It's been awhile...

By Golly has it almost been 6 months since I last wrote a post!!
How the time flies!!!

The fact that I've been in hospital for maybe 2 months of that could explain, some of my time slipping away.

Well, I am very please to announce that I am officially in COMPLETE REMISSION!! :)

In the past 6 months I have had:
- 3 ICE Chemo's (4 days in hospital at a time, every 3-4 weeks) at Cabrini
- 1 Stem Cell Collection (3 days in hospital) at The Alfred
- 1 Stem Cell Transplant (1.5 weeks in and out of hospital, and 2.5 weeks in hospital) at Box Hill
- 3 weeks (13 treatments) of Radiation at The Alfred
- 1 bout of Pneumonia (10 days in hospital) at Cabrini
- Multiple blood tests, x-rays, scans, doctors appts

So after all that you can see why I've never posted, i just haven't had the time, or haven't been feeling like I'm capable of it!
In August just before the stem cell collection, and after the chemo, my doctor gave me a "break" from it all, and allowed me to travel up to Brisbane to see my mum's side of the family. It was a wonderful week break! Mum & I went to this retreat called THE GOLDEN DOOR. OMG it was absolutely amazing, the best place ever. It is a health retreat, where they have exercise classes, meditation, relaxation, massages, all that lovely stuff. It was just wonderful. Mum and I had 5 days there, and we felt like we had been away for a month! Just fabulous!
We then spent the weekend with the family, and came back to Melbourne.

Just this past week, I have been starting to feeling excellent. It is like I can finally see the end of the tunnel, there is some light and I am certainly close to it. I have more energy than ever before, so I'm doing a lot more. But I'm still getting tired, and I'm very weak (i have no muscle strength), so everything in small steps. I'll get there, only a little bit at a time. I'm still on SO MANY medications, (20 tabs a day) but at least they are keeping me healthy!

I am looking forward to being able to plan things now, I can actually say to some one "lets catch up next week for lunch, Tues 12pm, should be great, see you there" in stead of "I'd love to catch up, but can i let you know on the day, as i don't know how i will be feeling".
It's a new sense of freedom. Another new sense of freedom is my car. I can actually drive him properly now! For the past while i haven't drive Cedric much, because of drugs, or I'm just not up to it. Having no Independence in travel is annoying! But Cedric is great (after a hefty service and new temp gauge).

I think that is all i need to up date you for now, in the coming month (the busiest of the year) I have many 21sts, birthdays, Christmas functions & family functions to attend, which I'm greatly looking forward to :)

I hope to see you all out and about, and celebrating!
(I am even allowed to DRINK ALCOHOL NOW!!)
Remember to keep eating that Chocolate, I know I've kept the chocolatiers in business!
Love to all,
Amelia xox