Today was the start of the chemo section of the treatment. This is the part that actually kills off my faulty MS attacking immune system and brings my immunity to as close to zero as possible. Straight after breaky (which was gross and inedible today), Dr Fedorenko comes in and says we will start in an hour. So I was about to head in the shower and the nurse came to hook me up. Im glad I got to go to the bathroom at least as they pump in 4 bottles of chemo plus at least a litre of fluid as well. (Didn’t get a picture before 2 bottles were finished.) The infusion lasts for 3 hours and you have some freedom ie can move about your room carefully and sit up etc but it went pretty quick. Towards the end I had a slight yucky taste in my mouth and just had some lollies to nutrilise it, but that was my only issue. Well that and needing to pee!!! OMG did i need to pee. Once the drips had stopped the unhooking process felt like and eternity and then I had to lay down to have a blood thinner put in my tummy and I was so close to wetting my pants! I made it to the loo and went at least every 30 mins for the next few hours lol. I am going to ask if I can use the toilet during tomorrow’s or perhaps its a good thing I have some diapers left, as I probably would have used one today.

After lunch which was some meat (chicken perhaps) pattie type log thing with rice and australian shaped bread, and we listened to the footy and watched the reds score. Well done United! It was time for a nap again for both me and Joe. I was buggerer but had to keep getting up to pee. 4pm rolled around and the internet got crappy again and its funny but sad how you feel very isolated and confronted when you have no internet. So Joe went for a walk and got me my own Russian mobile and data plan so I can be connected 24/7 and contactable on viber and skype etc without having to be logged into the free wifi here especially if the kids want me in the middle of the night here. I feel soo much better about that even though it is a little bit of a luxury. Joe brought back a pizza for me and man was it just what I felt like, it went down so well except for the tiny but of heartburn a little later hehe. Todays flavour of the nutrition drinks were orange, meh and cappuccino which was different for me as I dont do coffee.

I then had some steriod infusions again at 5pm and at 9pm and managed to have my shower finally in between them. I am now able to wear my russian pjs I brought with me on level 3 as it is a bit cooler up here.

There are 6 aussies here at the moment plus all of their carers and we have adopted Lucy to be one of us so really there are 7. We have all been accepted and the rest have started their journeys today. Paul leaves in a few days and is a great support showing us the ropes, he has made it through iso and is on the home stretch! I am at chemo stage with Kirstoffer from Norway. James, Katie, Rosemary and Monica all started their steriod and stimulation shots today. Wow its amazing we are from adelaide, moonta, sydney darwin and melboune x2 and on the otherside of the world in this wonderful place!