It has been nearly eight months since I had my first dose of Alemtuzumab (Campath / Lemtrada) and overall it's been a success.
No real symptoms to speak of - a couple of aches and pains coupled with the odd tingle but overall I've been pretty well.
I could moan here about the endless fatigue that has plagued me but I won't because after a bit of a mini crisis last week where I was suddenly overwhelmed and found myself in a world of tears - where I was crying for no apparent reason... for days and days and days (and there was me thinking I had dealt with this thing emotionally.) I took stock and realised I've been overdoing things in an effort to prove to the world (but more to myself) that MS can't stop me. Oh what a silly girl I've been.
All that swollen red eyes and boxes of wasted tissues and for what? Well, actually for me to realise I need to slow down a bit. I need to do what I have to do in work and life but to stop overdoing things in order to prove to everyone that I'm not some kind of special case.
For the first time in quite a while, I'm starting to feel a bit 'normal' again. I've managed to regain some energy and I'm actually feeling positive for the first time in an age.
And now I am just four(ish) months away from my next dose of the Big A.
I recently saw my neurologist. It's been the first time since I had the treatment but we both discovered that actually I had missed two earlier appointments - one just a month after the first dose in December and one in April - and all due to the magic of disappearing mail.
It's a trick not even Paul Daniels can conjure up. Somewhere out there, just like the illusionist's doves are two appointment letters flying around. Only these two will never be pulled from a hat to reappear before a clapping and appreciative audience... tah dah! I've never liked magic tricks.
Anyway, he seemed pretty happy with my progress and shipped me off to get about 300 (ok about 10) blood samples for testing. He told me I'd be having another MRI before the treatment began - I'm assuming it's to compare and contrast to assess the progress of my MonSter and said my next dose would be over three days rather than five.
So being aware of the mystery of missing mail and with the hospital appointments telephone hotline now programmed into my phone, we're all set to go.
