Kitty’s CP Blog

Hello Kitty!

November 25th, 2008

At last I get around to writing the update from home! It’s taken so long because of many things, but the unexpected 31 hrs of travelling really messed me up! I was clearly very tired when writing the last post too, what are Marlboroughs!!!! Clearly not a smoker either, maybe I should take it up, I could blame the smoke for my “fugginess”, but then I’d get a roasting from Dave and Philip (still stuck in Qingdao) about the evil weed. Hope you are coping with the haze out by the lifts guys!!

Finally landing in Cape Town, after 2 delayed flights, and a cancelled one, was a relief, although the mad drive across town to get to Ruby’s dress rehearsal for her 1st ever show was a little tense. We made it just in time, and I was so glad to be there for her, but the unbelievable stress levels from the journey took “many many” days to get over! I think the worst bit was right at the end, with Cape Town in sight, after being told I wasn’t on the flight, ripping into the poor airline staff, being told O.K. O.K. you can have a seat, to then being held for an hour on the tarmac with the unbearable heat and a very pissed off but thankfully not crying Kitty, and after all that (Emma had to get a later flight as she wasn’t booked on any flight…Simon can explain that one) Em lands 6 mins after me, having had a slightly less unpleasant experience! Why didn’t I just get on the damn later flight? 

Anyway, enough of all that. Kitty is loving being at home again with her precious big sister Ruby. She is still shattered from the experience, journey, treatments etc. but showing really good signs of improvement. Everyone we’ve seen has commented on how open and better Kitty’s hands are. She is reaching for things a lot more, and although far from accurate, she’s definitely getting there. We have spoken to her therapists here about stepping up the intensity of her weekly therapies, particularly over the next 3 months. We are so keen to make the most of the 50 million or so stem cells Kitty received in China, and the optimum time to do that is over the 8 to 12 weeks following treatment (so we’ve been advised). She has only had a couple of appointments since getting back, so we’re allowing for her tiredness etc and will give her a chance to get over that, plus the growth spurt she seems to be having, plus the cold she’s caught since getting back, before we ask for anyone’s opinions on what changes they think have taken place as a direct result of the stem cells.

One big thing I’ve noticed is Kitty is having some real tantrums! It’s like she’s turned 2 already! She gets so angry when things aren’t going her way, and I swear the other day she was trying to coordinate her hands to get hold of Simon’s arm, to give it a bite!! She also got really hacked off with Ruby when she picked up Kitty’s book and started looking at it herself. Typical older sibling just sat there and laughed at her, but in poor little Kitty’s case, there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it! Watch out Ruby, she will one day!

Well, my lovely buddy Em left for London on Saturday and we all miss her. Don’t envy the weather you’ve flown back to Em, it’s been another bloody gorgeous day in Africa today! The beach was just hell, saw at least 3 other people and a dog. You know me, can’t stand the crowds. Can’t believe it though, not one of them looked at us, not even the mangy dog, and I was just getting used to being stared at. Yet another thing I’ve had to adapt to since being home! 

The rooibos tea is calling as my hot bedtime beverage. No more of those lethal hot chocs I was main lining in Qingdao (that’s a sentence I never thought I’d be writing in my lifetime!) as the summer is a coming and I need to drop a few pounds as the americans say! Can’t blame childbirth any longer, she’s 20 months already!

As mentioned, the next 8 to 12 weeks is going to be intensive for us and little Kitty (because we were getting so bored with our uneventful sedate lives) so I will try to keep this blog updated, especially over that period to monitor Kitty’s progress. I might not write as often as I did in China, but there will be postings, I promise.

To all the wonderful people I met in China, I send a big hello and good luck wish whether you are back at home, or still doing the time there. Take care and thank you to each of you, you are all very brave and inspiring people and although I wish I hadn’t had to meet any of you, the circumstances we find ourselves in, I feel very honoured to have gone on a short but hopefully very worthwhile journey with you.

On that note, goodnight from me and little Kits, and Daddy Simon and big sis Ruby 

x

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