Michael has been “hogging” updates on this blog and I thought a feminine touch is required. Also it seems most jokes are at my expense.!!!!! Can't believe today has finally come, it has been a long time coming and the emotion of today has been unbelievable, so exciting but so scary. Lauren and I have had some tears but the nurses and Drs have been great.
Miss everyone back home and think of you all the time, so great to get all your encouraging texts and emails and I know this sounds strange but have had a real sense of all your prayers, thoughts and love I know you have been sending our way.
Can't believe how quickly we have settled into our new apartment and I love going back there when I swap with Michael to stay at the hospital, although it’s very small it is bright and sunny, has great storage so we have been able to unpack all the bags (not live out of suitcases) and it has a great aura. Has a lovely sunny balcony, not that I have had much time to sit on it but the thought has been there.
The school where Kate and Nathan are going is really lovely. Everyone has been so welcoming and caring (just like St Johns) so they have made some friends and generally enjoying school.
Met this lovely lady from the local Lutheran Parish yesterday - Emily, who had the kids and I over for arvo tea. She reminds me of you Glenice, so hospitable and happy to help with anything, she just lives up the road from the apartment and has offered to help with babysitting, picking kids up from school, things we need for apartment and best of all down the track has offered to take me to these amazing (so I have heard) shops which sound like a huge Westfield but shops like Burnside Village. She is one of the many people who have been so welcoming and helpful to us on this journey. In some sort of weird way the experiences of this have been a blessing to me but then again I am not the one lying in bed on a morphine drip, but we are here so I am trying to focus on all the positives. Like this morning, Lucy (who was the courier on the plane with the cells) said many people on the flight asked about the box she was carrying - and she mentioned that it was for transplant to a 13 year old - all these people from the flight sent their best wishes to Lauren and hoped today went well for her. When she went through customs and that can be tricky as it can not be x-rayed and customs need to thoroughly manually check it - the customs guy had just put himself on the bone marrow donor registry not so long ago as his family had been affected by Leukaemia - so he made sure she went straight through. This is one of many stories of amazing caring people - maybe there is a book in all of this !!!!!!
Anyway that’s enough from me
Love u all Julie
P.S. I am not addicted to the Alcohol wipes I think it is the smell of Alcohol, so please save all your good Reds for when we get home – we will be happy to share them. !!