As for me - blood counts are going up. But very slowly. Visits to the Day Unit are down to once a week. Transfusions etc all finished. I am feeling well, but extremely tired, which I guess is just chemo side effect. I am managing to do 2 hours a day in the studio - preparing work for the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead in November. Its good to get into the studio and feel some resemblance of normality - I know it wont last for long, but at least when I am in there I am focused on ink and rollers and paper. Its a great switch off.
Luigi returned to Italy a week ago. Probably accounts for some of my exhaustion as I am having to do everything on my own now. Miss him too. Blimey. Too much missing going on! He will be back in November and hopefully we will have some time together before my confinement begins. Things are now beginning to kick in at Kings - I have a date for 29th October for my Body Work Out. Heart. Lungs. Kidneys. Blood (13 vials - that seems excessive to me - what are they checking out for goodness sake!). 7th of November is when I have to sign a consent form - pages of it apparently, with every possible scenario listed. That should be fun reading. Also will meet the Transplant Team (although they mainly discuss rather than administer) and maybe some of the nursing staff. Time marches smartly forward. I wish sometimes I could stop it. I am never more aware of a date looming closer and closer. However, I am feeling more positive about the whole thing. It is my chance to knock the leukaemia out once and for all - and to get my life back on track - even though it will take a many, many months. The cord blood stem cells that have been identified as good matches (reasonable that is - 4 and 5 out of 6) are coming from all the way across the pond, Minnesota I think. So they too have a journey to complete. I hope they have a comfortable flight.
And onto other things. Autumn is cracking on. Conkers shine, leaves fall red and burnt umber. The air is changed. There was a bonfire up on Grassmount the other day and I got a hit of that particular bonfire smell which reminds me of my childhood - wheel-barrows full of all the scooped up stuff from gardens: leaves, grass, finished plants. Thick dense smoke that makes your eyes sting. Wish I could bottle it up and take it with me into hospital. My own garden sadly lacking in care and needing serious attention. But Passion Fruit still deeply passionate and full of fruits. So too the Fuscia - bells still tangling their way through dead clematis. But bees have left. Lilly has a spot which will get early morning summer sunshine.
Hope you all are good. This blog has been a long time coming, but the last couple of weeks have been difficult ones and not able to concentrate on keeping in touch with the wider world. However, as usual I must thank many of you for emails, texts, blog comments, phone calls and visitors. We laugh. Still we laugh. Which is the best cure for everything.
Salute tutti. And will be back sooner than before. XX
6 comments:
Dear Tessa
You have been very much in my thoughts since meeting your friend Luisa when we were both scrubbing the London Centre for Book Arts ready for its opening and then bumping into Barbara S screen-printing at the Tate on Sunday.
I am so saddened at the absolutely dreadful time you have been having and really hope that things start to improve for you very soon. Sorry too that you have lost your companion Lilly. Awful at the best of times but cruel timing indeed just now.
All the very best to you Tessa, and I'll keep an eye on your progress via this blog. Lots of love to you Charlotte x (mature student from LCC graphics 2008 - Luisa said you'd remembered!)
So sorry to hear about poor Lilly. She was always such a character! Many hugs and kisses from this side of the pond, from me and from Benzer. And I'm glad you liked the poetry.
Waiting on Sarah, Mike and baby Sam to arrive from the airport. They're here to help me celebrate my 40th!
TM
So sad about Lilly. My darling dog Saffy is now 15 and getting to the point where I have to think about how long it is fair to keep her with me. She is part German Shepherd and is suffering from the myelopathy that affects her spinal cord. No pain but great difficulty in getting up. Like your Lilly she's been a constant companion.
Stay brave. You've got great resilience which which will see you through. Lots of love from me and John
Beautiful picture of Lily. I am so sorry to hear she is not padding about the place any more.You sound to be steeling yourself very positively Tessa, the urge to be in that studio is unstoppable - and marvelous! Thanks for the blogs - it does make you seem closer.I have foolishly ripped all the wallpaper off my staircase and landing - now I will have to decorate - not sure how I'm going to do the bits in the far corners over the void of the stairs....love Lisa xx
Lovely tessa,
so sorry you,ve lost Lily. Molly is nearly 15 years old now and every week some health issue has to be resolved ! Thinking of you and wishing you all the best for the treatment ahead.Bi massive love & support . KXXXXXXXXX
Hi Tess, lovely to see you on Wednesday with all your work for the AAF. Well done you for getting it all ready in time.
? I'll see you at the fair, if not I will keep you posted of how things are going.
tons of luv
Jake xx
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