full 3 days (although I have accrued so much holiday that I am actually doing two day weeks for the rest of the year).  It is still surprisingly tiring but that may just be how I am now.

I have been trying to lose some weight as I defied the norm and actually put on quite a bit during and immediately after my transplant (over a stone - seriously).  It was going quite well, if very slowly, but it is a real struggle now with so many Christmas and other events happening.  All I can hope is that I don't put too much back on again!

Michelle's experience over the past couple of months has been very different to mine.  We knew it was going to be a tough fight for her and it certainly is living up to expectations.  In my last report she had gone back into hospital with glandular fever.  She was in for some time and had a pretty rough time fighting it, coming out having, in her words, been to hell and back.  I saw her when she was just starting to feel a bit more normal, but still had bad shakes and no appetite.

The next thing we know she is back in again being given every test imaginable as the tremors are increasing and she is being sick a lot.  It eventually transpired that she had what they believe was viral meningitis in her brain!  It has been a very worrying time but she is now home again and feeling (and looking) much more like her old self.  She celebrates her 100 days tomorrow and I send her my love and best wishes for the day.

I think I've probably written enough for now, so I'll sign off.  As it is probable that I won't manage another post before Christmas I will wish you all a happy and restful festive period and a healthy new year!

God bless,
Cathy
xxx