Waiting, around Christchurch

The port hills above Christchurch are refreshing and uplifting on a sunny day, when waiting for a stem cell harvest. We had a weekend off hospital appointment so headed for the heights.

First attempt at a long walk was a wash out. We hit Lyttleton Saturday farmers market in rainy cloud and managed only a short stroll as far as the bus stop near the port. NZ exports much of its wood to China for chip board then imports what chipboard it needs back again.

Piles of it in Lyttleton waiting for transport.

Next up was a tour of Christchurch by Metro bus getting our money’s worth out of the metro card whilst trying to find all the woodwork and art galleries in Ferrymead and Sumner to satisfy Sarahs’s craving for wood art. Christchurch first railway was built in 1863 in Ferrymead but not much left of it now apart from a plaque. 

Best event of the day were the penguins in the Antarctic centre near the airport.  These blue penguins are injured or crippled and taken in by the centre for care as they would not survive by themselves in the wild.

We managed to while away hours reading all the details of the exhibitions and exploration.

Not too much about Scott and Shackleton; lots for kids, even us big ones.

Sunday was better after a big breakfast at Black Bettys café

Yummie Bircher muesli with blueberry jus.

We sauntered up the Harry Elli track and had to dodge rain showers and clouds by sheltering at the Song of the Kiwi café.

The views from the Crater rim walkway were great as we strolled on a Sunday afternoon along the crest of the hills overlooking Christchurch basin and Lyttleton harbour.

Several kilometres passed. It was almost like being back to normal

My hair now has a mind of its own. It stands up like a loaf of bread every morning and I feel every hair moving in the wind (on the occasions when I am without my beanie). I am on the countdown to losing it all (estimated between 2-3 weeks after high dose chemo) and we are just at the end of week one.

We had just walked over Witch Hill when all my hair stood on its ends and frizzed in the wind. With no gel nor perm, I still look fluffier than Sarah; the follicles are doing their own thing. Just missing the broomsticks.

We are in Christchurch waiting for my stem cells to grow inside my bone marrow so that they can be harvested and frozen. Harvested to put back into my body at a later date and frozen so that they keep fresh whilst my body is checked and fed more drugs.

I feel like a battery hen (bones ache and I want to pass a bowling ball) ready for the slaughter as I feed on calcium (sardines, all dairy products, oranges, almonds) and force down 2.5 litres of liquid before my daily dose of blood letting.

Blood is now taken from veins in my hands as my arms are preserved for the harvest.

We are at the beck and call of the oncology department of Christchurch hospital and each day after a blood test we wait for the results. I am either to rush into hospital to be harvested or relax, feed on calcium and inject yet more growth factors (G-CSF) to increase production of white cells and stem cells. 

We are staying in Ranui House (biggest building with flagpole in photo), a bone marrow trust care facility. This was built to house families and outpatients that suffer from cancer and need to be close to the hospital.

Both are close to the Botanical gardens, boat shed café and in a quiet area of the city. It’s a great facility and incredibly convenient.

The centre of Christchurch is a sad place as it has not yet been rebuilt after the 2011 earthquake when 187 people died. A marble wall by the river reminds everyone of those who were lost.

There is some debate about what to rebuild; the cathedral stands desolate and overgrown. 

Up the road they have built a cardboard cathedral as a temporary replacement until they can decide what to do. 

In between the remaining shops and buildings there are vast areas of empty space, parking lots or cordoned off areas. Some shipping containers block off the facades of ruined buildings. 

This was the old council offices 

Some of the soul has been lost.

Art continues to thrive on the streets. Sculptures abound in unusual places

We have had fun guessing what they were all supposed to represent.

Tomorrow, fingers crossed that the stem cells have grown in my bone marrow and are sufficient enough to spill over into my blood. I’ve passed all the other checks:

• The NZ Blood service have checked out my blood for HIV and Hepatitis and various other diseases. (They will be storing and freezing my stem cells)
• The hospital is monitoring my immune system and variety of blood cell counts
• I haven’t lost any weight (important to stay big and strong) BUT what has really hacked me off is that I have put on 5kg in 4 months. Must be all steroids, ice cream, milk shakes and crisps. Sarah has a twinkle in her eye when she tells me that she will get me back into shape in no time at all. Something to look forward to.

Right now I am a bit worried. My blood will be taken from my body 3 times to remove stem cells. I have been pumped up with the drugs given and feel and look puffy; my digestive system is messed up; my chest aches like someone has punched me in it and I am tired. I have loads of painkillers at the ready but am not yet in pain. All this is normal according to the bone transplant coordinator. They will only get excited when I start getting bone pain. Good sign for the harvest apparently.

I am not in for an easy next 48 hours. 

Dinner of tinned sardines and cheese ...any takers? Wonder what this is like on pizza..

love

an anxious Jo

xx