I have come to the (not really surprising) conclusion that I am NOT designed for being still..resting....etc. I don't really get "what do you DO to rest"? Sleep? Lay on the bed? Like what actually should I be DOING??
I had my morning (7am today) infusion and was up. I made myself a coffee (thanks to fellow patient Vanessa who left her Nescafe Gold!) and read, caught up on facebook and played card games til breakfast (9am). That's "REST" right??
After breakie I tidied myself up (which - without a hair and makeup routine, is a 2 minute ordeal of trying to avoid the mirror while putting on face cream)!! It's fine - small things amuse me. I put moisture on my legs, my cuticles, lips...repeat. Ho hum!
My hair is very slowly starting to fall out . I was talking to mum yesterday and brushing my head as all these little hairs were falling on the table....this is NOT a bad thing where my legs and underarms are concerned!!
My levels for today continue to drop. Dr F expects a turn around in the next 2 or 3 days but it's different for everyone so who knows?! Haemoglobin 81 (if it goes below 80 I'll need a transfusion which is not uncommon); Leukocytes 0.2; Platelets; 83. All fine apparently. My temperature continues to play funny buggers - 1 minute it's fine at 36.8, the next it hits 37.3 (when the nurses leave, I can't help but continue to play with)...They tested my blood for infections last night and all was clear so no need to worry. Between you and me - I think it's because I have seriously hollow underarm's and the temperature stick is not reading my temperature correctly....but try explaining that in Russian! I feel fine and no-one is concerned so we all roll with it.
Spoke with mum and dad and then, for a lot of today I wrote thank you letters to the multitude of staff here that have made my stay so memorable. This includes of course Dr Fedorendo, Anastasia, Olga, Eirena, Valva, Nicolai and the entire team.
I wrote a note to each of them in Russian and then in English....it took a LONG time. But - I feel good for having had a go! Who knows what I've really said to them ...but word translator seemed to get the gist of what I was trying to say - so we'll trust in the system ! Words like "Enormous Gratitude" featured strongly!! :)
I downloaded some more books, podcasts, music....cruised around ASOS.com and eBay and so on. Pandora doesn't work in Russia but a girlfriend told me about Guvera and that's worked a treat so "happy Mary". Lots (all) the instructions are in Russian but I worked out enough to have tunes all day and just singing and having noise makes the room better!
And suddenly - here we are at dinner time again so another day is ticked off. I've attempted porridge with buckwheat for dinner but think I'm gunna have to find something else...rice...protein bar...freddo frogs ... I dunno - we'll sort something!
Off for my vodka sponge bath and an attempt at exercises (although I am so weak that it's quite embarrassing - good thing I'm in isolation I guess)! Weak = "C'mon Mary you MUST do them to gain some sort of strength"...so I'm having a go! As my levels increase it will be easier I'm sure and the app I'm doing is a big 7 mins so feel like it's okay to have a bash at.
Righto - Russia HSCT HQ Division ISO #328 out.
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