2018 - Where everything old is new again

Has been a long time between posts…….
When last we talked I had just broken up with Dr G but in a good way and Boxing Day marked 6 months since I left hospital with my brand new baby immune system.

This is a long post so settle in – maybe make a cup of tea. 

I’d planned a Christmas post, then a New Year post so have narrowly made it in January – we’ve been busy!  In fact this post only comes to you by an act of extreme kindness by the best sister ever (she’s at work instead of me, giving me a day off – love that woman!).

Best sister ever

This post comes to you from the land of sunshine.

What a year it has been as we start into 2018  we’ve ended up sort of in a place where everything old is new again.

• A new immune system
• A move across the world returning from whence we came almost 20 years ago.
• New house and new business.

Here’s how we got this far…….

Himself and I never thought we’d leave the UK.  I don’t want to get too political here but it was becoming a very uncomfortable place to be an “immigrant” following the events of June 2017.  (if you’re interested in my political ranting, you’ll find it on Twitter).

Maybe we were being super sensitive, but a day didn’t pass without some headline insisting that Britain should be for the “British” – whatever that means as we’ve all come from somewhere. 

Add in some fierce family campaigning – “if you get poorly, we can help”, Facetiming with grandchildren (not really playing fair), we packed up our lives into a 40 foot container, engaged the services of a pet transfer company, (the furry ones are family too) we set off to return from whence we came.

I’m watching UK politics from afar with interest – at time a little bit horrified at the duplicity of the politicians.

Of course, making sure that I was well looked after was important, in fact a deal breaker.  The lovely Dr N recommended a Neurologist, Professor B whom I’ve now met and who seems very nice – and seems very interested in HSCT and there’s only a tiny trial happening here.

Dr G gave me his blessing to travel and made me promise to keep in touch so he knows how I’m faring.  The Professor also thinks it’s a good idea to be monitored by a new Haematologist, the very personable Dr W.  In all a very comprehensive “package”. 

So how am I faring?

Very well really – I still get tired but packing up and moving all one’s worldly good across the world, finding where we wanted to live, finding a house & all that unpacking would make anyone tired.  Okay so maybe I haven’t quite finished unpacking……………… We’ve been busy…..

I’m back to work in our new venture, a café by the beach on an island paradise  – this must be the best “office” view ever! 

The early morning start time was initially challenging – the island seems to get up very early………………… Lots of retired people walking themselves and their dogs, and we are not short of beautiful places to walk.  The café is wonderful, we have lovely regulars who have been very forgiving as we try to memorise how everyone likes their coffee.

This may be a laid back holiday island however coffee apparently is a serious business. 

We’ve been very busy over the holiday period and have great plans for when it slows down a bit – more time in the pool (physical therapy is so important to recovery) or maybe finish unpacking, and of course some improvements to the café.

My hair is growing back though alarmingly I’ve moved on from rocking the Sinead O’Connor look to a super curly Leo Sayeresque look which is a little frightening!  I’m told by other chemo warriors it can take a couple of years to return to normal which can’t come quick enough for me.  We’ve a family wedding in August -the words chemical and straightening may appear in the same sentence.

Our return from whence we came has been easier than I expected – I had almost sobbed as we drove away from my beautiful Chapel in our lovely English village.

And definitely did sob as we drove away from the wonderful friends we are blessed to know.  On previous visits “home” it had all felt very unfamiliar and the “coming home” feeling was always as the aeroplane touched down at Heathrow.

I’d previously found the light too bright, the accents too twangy and the people a little too friendly – however the sunshine is bliss, the friendliness of the people is a wonderful thing (my dalliance with “British reserve” has been banished to another time when I need to take the tone of the company I’m in - not sure I ever really did that but hey ho!).  We've settled right back in and it's starting to feel like home.  The Islanders are a lovely bunch.

We’re close to our family so help when I’m feeling in any way fragile, is just a call away.  Being able to hug our grandchildren rather than wave on a screen is priceless.  Though I had to keep my distance initially – nothing spreads germs like little children.

In short I’m pretty well.  Hopefully MS has been kicked into touch, only time will tell.  Blood results last week were good – all the numbers that needed to be up were up and the ones that needed to be down are down. All is looking quite stable for the moment.  I’ve been granted permission to stop taking the anti-viral meds.  (on high alert for the mere mention of chicken pox and shingles).

In the meantime it’s been wonderful catching up with old friends, being close to the rest of the family and our island idyll looks a lot like paradise, “never moving again” is a phrase being used quite a bit.

May have to start a blog about an island café …………………………………..