Yippee! Day 43 post stem cell transplant.

I am getting stronger each day and feeling more like myself and less like a sleepy wet weekend. Its Spring in Central and everything (apart from my hair) is changing colour from brown to green and growing like crazy. No sign of any hair growth on me yet.
Funnily enough, I look a bit blonde just because the sun reflects off the white baldy head.

Although we have had some gorgeous blue-sky days, the wind has a cold edge and I wrap up like it is winter. Sarah however, has put away the trousers. Despite frost on the car this morning and a chilling breeze, she still insists on shorts when the sun is out

We have started on gentle walks and some cycling together. Our first adventure was to Sam Summers hut (a gold prospector who decided to stay in his hut in the forest long after the gold rush ended)

Most of the walk is in dappled sunlight through the beech trees until you reach the summit with a view over a small lake.

Spot Sarah somewhere ahead in this photo. I am used to walking behind even when I was as fit.

Cycling is more difficult as when I get left behind, Sarah has to turn around and cycle back to check am still ok.

A short ride around Lake Hayes was all I could manage to start with. But from small seeds come great things; I am building up by cycling back and forth along the track to Frankton doing shopping by bike, collecting drugs, going for blood tests. Found a strange spokey passenger in Queenstown this week

The consultant has told me that I have to be patient and build up my muscles again slowly. Patience is all very good, but time is ticking on. I have only 2 months before chemo starts again and I do not want to waste any of it. On Sunday, I could only manage 12 holes of golf.

I was too exhausted to do anymore. I did enjoy some of it and as always, the scenery was fab. I am unable to play competitively at the moment as I would not be able to keep up with the pace of play even if I could get around 18 holes.
Grrrr!

As for kayaking, I would be nothing more than a passenger sitting in the front getting splashed by all the waves in the Lake. Although it looks inviting, Lake Wakatipu is c. 8C- 10 C most of the year.

I have progressed beyond gentle weeding to planting; so far azealas, primroses, pansies and tomato plants have been added to the main garden banks. Our challenge has been to try to build a raised garden bed. After researching all the options (pay a contractor, buy a kit or DIY), we decided the best solution (most efficient and economical) was to build it ourselves.

Of course, Sarah did most of the heavy lifting and shifting, even dragging compost bags though bushes in the dark at 10pm. What has surprised us is the volume of dirt required to fill it. So far 880 litres (22 bags) of dirt and still nowhere near the top.

Parts of me (my gut especially) are like a baby’s body, newly formed and sensitive to everything. By now, I should be back to a normal diet, except my digestive system complains and rumbles away at whatever I eat. I’ve had to switch to Soya Milk (dairy causes immediate effects) and cut out all spicy food. This is sad when I have been adding spice so that I can enjoy the food I eat.

I made cauliflower, broccoli, spinach and turmeric soup (very tasty but not a good idea for me)
We finally tried a Big Al from Fergberger in Queenstown,

but despite being filled with lots of different layers all I could taste was the chilli sauce I added to it. Sarah enjoyed hers.

One hit has been a Gruyere, spinach, garlic and mushroom quiche, thanks to Sarah and the cancer recipe book. My favourite is still marmite on toast with avocado and lemon juice (thanks Bev!)

Luckily for me, gin and tonic has no adverse effect and I can taste it. I wonder if it possible to have a G&T diet?

Sarah thinks I’ve gone a bit daft, but I just put it down to all the drugs. Tuesday, I thought we were heading to Invercagill to the Southland hospital (2.5 hours South) for a series of lung and heart checks. One hour before we set off, I double checked all the booking confirmations to discover all appointments were in the Southland District in Dunedin (4 hours East) Some frantic calls to apologise and to try to find a place to stay followed.

We managed to point the car in the right direction and set off via the misty moors around Middlemarch.

Very atmospheric, especially with all the funky rock formations, reminiscent of Dartmoor or Bodmin moor.

Positive notes from the rearranged trip were that

• Sarah got to swim in a sea pool at St Clair twice (even venturing out at 07:30 in the rain and cold)  
• We had a very breezy stroll along the St Clair beach before the tide came in and weather changed

• Pizza for dinner at The Esplanade on the esplanade
• We got to see my consultant Haematologist who gave me the green light to start exercising again. All ok with lungs and heart now. I booked into a gym asap and am sitting in the sun writing this, relaxing after completing a short cycle (13km) and my first 45minute tailored work out to rebuild muscles in legs, arms and core. 
• When we got home, we found our smallest cherry tree in the lower garden was out in bloom at last.

Bad news is that

• I am not allowed to fly anywhere for a while, until my immune system has recovered. This may take up to 6 months. I will be allowed to fly to Australia sooner, but not for another month or so. It also depends on how strong I feel and how this fits with the timing of the rest of the treatment.
• Only 57 days to go before next lot of chemo starts (possible start 13/14 Dec). This chemo will be VTD (Velcade + Thalidomide + Dexamethasone) and it will be given in 5 lots of 5 week cycles times. Duration: 175 days. Lots more horrible side effects to look forward to. 
• Although the chemo and stem cell treatment seems to be working, no one can predict the period of remission. It is quite sobering. 

I’ve always wondered why people drive with hats on. Now I know. It can get very cold around the ears when follicly challenged. Sarah stopped laughing long enough to take this sneaky photo when I was driving.

Sarah has been getting into her golf. Golf lessons, new putter, caddying at pro-ams, reading all the golf rules and studying hard. Baking cakes for a club competition and taking pickles in for the raffle. She has just successfully taken a NZ accredited golf rules exam and passed with flying colours. What next I wonder? Hopefully it will involve sorting out her workshop - which doubles as the garage (poor car has not had a home for a while) and starting the wood working and candle making again.

What comes next for me, I hope, is a period of recovery and relative normality.
While monthly infusions and blood check continue, I will hit the pause button on this blog for a few weeks. It will pass quickly enough as we cram our days with things we can do together whilst I am strong enough.

Until then….

xxx