The Village

The village has been out in full force today.

A friend drove me to my doctor’s appointment. I appreciate the company. My doctor had been away for two weeks, so we had some catching up to do. She’s keen to begin the process heading towards a bone marrow transplant. She says I’m a good candidate, as if that’s a honoured and enviable position. Why wouldn’t anyone want to be a good candidate for a bone marrow transplant? The members of my family are back as contenders for being possible donors. My doctor has consulted with other specialists, so now I need to tell my brothers and sisters this is a game the whole family can play. My youngest sister was disappointed when I told her last week she couldn’t be a donor. She’ll be happy now. I don’t know the time frame, nor the ins and outs of the process, but a doctor will be telling me about it next week. Also, next week, I’ll be having another bone marrow biopsy, to see how effective the medication has been at a cellular level.  

In the meantime, my bloods are low. Wcc is 2, and HB is 90. I’ve been feeling tired and woozy today, and my bones hurt.

And here’s where the village comes in. My 8 year had a tummy ache and didn’t want to go to school, so she stayed with a friend while I went to hospital. People gave us food today. Someone brought my daughter home from school for me. My 10 y o is on antibiotics and forgot to bring her medicine home, so I rang the school and the School Principal dropped it off at our house.

And then my friend came over and gave me a mobile phone and a charger, which she had set up with a card, and a number, and one of my favourite albums. I’ve never had a mobile phone before.

It’s been a big day for someone who spent a lot of it lying down. I'm so grateful the village is taking care of me.