Welcome home. Don't overdo the celebrations , take it slowly and in no time at all you'll be as good as new. All the best from us.
That is very good news but I think the fight was tougher that you thought it would be. Luckily you had a donor match with at least one of your siblings and you should now be well on the road to recovery. I hope your wife can continue to stay here despite the obvious hit to your annual income.
I think Sean is still inside the time limits with his employer, I hope he's ok that way but will probably be getting close to having to get back to work.
Thanks for the kind words guys! It has been a tougher time in hospital than I thought it would be, having a stem cell transplant was only part of what kept me in hospital for so long. Whilst I was neutropenic (had zero white blood cells which meant I had no immune system) I caught a chest infection off of a nurse of all people. This chest infection whilst being slowed down with anti-biotics eventually became ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). Eventually I stopped breathing and only through a ventilator and a tube inserted directly into my throat, I was kept alive. I've been told I had to be resuscitated at least twice and the doctors and nurses in the intensive care unit nicknamed me the Miracle Man, because they had informed my family to expect the worse and all of my siblings, nephews and nieces and some cousins came to say goodbye. I don't recall any of this as I had been induced into a coma whilst this was all happening. But I am here to tell the tale! Or at least type it out... There has been some side effects from all of this, as I was bed-ridden for so long my muscles have deteriorated to the point that I couldn't walk or stand up.. However, I now walk (albeit slowly) around the flat without my walking stick as I try to build my leg muscles back up and get my balance back. Rehabilitation is a slow process but considering a month ago I had to be moved by a couple of nurses up the bed and couldn't even stand, I'm pretty confident that my rehabilitation will be quicker than expected. Some of the drugs given to me were toxic to the ears and sadly caused partial deafness, though I can thankfully still hear out of my right ear and make phone calls, but it's a tad annoying - but hey, I'm alive thanks to those drugs! And at least some hearing aids will sort out that problem.. But yes, it's great to finally be back home! Joy is amazing, I try not to let her do too much for me.. I have sisters who are nearby and pop in to see if I need anything, so right now I am doing fine.
A very moving post on your trials, Sean. Onwards and upwards now Great to see you posting from home again.
