Day 12 Post Transplant

Well just had all of my connections taken off, no longer tethered to my anti-sickness and the octopus has been taken off, no not a real octopus, the little device that splits the line so they can add more things to  it like saline and and anti-sickness and of course if they need to add more, they just put another splitter on and hence it ends up looking like an Octopus. The red line they keep on it’s own for taking bloods. So now I just have the basic line set up with the two connections if I need them usually one for blood and one for other things lings like saline, but they can use it for other things as well as blood and platelets if need be.

I didn’t get much sleep last night, but I know others didn’t as well as the buzzer kept going off throughout the night, particularly one patient I think. I’m the type of person that if I get woken up I find it really difficult to go back to sleep again, so I was reading blogs and the news off and on throughout the night to try and wear myself out to the point of falling asleep, needless to say it didn’t really work, so I will probably be knackered throughout the day to day. I just hope it doesn’t happen again, not for my sake, but I am allowed out of my room now and I’m sure I can’t find a big stick from somewhere …. (Message for the Nurses here reading this at the Royal, I wouldn’t really do that …. it would just be a slight slap honest ;-) )

Talking about the nurses reading my blog, I found out today that most of them are reading it now, so Hi everyone. It was mentioned that they are going to point other patients to it as they think it would be useful, particularly the list of things to bring in with you that I wrote about on my first transplant. A patients guide to an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant to be honest I wouldn’t put anything different in it for this type of transplant. I would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through them and would like to add to the list.

I wondered why my medication was coming a bit more regular and I didn’t need to to really mention anything to the nurses, it’s because they have read the blog! Oh the power of the written word.

I was also talking to a couple of nurses about my photography, the conversation started off by asking what I did before I left work, as most of them know here that I now do photography, but were surprised to hear that I was an Ecommerce manager and been working in IT for over 26 years. It helped them to understand why I knew so much about technology etc. After explaining that the photography was only really taken up once I was diagnosed with cancer. I knew at some point I would have to give up work and wanted to do something that I could do during my treatment. I’ve always been one to study and do research and though the photography would be an ideal thing that I could work around during my treatment. The plan was that after my first transplant I would start the business properly to make a few pounds to keep me going until I pop my clogs. As it turned out I needed to have this transplant which involved intensive treatment and very regular visits to the hospital almost on a daily basis, so couldn’t start the business as I wanted too. Everything is set up though for me to do so as soon as I can after this transplant, so if you fancy some new photos and help support me financially once I can get then let me know. If you register your interest now, I will give you a discount. My web site for the photography is easy to find, although as usual it hasn’t got the latest pics on there, yet, but that is something I will be doing while recuperating at home is: www.seantiernan.co.uk see I told you it was easy. I will be doing mainly portraiture or commission work, such as flowers of your chosen colour or type that will be suitable for your home decor. Unique photos just for you. I’m putting together a package as most photographers do of one large A4  and four 6.x4 for a standard price or you can upgrade to a quality Gallery Framed Print, which look really lovely in any environment.

Anyway, sales speech over with if you just want to look at my general pics I have a flickr account you can browse view which contain all sorts of pics, some I have printed off as gifts for friends and nurses, so don’t be afraid to leave comments, you never know I might be feeling generous and give you one as a gift :-) http://www.flickr.com/photos/seantiernan/ 

I had a lovely cooked English breakfast this morning and will probably have the same tomorrow … yummy, I’ve put on weight since I’ve been here, when I really thought I was going to lose my appetite like last time and lose it. I was told though that I still might not feel like eating at home, which is what happened last time and not worry about it. I was also advised to each chocolate and high in calorie foods, so I still have a good excuse at the moment.

Back to medical things, I’ve made sure that I have arranged to have all of my bloods and platelets checked ready for tomorrow, blood matches done today, so I don’t have to wait for them to come back tomorrow before ordering them, which may end up with me having to stay another night, which I want to avoid or coming back in again on the Thursday which would also be inconvenient. I’m having my Pentamidine today as well to get that out of the way, moved to separate room because of the usual yuckyness (is that a word!)

So everything is ready for me to go home, although after me surprising Charito at the entrance and telling her that I would be home on Wednesday, she did her usual panicking of I haven’t cleaned the house! I know that having the environment clean is important, but Charito insisted on getting up at 5:30am today to clean the house prior to going to work! I just don’t know how she does it .. I love her to bits for everything she does for me and putting up with my horrible mood swings, that I continue to blame on any little bit of steroid that I have in my body, but as I know and she keeps reminding me, I was like that before I even got cancer!! – She doesn’t read the blog anymore as she says it makes her sad at time, and I know others that have blogs where there partner doesn’t read their blogs either, so it isn’t unusual, so if you read this this and know Charito in person, please let her know that I am telling others how much I love her and appreciate her help. Sometimes I think she isn’t aware of home much I care for her and know how hard she works, even if I do get frustrated at her working three jobs when I know she used to manage one of the top restaurants in Peru and should stop using her language as an excuse for not getting a better job, she speaks better English that half the people I know, including my own grown up children!

Anyway what was going to be a short blog message has turned out to be another long one again, I don’t have any Dexamethasone in me now as an excuse.