[foxy555Participant]

Hi Jean, Peter and Tom

Thanks for your comments, as usual so helpful.

Pete started the injections yesterday, ruined the first one, but now more confident. Feels ok, few aches in back and we think, the start of a blooming cold and nasty cough, ope this does'nt affect the stem removal on Monday/Tuesday.

He goes to see consultant on Friday, I assume this is to tell him what will be happening.

Jean, wish Frank the best also for the 19th.

Peter, have you got appointment yet to have the cells transplanted?? We just wondered how long it will be before Pete goes into hospital, weeks??.

Tom, lovely to hear from you as usual.

Vicki and Chris, hope all is well with you.

Take care

Ann and Pete

xx

[bikerchrisParticipant]

HI Ann and Pete, hey I can claim the first reply on your new thread! Congrats on setting it up – the beginning indeed, but hopefully the end of your course of treatment 🙂
In answer to your questions, the GCSF shouldn't have too many effects, but Pete should start feeling some aching, maybe in the lower back and legs, my legs were really tired and I figured after that it was probably the injections, towards the end of the week.
Brave Pete shaving off the 'barnet'! As for the rest, I guess people are different, but my eyebrows stayed on, but some other hair fell off (not that I had a lot to start with!) but not all – probably enough information! 😀
I found the stem cell collection bearable, but not exactly fun. It was better on the second day when I knew more what to expect. I felt fine afterwards, a bit tired maybe, but I managed a family meal out after day 2, so it wasn't all bad! I am sure you will be fine for Christmas dinner.
I have an appointment at the Beacon on Friday too, 11.00, may even see you up there – I'm the one with no hair!
Hope all goes well this week for you both,
Chris and Lena

[bikerchrisParticipant]

HI again, one other point about the stem cells, the collection isn't always successful, so the doctors don't usually fix dates until they have collected the right number, but once they have them bagged up they will crack on and book you in for the transplant within a few weeks, depending on work commitments and things.
It's best to look ahead just to the next stage, and spend as much time on the DIY as you can!
Keep warm!
Chris

[jmsmythParticipant]

Hi Ann and Pete

Frank went today for the high dose chemo and starts the injections tomorrow . We were told that there may be aches and pains in back, legs, or chest. Nurse said this is a good thing as it means marrow producing cells!! We have to go back next Wednesday early in morning and they will take blood and we have to go to canteen were Frank has to eat cheese, yoghurt and drink milk.!!!Then when we go back they can tell us if the harvest will go ahead or more injections. They could not give us a date as they only have 5 units and Leukemia and lymphoma patients take priority.

Hope Pete sails through it and he gets a date soon the waiting is terrible

Keep well
Love Jean xx

[VickiParticipant]

Hi ann and pete, Jean and Frank,

So glad to hear from you guys and really hope that things are going well for you both!. It really does bring back some short term memories for Colin and his injections. The gcsf injections didn't cause Colin too much pain at all, hence why we had so many goes at getting the cells out!

Hope that pete and Frank are not feeling too rough after the chemo. Colins hair started to fall out three weeks or so after he had had the chemo, which he tells me he felt really fed up when it was coming out in clumps, but felt much better once he had got it shaved off. In fact he has said that he's really used to having no hair now!. However they need to get a good supply of hats 🙂

Colin got a programme of dates from the hospital starting with the check up, then harvest dates and the SCT date. I reckon it was 2 to 3 weeks from harvest cells to going in for SCT. The waiting was the worst but once it got going there was no going back and we sort of went with the flow. From experience Jean and ann, keep your chins up too 🙂

By the way, not been on at the forum much this last week or so…..Colin doing fine. Unfortunately his elderly father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer….hard time at the moment :-(, never rains but pours!. That said if we can be of any support to you guys please ask, it's still very fresh in our minds.

Hope you are doing well chris 🙂 hope you are lining yourself up for a happy happy Christmas 🙂

Vicki and Colin x

[foxy555Participant]

Oh good to hear from you Vicki and really pleased to hear Colin doing ok, so sad about his dad, but as you say it never rains but pours!!!.

Pete ok, he met Biker Chris and his wife Lena on Friday when he went for his consultation. I was'nt with him, but he did say, got so much info from someone who has been through it all, he really did enjoy meeting up with them.

Pete at Southmead on Monday, so hopefully we shall get all those cells out!!! He had a head shave, number 3 on top and 2 on the sides, just to get used to it, but he did have a lovely head of hair and I suppose he just wants to take it one step at a time!!

Hi Jean and Frank, hope all going well, keep in touch!!

Chris and Lena, thanks again for Friday, Pete came home quite positive. He did learn so much from you both regarding the road ahead!!!

Talk soon

Love Ann and Pete

xx

[VickiParticipant]

Ann and pete,

Good luck for the harvest….fingers and toes crossed for you. They are great at Southmead. A wonderful team who were very knowledgeable and supportive of me and Colin x. The hair thing was a big step for Colin too but surprisingly we've got used to it…..and cuts down on the hair gel requirements! Apparently almond oil rubbed into the scalp afterwards encourages a healthy supple skin and good hair growth…..if that fails, apparently you can use it for cooking 🙂

Happy Christmas to you

Vicki and Colin x

[foxy555Participant]

Hello all

Just a quick update on today at Southmead. Pete was borderline – 9, but they decided to go ahead with the procedure. He spent 3.5 hours on the machine and before we left the nurse did mention that they did not think that he had produced all that many cells. Anyway doctor has just rang and said was just over a million, which is alot more than he or we expected. So back tomorrow, hopefully to get the rest!!!

I thought the staff were wonderful.

Will let you know tomorrow how things go.

Love Ann and Pete
xx

[jmsmythParticipant]

Ann and Pete

Good luck for tomorrow. Everything crossed 🙂

Love Jean xx

[meganjaneParticipant]

Ann and Pete,

Good luck for tomorrow, hopefully the cells will behave themselves and you will get enough. I'm glad it went well today.

Megan

[tomParticipant]

Hi Ann and Pete and all

Am sure I posted here ..?..?
But good luck to you all and Colin I am sorry to hear about your dad.

Love Tom xxxx

[PeterJamesParticipant]

Hi Ann & Pete
Good luck for tomorrow
I spent five hours in the chair each day last mon & tues
Both hands were shackled with the in / out tubes
Coffee was offered regularly
Then I said what about toilet facilities , they said you can have a bottle , I said my hands are tied , they said don't worry we can help
No more coffee after that !
Think about that tomorrow , but I hope you get the cells to co operate
Best wishes
Peter

[DaiCroParticipant]

Hi Ann and Pete,

Wishing you the very best of luck withe whole Harvest Procedure.:-)

I had five days in the chair, with 2 Pleriaxafor injections to help the stem cells out. I achieved 1.2 million which gave me enough for my single SCT. Here's hoping your journey is much easier.;-)

Dai.

[foxy555Participant]

Hi all

Well today was so disappointing!!! They only managed to get half a million cells, a grand, or not so grand total of 1.6 million. They put Pete straight on the machine, without waiting for this mornings blood results??? Probably a good job as his levels had dropped to 8 overnight and so I doubt they would have even tried again today!

Now we have got to wait for a call from his consultant to see when they will try and collect again, so more injections and more waiting!!! With Christmas coming up, I suppose nothing will happen until the New Year.

Never mind – Vicki, Chris to name a few, have suffered set backs and got over it and so we are no different.

Hi Dai, a quick question, how come 1.2 million was enough for your SCT? Does it depend on the person and their medical history etc etc. I read somewhere on this site that someone got 8 million, wow what a difference!

Peter and Megan, hope you both well. Peter, you did'nt say how many cells you produced, unless I missed it!

Jean, it I have got it right, Frank goes for collection tomorrow? If so, I hope he is more successful, best wishes to you both.

Take care everyone, hope you all ok and thanks again for your support.

Love

Ann and Pete
xx

[jmsmythParticipant]

Hi Ann

Sorry to read of the disappointment. When we saw consultant last week I asked her was it 2 million they had to coolest and she said no it had to be at least 1 million. Maybe different hospitals have different rules. Yes Ann we go tomorrow and Frank has had a terrible day. He has had terrible pain on his chest and back. He phoned hospital and the got our doctor to give a stronger pain killer. They didn't seem at all bothered

My best to Pete
Love Jean x

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