Hi Trish
All conflicting info, I suggest you ask your consultant as there are probably different local rules.

I'm told that if you have auto SCT, the cells put back include lots of our other white cells including antibodies from previous vaccinations, which still carry the blueprint of our previous immunity, therefore there is no need to…[Read more]

Hi Andy
Hope all goes well later today, and yep getting shot of the catheter is a very sound goal, not comfortable. Do you have sensory loss too with your back?

I had Revlimid, cyclophos and dex as my induction therapy, I made sure I took anti sickness tablets an hour before the cyclophos and then regularly for 48 – 72 hours after, i rested a…[Read more]

Hi Alison
Shame about the flying for your mum but she' ll be pleased to get anywhere, I know I was!
Work is ok, I'm working my way through thousands of emails and planning my retraining, that should take til about September, what with the gradual return and all. I'm shockingly tired as expected. But the diversion from being at home is good,…[Read more]

Lovely videos Tom 🙂

Hi Dai
Well yes, only cast iron numbers and in large numbers is medical research measured, but as Keith says and as a nursing observation, better health and the positivity that goes with it often gives better outcomes, for complex reasons. But Dai your numbers are fluctuating in the same plane, not rising, so I'll keep my fingers crossed that…[Read more]

Hi Ali
What a relief, it took me 4 hours on first day then 2 hours on second day so your mum did well to do it all at once. Another hurdle out of the way, now have a really good few weeks of rest, holiday and put lots of weight on, ( mum, not you 🙂 ) so she has good reserves for transplant, no need to eat much afterwards means you can…[Read more]

Hi Mari
Can't help on the Plerixafor, I had double doses of Granocyte, which made me feel shocking but yielded the results. Hope it works though and you get good news tomorrow.
Love Helen

Hang on in there Keith, hope it keeps doing the trick.
Love Helen

Hey good luck Tom let us know how it goes
Love Helen

Whoa that's clever, Tom, I confess to being a complete idiot when it comes to IT, In fact I don't really know what you are talking about:-P I spent today trying to remember how to use a PC having used an iPad for the last year.!!
Love Helen

Hi Keith
Sorry to hear about the continued gut troubles, it really is a pain in the 'wotsit', I have got used to it now and having had a break for two weeks, I know it is a problem that I've got used to now, after 8 cycles.
Anyway, the steroids, get on the blower to the consultant in the morning, I'm with Dai here check out that dose with the…[Read more]

How did you do that Tom,? Thqnk you And that was an early pint!
Love Helen

Dear Dai
Hmm yes I read the email replies and was about to respond, but I too can only see them idividually, anyway, thanks for your very amusing reply;-) I'll hunt out the whoopee cushion, nice new photo by the way.
Vicki, Teresa, Tom, Ali, Jean and Eve, thanks for your kind words, I hope tomorrow is as straightforward!
I've only booked the…[Read more]

Ta Da
🙂
I made it, back to work, tidied my desk, sharpened the pencils, had a coffee, told HR I was back, dished out the ink, rang ESA to say I was back to work, booked a holiday, met a few new people, got given a car parking space…. 😉
……. Then got sent home again!
I'm totally, completely and utterly whacked now, …..with a…[Read more]

Hi Tina
I was on revlimid, dex and cyclophos and took 4 – 5 weeks after it finished for all the effects to wear off, but I was pretty well back to normal then with much better energy levels even than I have now. They never wore off while I was on it. I'm on revlimid now, only as maintenance and some have come back again:-( Hope you are soon…[Read more]

Hi Teresa
Thanks for the message, yes tomorrow I go back, I'm looking forward to it, for the moment…….
It is still raining, we have had a family meal out tonight, normally this time of year we celebrate the summer birthdays outside a pub, tonight we were indoors with a roaring log fire! I've put the heating on for an hour when we got…[Read more]

Hi Beverly
I probably had smouldering mm for about 3- 4 years before it changed to end stage disease. I thought I was having a bit of a struggle with arthritis, being a 50+ nurse! Don't get too tired or run down and I hope it stays 'smouldering' for many many years.
Love Helen

Hi Vicki
Colin only needs to suck ice for about an hour max, so I made ice cubes in those bags and took them in a cool bag to go straight into the freezer when we got there. I think I made hundreds of them , I used different flavours from those kids fruit drinks, Ribena, fruit shots, some with very little flavour and lots of them diluted down…[Read more]

Dear all
I didn't have cyclophosphamide priming before my stem cell collection, there were no beds available in the region for the drip to be given!! I was not a happy bunny may i tell you, this change of plan really upset me. However they told me that it would not delay my transplant as they dont always do cyclophos priming in our neck of the…[Read more]