Stem Cell Transplant No. 3 – Update 2
Hello my healing team,
I hope this update finds you well!!
All things considered, so far, my Allo Stem Cell Transplant (SCT) has gone really well. Aside from a few complaints, i feel good and have come through relatively unscathed. However, given my immune system is quite new, it is proving to be fragile. On a Monday, just a few weeks ago, I found myself explaining to my specialist, the Nutty Professor, that ‘I was back’ and that my immune system was bulletproof. Then on the Tuesday I checked into hospital having caught Influenza A!! Fear not…. I was out after a few days. A month later and I found myself incarcerated within those hospital walls again, this time with Influenza B. I guess I am only bulletproof most of the time. Even super heroes take a day off!!
What I find hardest about being locked away (albeit for my own good) is the solitary confinement with several days spent occupying a room where my best conversation is the echo of my own voice off the walls around me!! Whilst I do like the sound of my own voice, I now know that you can have too much of a good thing!! I guess I now have more motivation to stay infection free and out of hospital.
With time to contemplate whilst incarcerated I did start thinking about the stories you would hear if only the hospital walls could talk. For one such story, late one night I was moved into a room with a really nice view out of the window. Whilst I felt fortunate to have the view, ever curious, I asked the nurse a naive question…. “How is it that a room becomes available so late at night??”. The reply was short…. “A space becomes available late at night when the previous occupant doesn’t walk out” 😳😬. I wish I hadn’t asked!! I started to feel that hospital was quite a grim place to be, but on reflection, so much more occurs that is not really considered.
Hospitals are a dynamic place. A few things that occurred to me whilst incarcerated include;
- there must be an express portal to heaven from hospital, and maybe one to hell also.
- With all of the babies born, there has to be a Stork landing pad!
- So many tissues would get used, many for sorrow, but lots to wipe away tears of joy also!!
- More people walk out of hospital in a better condition than when they were wheeled in!!
- A ridiculous amount of perfectly good food is unceremoniously damaged as it is cooked and served on a daily basis.
- Careers are forged for so many awesome people who research, treat, care, test, diagnose, support, clean, cook, assist, transport etc.
- A code grey announcement means someone is going troppo and security is needed ASAP. This mainly happens in the Emergency Department.
- A MET Call announcement is a medical emergency!! You don’t want that call in your room while you are occupying it!!
- Pain causes much anxiety and stress, but i have found that it can be improved significantly with morphine 😝
- Nurses are meant to take your ‘Obs’ (blood pressure, temp and blood oxygen level) every three hours. This is a welcome interaction during the day, not so much in the middle of the night.
- Nurses (and ambo’s) are the most underrated and wonderful people!!
- In considering hospitals, whilst death does occur, they are so much more about life and living.
As I sit hear today, I have spent the day in hospital having just had a heap of testing done to work out how effective my Stem Cell Transplant has been. When the results roll in I will learn whether my bone marrow is more Daniel or more Geoff. I will also learn whether the new stem cells have been effective in smashing my cancer to oblivion. So whilst waiting for my results, I feel that a hospital is a place of HOPE. A place where sustained hope, a whole lot of hard work and a good dose of luck will propel me to my 80s.
Take care
Geoff
