Sunday, 8 September 2013

Glad that's over...

It's been a stressful few days..

I was admitted to hospital Weds afternoon for the Central Line insertion.

This was cancelled until Thursday morning which I was quite happy with. I didn't feel up to much. Something just wasn't 'right'.

Thursday morning at 5am the lovely Chandra came crashing through the door.

'Bath bath!'

I cannot believe I allowed this to happen. I blame not feeling too well and suffering from a bit of 'cog fog'. A condition other MS sufferers may know well. It feels like your head is in cotton wool. The world is going on around you but you're in another dimension.

It may have been due to language barrier but I let this woman push me in to the shower. My protests to her were met with a massive smile and water.

Even Mums protests fell on deaf ears. Chandra is a force to be reckoned with!

Once I was back on the bed I turned to hysterical laughter. I felt violated!!

My reason for feeling off became clear when I developed a touch of 'Delhi Belly'. Sorry, but there it is..

The Drs were fast on top of this with antibiotics and other medications but it wasn't good.

I had to try and keep it together so to speak as I was wheeled up to 8th floor for my Central Line insertion.

This went without a hitch. Apparently I'm a strong woman?

Wheeled back downstairs to 6th floor to be almost immediately hooked up to the Apheresis Machine.

This little number is sucking out blood through my new central line, taking out the bit they need for the stem cells and putting the leftover back.

You can imagine mine and Mums face when they wheeled in this machine that looked like it belonged on the Antiques Roadshow. Sounding like it was on bad shopping trolley wheels.



But we needn't have worried. This little machine and the lovely team that operated it managed to extract 11 Million stem cells from me on the first day. We don't have the 2nd day numbers yet so we are well over our 2 Million minimum.


Here are the little blighters collecting in the bag.

Friday I woke up to another crashing through the door of Chandra where she was definitely told 'NO!'

Another collection day but because the first day was so good it was only a 2 hr collection. I could have come back to the hotel at that point but because of the toilet issue they wanted me to stay another night. Sad face..

Saturday was another 'cog fog' day, bit lost really.

Being in hospital has been a real emotional roller coaster and it's made me think of things/look at things from a different perspective. Mainly my life, my relationships and how much MS defines me as a person.

It's funny what extended periods away does; I'm missing home so unbelieveably much. I'm enjoying a bit of quiet contemplation and being alone with my own thoughts.

Mums now known as Nurse Ratchet. Have a look at this..


The only way to move the bed is to crank it up. I'm sure sometimes she'd like to throw it at me!

So, next I'm for blood tests on Tuesday and if my bloods have recovered enough I'm going in for my new central line to administer the chemo on Weds ready to go in to the BMT isolation on Thursday.

It's all happening now! Can't believe we've only been here 2 weeks and this is where we are.

Mum and Raja went shopping today to get some supplies to go in with. In true Bangalore style the supermarket was no good for me.

One last picture. Imagine me, lonely white female sat in a wheelchair, enjoying a bit of people watching. Here's my view..


Going in to isolation is going to be a challenge. I feel it already. But as mum says it's the crest of the hill and all roads point to home from then on. Can't wait!!

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