STILL STANDING

Today is day plus 6 and I should be, by rights, knocking on the gates of hell. However, I am lying back reasonably comfortably, in my leopard print pyjamas, on my kingfisher blue duvet. I have been playing with a new iPad app, first result can be seen below... Apart from the palms of my hands and soles of my feet burning and red, especially when in contact with water, I have not had to contend with too much misery. The consultant has just been in and seems pleased with my progress. My neutrophils are already showing signs of recovery apparently (I am gob-smacked by this news).  I have to wait a bit longer to see if  I will get knocked out by any of the side effects of chemo/ TBI...but pleased to report that the nausea is under control and I have a reasonable appetite ( I have just discovered the 'ethnic menu' and had a mean chicken and lentil curry last night). It is now just a waiting game to see if the baby stem cells take to their new environment. By my calculation we should know around the 1st January. Lets hope it's a brighter than bright start to the new year.

I am managing to walk a little bit everyday: down along the ward to the long thin room where a bank of curving windows look out onto the railway line and then into Ruskin Park. Beyond the tennis courts there is a beautiful old oak tree, shaped like a magnificent mushroom. Its stark dark silhouette framed by soft winter light. It gives me great pleasure to shuffle down to this room  (I call it the quarter- deck) to check out the park and get a 5 minute hit of sunshine - but it totally exhausts me. By the time I get back onto my bed I am shattered. But I try to do it everyday. And Janet, I will look out for you and Poppy. You never know!

Mel, Cathy and Amanda all visited over the weekend. A. gave me a send-to-sleep reflexology treatment. I was in heaven. Listening to my favourite winter song, Jack Frost (waterson/ carthy, Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man), check it out you all. It's different, beautiful and captures the bleak December landscape. Thanks too Mel and Cathy for my Christmas decorations. My room is really beginning to look like home - well, at a push.

Writing is knackering me, so going to keep this a short entry. Hope everyone is well and getting cranked up into the Christmas spirit. Ho ho ho! Big hallo to you all and special greetings to Team Harlow (focusing on my trip to Old Trafford; talk about carrot and stick!). Meantime I need  collective positive thought waves to travel to my babies. So amidst all the festive madness please send quiet encouragement. They gotta graft.

Much love to all.  Back soon. tch xxx