100 Days..

After having a transplant everyone talks about the magical '100 days'.   It seems that if you make it to the 100 day mark you will be automatically feeling fantastic and life will start up again just like before.....well that's what I had hoped....

Initially Doctors informed me it could take up to a year to recover from a bone marrow transplant but I have always thought, 'I'm young...I'll only need six months'.  However things aren't that simple and I have been a rather 'complex' patient.   A few curved balls have come my way the past 3 months and I am continuing to be tested.

Even though my health isn't perfect at the moment you still have to celebrate your successes and 100 days, reached last week, is a great achievement. After being taken off some pretty strong medications recently I'm starting to feel a bit like a normal human being again.....and my hair is growing back thicker and darker than ever!  And my eyebrows....well that's another story!

A year on...

Tomorrow is September 24th and it will be one year since I was diagnosed with cancer. I still can't decide whether it is a year I would rather forget or remember. Through all the pain and suffering and the rollercoaster ride, I have proved to myself how strong I can be and how resilient my body actually is.  I would never have made it this far without my amazing family and friends, the ongoing support of my employer, The Heart Foundation, and all the people who have continued to send me good wishes and kept me in their prayers.

Having cancer as a young adult is really tough.  Not only do you have to deal with so many physical changes, it is really hard not to be able to do all the things you want to... like going out with friends, pursing career paths, or just doing little every day things that you take for granted.  My mind constantly tells me it wants to do this and that, but my body physically can't.  I keep forgetting that my body has been to hell and back, especially in the last three months, but I will get there eventually. It is just going to take time for the 'old' Jac to be back.

All in all, everything with the transplant is going ok.  I'm not kicking goals but I'm not lagging behind. Just going along nicely.  I'm up to day 66 out of 100, so not much longer to be trooping into the hospital day ward three times a week.  After day 100, if all is well, visits will be cut back to once a week.  I won't know what to do with myself - hopefully I'm well enough to go shopping!!  I will definitely be treating myself to a new summer wardrobe! xxx

This is my little friend Hudson.  He was born on July 19th, the day I had the transplant.  We are both new borns together, as my new immune system is the same as a baby's.  Hudson has a little more hair than me! Not happy!

A Tribute

They say it's the people you meet along the journey that count.  I met a very special person, Ryan Gunn, an 18 year old boy from the country.

I first met Ryan last November on the ward at Peter Mac.  It was great to finally meet another young person who could understand what I was going through and be interested in some of the things I was interested in.  Ryan's family were terrific to me.  They would spoil me by bringing in McDonald's and buy me DVD's.  They would always encourage me to keep my 'chin up'. They were a family that just wanted their boy to get better and would go to any lengths to achieve this.

This week sadly, Ryan lost his battle with leukaemia.  He fought for as long and hard as he knew how.  Ryan had a fighting spirit like no other person and his life has been cut way too short.

I will never forget the advice Ryan gave me and the laughs we shared together when things seemed pretty glum.

One thing Ryan taught me is that there are always people out there worse off than you, so don't sweat the small stuff.

Rest in peace Ryan.  xox

www.leukaemia.org.au

It's been a while..

It's been a while since my last blog but a few things have been happening.

After the transplant I was very low for 2-3 weeks, but last Friday the new cells kicked in and everything has started to look up.

I'm beginning to feel like my old self again and preparing for the BIG move home, hopefully later this week.  After 4 weeks in RM Hospital there is no place like home!!

Thank you to the Drs and Nurses who have looked after me so well and got me back on track.

I'm back and so is my smile :)

The Transplant....

I've been in hospital for about 10 days now and so far so good (all toes and fingers are crossed!)

The first few days I was at Peter Mac having some pretty intense radiation treatment.  I was then moved to the Royal Melbourne Hospital to have chemotherapy and I will stay here throughout the transplant process.

I had the transplant today and to be honest it is a bit of an anti-climax. It is really just like having a blood transfusion (no big operations!!)  It is mainly after the transplant that the hard slog starts but I am hoping everything will be ok...

I will be in hospital for the next few weeks while my new marrow grows and starts producing new healthy cells for me :)

Hopefully these pictures will give you a bit of an idea of what it's all about..

Day -6 pre transplant @ Peter Mac

Day -4 pre transplant

My shiny new stem cells (from a spunky 32 year old male in WA)

Me receiving the transplant - 8am Tuesday morning (didn't even have time to do my hair!)

The Next Step...

The hardest thing I've had to deal with whilst having cancer is that my life has come to a sudden halt.  It has been put on pause while everyone else's continues to move forward.

When my doctor told me I would need to have a Bone Marrow Transplant I was devastated because I knew what it meant for my short term future. What I wasn't thinking of though was what the transplant would actually give me...a long term future.  Now I am thinking about not what I am losing, but what I am gaining!

A Bone Marrow Transplant is a serious procedure with many risks and side effects. However, I keep being told, I have 'youth on my side' and I am currently as 'fit as a fiddle'.  The most positive thing about a BMT is that my donor isn't losing their life to save mine.  Out of the goodness of their heart they are giving me the greatest gift I could ever be given.

Today I am going into hospital to begin my treatment before the transplant takes place next week.  I didn't know how I would feel at this stage, but I feel calm and relaxed.  Maybe that's because apart from my family, I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for.  They have gone above and beyond what friendship means.  They are truly amazing and I know whatever happens I will always have their love and support and they will always have mine.  Last night they gave me a special dvd with photos, videos and quotes to take into hospital, to look at when I am down.  Here is my favourite quote that not only applies to me, but is great advice for everyone...

'Laugh your heart out

Dance in the rain

Cherish the moment

Ignore the pain

Live, laugh, love

Forgive & forget

Life’s too short to be

Living with regrets'

So now I am ready to take on the challenge to get my life back on track. See you on the other side!

My 7 besties & sis before the Warwick Foundation Ball.

Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

A Big Thank you!

When I was first diagnosed with Lymphoma last year, one of my best friends, Laura Dash, not only shaved her head in support of me, but also started some fundraising. Laura raised close to $6000 and gave it to me on the night of the big shave. You could say I became rather 'emotional' when I was presented with a list of names of all the people who had donated.  

I decided to donate this money to a cause very close to my heart...'The Leukaemia Foundation' and set up a web page for the 'Worlds Greatest Shave' so that other people could donate. 

The Leukaemia Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that raises funds to support patients and families living with leukaemias, lymphomas, myeloma and related blood disorders.  They also fund research to find better cures and treatments of these diseases.

Thank you to everyone who donated and to the people who gave up their time to hold special events; The Heart Foundation, Jetstar Airways, Karingal Drive Tennis Club, Eltham North Primary School and Good Year Tyres.  

A special thanks also goes to a couple of people who raised a lot of money through their workplaces by shaving their heads...my cousin Marty Gibbs who is a teacher at Siena College and my old friend Wardey who is an accountant at KPMG.

Because of everyone's kindness and generosity, I raised $23,193 for The Leukaemia Foundation...pretty good, if I do say so...!

Me, Mugs, Big Kev, JP & Dashie
(Thanks for shaving your heads boys! & Laura!)

Marty just after getting his head shaved at assembly.

I received this photo on my phone one day without knowing what Wardey was up to.
Good on ya Wardey!


www.leukaemia.org.au