I was just chatting to a friend and she didn't realise I had a blog. Well, I said, it's not much of a blog anymore as I never seem to have time or need to write and express my feelings anymore. When I was a teenager, I would never let a week go by without writing in my diary. I still have them all, dating back to 1985 and it's such fun to read them every now and then to see how much a person changes as they get older and "wiser"
2011 ended with shocking news hence the start of 2012 has not been the greatest.
Christy (my bestest friend since 1984) was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia). She went to the doctor with unexplained bruises on her arms. The doc sent her for blood tests and 24 hours later the doc called her in to tell her the bad news. She had to get to Constantiaberg within an hour if possible.
Phil, Christy and Aidan moved to Franschhoek in June 2011. They ran the restaurant and wedding venue, De Huguenot in Johannesdal for about 6 months or so, but that did not work out and Christy even reckons that her illness could have been triggered by the stress of that place. They started their own little pavement champagne bar in Franschhoek central. I think it's in Huguenot square ironically they live in Huguenot road as well. Funny how that Huguenot monuement has always given me bad memories of boarding school in Franschhoek and now my best friend lives there.
So she spent the night of the 23rd Dec in hospital, had a platelette transfusion as her own plateletes were only down to about 3 (normal person has 150 - 480)
She was allowed home for Christmas but straight back in on the 27th DEC where they had to do a small operation to put in her J line for the chemo. She started chemo the next day for 7 days, 24 hours. She was quite well on the chemo, being able to get out of bed and go for little walks. She is well loved so has thankfully been getting many visitors. Visiting hours are 08h00 to 20h00 so it is good that we can go visit whenever.
After the chemo finished she was still in good spirits. She first had to hair extensions taken out and hair cut shoulder lenght, then one of Reto's hairdressers came in and cut it short, pixie look. It really suits her.
She spent New years eve in hospital. Phil was with her till about 22h00 and then went to Mike and Liz. We just had a quiet evening with Jill and Hilton (neighbours on other side of wall) and we were home by 01h00ish. I had such a migraine and eye ache between Christmas and New year so was not up for much. Think it was due to the shocking news of Christy.
Christy was allowed home round about the 05th Jan or so but her temp got up to 38 during the night and the doctor ordered her to come straight back. So Phil and Arne drove her back at 02h30 in the morning. She was very depressed about being back and put her on sedatives. She also had some chest pain which she has had many times before so could all be related to the leukemia but was misdiagnosed as costran... something or other, I can never say or spell the name of it.
This past week end she had had enough and was ready to pull the tubes out and walk out of the hosptital. I can only imagine what it must do to your emotions. But on Sunday she heard that the man in the ward next to her had passed away unexpectantly. He had a bowel infection that the doctors detected too late. That also can't do much for your confidence! Monday she didn't want to talk to anyone as the doc had told her that she had zero platelettes and zero white cells so at very high risk to infection. I spent the day at boulders beach with mor and kids feeling so guilty for being able to enjoy such a beautiful day and constantly worrying about Christy. She was very tearful and lucky Phil had managed to come thru already at 15h00. 15h30 she received some slighly better news, the bone marrow biopsy had come back clear. This was her first biopsy done after the chemo, so this means the chemo had done it's job for the bone marrow but the blood results were still a bit baffling.
Tuesday morning her platelette count and white count had increased ever so slightly and Wed up again. This morning I spoke to her she said she heard the path care nurse saying up 10 platelettes so let's hope that means her body is now producing platelettes and white cells again. I did read this can only happen 2 weeks after chemo, so maybe her body was just a bit slower than "text book".
The other patients don't know where she gets the energy from. She only sleeps a few hours every night. Most of the patients sleep most of the day and all night.
So, the doc said if her results were good today she can go home till Monday, which is great news and even on Monday she only has to come in for a hour or so for observation and tests. Here's holding thumbs.
I think our motto at the moment is "One day at a time"
