Long overdue update

I decided to change the name of this blog because I feel since I have been in remission for 10 months I no longer have leukemia. I am now living my life after having leukemia and dealing with the changes in my body since the transplant. I still go to Dallas once a month for check-ups. I don't see that changing for a while since I am dealing with some issues in my mouth that make eating difficult. We are trying to figure out what is going on and what medications will help fix the problem. I can no longer eat spicy or salty foods because they tear up the insides of my mouth. I am sad that eating french fries is no longer a joy. I can deal with not having hot sauce because I usually over do it before my food comes anyways, but I miss my french fries. Other than my mouth issues I still have problems with chronic dry eye and my skin texture is just not the same. I also now have allergies that I can thank my donor for. Unfortunately those are common side effects that I'm not sure will ever go away. I am having to get use to a new "normal." I did finally write my donor a thank you letter and sent her a small gift to thank her for her selfless act of donating bone marrow to a complete stranger. Hopefully in January I can sign a release of information to hopefully get the chance to know her name and meet her in person. It is funny that I like things that I didn't necessarily like before. I now eat yogurt. That is something I wouldn't touch unless it was mixed with granola because I hated the texture. I also like to eat tomatoes. I eat more eggs and drink more milk that ever before. My hair has also grown in curly. I would just really love to meet her and thank her in person for what she did for me. I can't believe that this time last year I was bald and sitting at home waiting to hear if a donor had been found. I look back at pictures for then and I am amazed at how much has changed in less than a year. When I feel down all I have to do is look at where I was last year and realize how lucky I am to be where I am right now.