To save you all a bit of time - the beginning of this is EXACTLY what I wrote on my Facebook page!
Dr F BOUNCED in this morning and went STRAIGHT to figures! (We share this joy thing). Numbers written straight away show engraftment has taken place! New Stemmies are off to work on a new immune system - little sweethearts!!!
Haemoglobin (normal is 120-160): Mary is 103...nearly.
Platelets (normal is 150-400): Mary is 220 - NORMAL!
Leukocytes (normal is 4-10): Mary is 3.8 (compared to 0.85 yesterday)!!
The door has been open!!! I am allowed in a very small, controlled environment, with all of us in masks, etc for the afternoon!
No more Vodka baths, normal toothpaste and soap etc! Yabba-Dabba-Do !!
Naturally my immune system still shot to pieces BUT...this engraftment has taken a giant leap in the right direction!
I was so unbelievably grateful... I started crying!
He was so happy for my joy!
Now if only my legs would work....they are so so shaky! 10 times worse with MS. No one seems surprised.
And now - I'd better find a cap or scarf post haste!
Yes - even my clothes are retuned today!!!
I still have a good solid week of recovery here and then I'm home !!
I feel blessed beyond compare, so grateful, strengthened, my faith is off the rictor scale, my family and friends are insane (no - I mean - really) - nah - they are just my WORLD and this Team Russia is so far beyond phenomenal it's not funny....GRATITUDE OVERLOAD!
Unfortunately - my unbridled enthusiasm for 'the great outdoors' (aka lounge 10 feet away) was curbed a bit with meals, infusions and waiting for my luggage to return, but by early afternoon, I was out hanging on the lounge with a NZ lady, Norwegian lady, Canadian man, American Carer and 'my' Aussie Friend! Talk about BLISS!
It certainly shows you how quick your time here REALLY goes because I remember being EXACTLY the person who had just finished tests and I felt SO BEHIND everyone else who had just had transplants or were out of Isolation!
Bearing this in mind - I really tried to be as helpful as I could and explain that it really does move quickly; I found isolation very therapeutic and no bother whatsoever - was calm and happy each and every day; I describe my Chemo experience but was quick to explain that every experience has been different), talked about Vlad the Neck Impaler and so on! They all at different stages already too but they will share the journey which is GOLD.
I think I'll still be able to spend some time with them which be lovely but I will miss Transplant Birthdays because Hooo-laaa! I'm out on 7 October!! I week to go baby! I week to recuperate, learn, be a support to the others, rest, contemplate, etc.
Oh yeah - you may have seen - hair fall out is a GO. I WAS pulling it out until another a fellow HSCT said OH NO - just let it fall or you'll do root damage! GREAT! I look like....I dunno a ferret who got himself into a tussle. - HAT ON today :)
I'm off to have a REAL SHOWER WITH SOAP and a Toothbrush and Toothpaste so that'll be heavenly!!
As I mentioned - legs are like Jelly so work outs have commenced - just very low key to TRY to get some strength! I'm gunna walk out of here better than I came in that's damn straight (...and then take FULL ADVANTAGE OF WHEELCHAIR ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE AIRPORTS)!!! Hey - I'm only human!
Joyous Overloadus! OUT.
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