Time to go!



We're leaving TOMORROW!

I have been thinking that I might need to clarify the treatment I'm travelling for: HSCT is an intense chemotherapy regime, and it is commonly done for certain types of cancer all over the world, including in New Zealand. The stem cell aspect of the treatment is just to enable a quicker recovery (so the body starts producing the required blood cell levels again). The main part that is 'new' when it comes to what I'm doing, is that it is new as a treatment for MS. The reason I cannot have this treatment at home is because it hasn't been 'proven' as an effective treatment for MS (as there is not yet 10-year follow-up trials with MS patients, etc). That's a rant I'll save for another time!

Probably obviously, the past couple of months since my last post have been busy. I continued to be overwhelmed by people's generosity with the fundraising--the empathy and magnanimity from so many amazing people is so truly heartwarming. All the love I have felt will go a long way to help when things get tough with the treatment. Thank you everyone!

The Dominion Post article came out a few weeks ago. In the end it was a great piece featuring five New Zealanders living with invisible illnesses. It was done well! For my part, I was fairly happy with it (well, not with one of the photos of me that was used in the print edition, but tomorrow's fish 'n chip wrapping and all that). Click here for the article.

Another preparatory step was chopping off my hair, so that it's more manageable when I lose it from the chemo. It was kind of a big deal for me, I've never had my hair shorter than shoulder-length. My aim was to emulate the style of Robin Wright (Claire Underwood) in seasons 1-3 of House of Cards.


So, departure is imminent. I haven't started packing properly yet though (that's a job for tomorrow morning), but I have been accumulating things over the past three months, and storing it all at the foot of the bed. This pile is a combination of things I've been told I need, things I've been told I might need, things I think I might need, and things I want. It includes items such as: anti-bacterial wipes (the apartment in Singapore will need to be as clean as possible when I leave the hospital with my compromised immune system; no surface will be left behind!); hand sanitiser (SO MUCH. Some scent-free, but some yum scents for when my stomach isn't churning from the chemo); bamboo yoga-turbans (for when I lose my hair - three colours); flushable bum-wipes (in case of diarrhoea from the chemotherapy); laxatives (if not); dental supplies (new toothbrushes, toothpaste, and anti-bacterial Listerine); a new yoga mat (I think my old manky one would be a health hazard if I were to bring it); balms (with germ-resistant applicators); face masks (at this moment I think I might've bought the wrong sort - what I want is to stop myself from catching others' germs; I'm now wondering if I instead got the type to stop the wearer from infecting others...); and new slippers (crucial). Obviously most of these purchases could be made in Singapore, however I've been told that it's much cheaper to buy this sort of stuff over here.


We leave tomorrow, and the first appointment (family conference, blood tests) is a few days later. Talk then!

Love, Rach xx

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