On the way home at last, with Andy here to assist ! It's time to get home, and I will be so happy to be home again. It's been a challenging, rewarding, valuable time for reflection, which will take me time to process, but now I'm really ready for home, cats, Fremantle, good weather and … Continue reading Home and departure from my stem cell family →

I read a lovely article today, thanks David for the link, which likened life to a jigsaw puzzle. The article is about a comedian who passes on his messages and thoughts through humour, apparently about anything and everything. This is the link to the full article here and yes, I now want to watch the … Continue reading Last day of treatment →

Freedom ! I am now allowed out of the building for brief trips, wearing the mask, and encouraged to go for a stroll as long as I monitor my energy. It felt so good to go out and stand in the sunshine. One of the surprising challenges for me on this , and I'll be … Continue reading Freedom , clothing & identity →

It's day 9 of isolation, and I've just been told I can go to mask mode this afternoon ! This means that, although I can't leave the floor, I can leave my room and visit people as long as I and they wear a mask. It's a huge relief to get out of the room, … Continue reading Relative freedom →

There is a risk to the procedure I am undertaking currently, and I am going to bring in a work perspective, as addressing risk is inherent to my daily work life. This is quite a long post, but I got a bit carried away with writing it ( yes, I am feeling better and the … Continue reading Risk & reward →

Not much has changed here, my hair is falling out still, which is a good indicator that the stem cells are starting to work. My blood works are ok, but at the low end still so a hoped-for partial release from isolation, to mask status where I'm confined to the hospital grounds but allowed to … Continue reading Day 7 of isolation →

I never, previous to this experience, thought I'd be excited at the actuality of my hair falling out, but yes, it's begun and by that I mean all my hair. Hair on my head, armpit hair, eyelashes, armpit and privates, all starting to shed. The shower drain is beginning to look a bit horrible, and … Continue reading Hair falling out ! →

Not much to report today, I think it's day 5 of isolation although with modern communications and a fairly constant stream of friendly Russian nurses and doctors, it's not isolation in any true sense. I actually had the energy today to clean my earrings with the vodka wash, and put them, my watch and contact … Continue reading Medical stuff →

I'm not going to say a lot here, as a couple of articles have come through on my social media feed today and yesterday which sum up my thoughts perfectly. This article is beautiful, not short but thought-provoking; https://qz.com/1309242/the-most-important-skill-nobody-taught-you/ As I've stated before, I use and love social media. However, it's a tool only and … Continue reading Endless distraction →

I am just beginning to feel as if I have a brain, rather than just a body that can only just sleep or drag itself to the toilet ! I had not anticipated just how knocked out and exhausted I'd be by this process, although all the information available had made it clear. Healthwise, I … Continue reading Contemplation →