Home Sweet Ho-uston
Dear Friends and Family,
You know how so many days can go by in your life and they can sort of run together? You know, "normal ordinary days.” Which I must say right here – are the days I love the most...
...Get up in the morning, make a yummy paleo breakfast and enjoy sitting out on the beautiful deck (that many of you helped us make) with my honey love and whoever of the tribe is home. Enjoy the gorgeous view and morning sounds. Talk about the tasks of the day and what food we want to eat next... wow we are really obsessed with food...
Today is definitively NOT one of those days. It will be a day I always remember. Today I get to take baby Linda home (to Houston) from the hospital for the first time.
These last 3 weeks I have been here at MD Anderson for an allogeneic stem cell transplant. The staff is so completely skilled, kind and caring.
I will truly miss them. They have been taking care of me and my new baby self for these weeks and I have come to take for granted the comfort of that.
Remember when you just came home from the hospital with your new babies? When I brought my three beauties home, I can remember that overwhelming feeling that my life meant something completely new and this was going to change everything. Well, I was right! Oh, how they have blessed my life.
In other words as exciting as going home (to my apartment at Dixie's) here in Houston and as completely memorable as it will always be – there is that feeling once again of, “this now changes everything”. There are a lot of conditions and parameters to going out into the world after an allogeneic (donor) transplant- way more than when I had the autologous (my own cells). So that is overwhelming and will take a while for me to adjust to the new normal again.
Did I mention food obsession? Well, my children have always called me a salad queen and Dan calls me a salad artiste. I am passionate about making delicious fresh yummy food. So the idea that I cannot have fresh fruits (except thick skinned peel-able) or veggies (must be cooked; no lettuce salads) for a year...
Well, let's just say I am trying to regain my footing mentally. So I will (like always) find some new and delicious ways to make stuff, and new and delicious ways to practice self-care. There is a laundry list of how to take care of baby Linda - just getting started and I expect it to go exceptionally well. If the beginning is any predictor of what's to follow then we're off to a fabulous start!
It was certainly not a cakewalk - but really everything has gone beautifully and so much exceeded my expectations.
For one thing, we met some amazing new friends here and I know that we will be friends forever. Fela, Karen, and Leon from Costa Rica, JD and his Mom Pat from Asheville, NC, Juan and Angela and their kids from Mexico City... all heroes. We are promising to stick close and be there for each other in Houston- since we all have to stay here till October. Please pray for these families as they too are in the thick of it.
For another, I (well me and Pauly Pole) walked over 61 miles (315) laps here on the floor over these three weeks. I guess I am not only highly intrinsically motivated... I mean if you want to give me stickers, banners, stars and bandanas (I earned 21) for walking? You got it! I will walk my little baby self all day long!
Dan even got me lights for the pole that were really popular with the nurses and patients. Sometimes I walked with a tune in my head - think Motown and Victory in Jesus... and I guess sometimes I was singing out loud (imagine that?) because there were a couple nurses who would start singing when they saw me coming.
The picture was just a couple minutes ago with all my amazing nurses and staff saying goodbye.
You have all helped and inspired me to maintain hope and trust - You have no idea how powerful that has been in mine and my famili’s lives! A year ago I was pretty sure I would never see another summer. Now I feel like a miracle has happened and I see my life laid out before me.
Enjoy your day! Whether it is a normal ordinary one or a super memorable, taking-your-baby-self-home-from-the-hospital one.
Love and blessings and thanks poured out to you all!!!
Little Baby Linny Poo
