Hi Peggy

My Colin had gcsf injections alone, for the first harvest attempt. That did not work for him. The next go he had cycloprime and gcsf…..that didnt work either. (he has always been stubborn!). His third attempt was gcsf and plerixafor, another injection that guarantees harvest. After all that he only got 2.07m which is enough for one…[Read more]

Hi chris,

Just a little note to say hi and hope things are going well for you. Hope you are enjoying your music. Sorry about the mouth, but the only way is up now as the song goes :-). It's good to compare notes although colins having a real rough ride. The preservative from the 16 bags of cells are making him feel very very sick!

Still glad…[Read more]

Hi Tina,

Can't really give you any advice as we are in the thick of it, at the moment, however just wanted to give you a few words of encouragement. It must be so hard, but just focus on a day at a time. I find that less scary than thinking about months ahead. As all the others have said you will turn a corner!

Vicki 🙂

Hi all,

Thanks for the advice 🙂 I do feel better for catching up on sleep this weekend! I'm here at hospital. Well we do not do things the easy way! Apparently week 1 is supposed to be the easy week, and people usually a bit bored, bit tired etc. Well since Thursday Colin has been feeling like the pits……his has felt so nauseous they've…[Read more]

Hi Chris,

Just tuning in to give you a bit of moral support. Hope you are not feeling too rough. Sorry the time is dragging but hey no pain no gain. Soon to out and about again.We are thinking of you x

Take care

Vicki 🙂

Hi All

Thanks for the good wishes, and Tom like the new onwards and upwards…..will do our best!

One thing I dont get..when colin had the big chemo on Tuesday evening, when they did his neutrophil count Wednesday it went up!. I checked what his neutrophil was yesterday and it has only just dropped a little bit from something like 4.08 to…[Read more]

Rachel,

Not sure if you will get this and really sorry for a late reply. I don't look at the under 50s ever but it was something Dai said in a post that got me wondering. I was really shocked and upset when i realised it was outdoors paul. We are so so sorry. He posted some really helpful and positive comments when Colin was diagnosed. It was…[Read more]

Hey chris,

Thanks for the good wishes and hope that things are going well for you. It seems you are being looked after well so that's good. Hope Lena is doing ok. It's hard work watching someone sleep you know!. I'm doing the same ha ha!

Colins neutrophil count went up(is that right) after the melphalan. Typical,considering he could,not…[Read more]

Hi all,

Just catching up. At hospital with Colin as we speak. He has had the remainder of his stem cells returned today so all returned with no problems :-). The smell of sweetcorn is not as strong as I expected but still there and it does smell when I walk up the main ward! Our stem cell nurse Sian who helped with the return goes green every…[Read more]

Hi Gill

Just wanted to add some support here. My partner Colin was diagnosed in October 2011 with one fracture to the T12 vertebrae,and off the richter scale light chains!, and a lower number paraprotein score. We were absolutely dumb struck as he had always been fit and healthy- even that year he had been ski-ing, golfing and we had two weeks…[Read more]

Hi Polly

Just a little comment about the arm you have been randonmised on. All the drugs are good so dont worry. I remember asking my Doctor as I was worried that Colin would not tolerate 'this super drug' Revlimid and he explained how all the drugs are good and operate at a sufficient level to treat well…its just when they do trials they…[Read more]

Hi All,

well here goes, no going back now :-). Colin had his Melphelan this afternoon so that will start to knock his old unwanted bone marrow out now!. He is in good spirits but wondered just how many of those ice pops he had to suck on. He started two hours before!.

Yesterday was just a check over day, bloods etc. They wanted to insert a…[Read more]

Hi Chris and Lena,

Just wanted to say Hi and hope that the SCT is going well. Hope those little cells are now starting to do their magic as your old, no longer required marrow disappears 🙂

Hope the runny tummy etc is not too bad. Post if you can. Colin is now underway so he's not too far behind 🙂

Vicki

Hi all

Thank you so much, and in particular like your description of the runny tummy Dai, made me laugh! By the way have you married your daughter off now? If so hope you enjoyed it!

Starting a new thread now. Needless to say minor hiccup this morning, rang up, no beds ahhhhhh! Almost nervous breakdown time for me. Had to wait an…[Read more]

Hi Peggy,

Colin my partner had gcsf injections to help his cells mobilise. It was only when that failed he had cyclophosmahide priming and gcsf together. I get the impression that gcsf is always involved, irrespective!

Good luck with your harvest x

Vicki and Colin x

Hey chris,

Im glad things are going ok, and you're feeling reasonable. Get that fluid in, I'm with Lena……Colin will tell you I nag him about drinking plenty (no not alcohol) :-), so will be on the same track as Lena!. Colin will be reading the posts too and will have the iPad in hospital to keep him in touch with the outside world!

Hey…[Read more]

Hi all,

Thanks very much for the kind words and advice. Getting all the gadgets ready and of course the list as per yours Helen. Hadn't thought of the lip salve so will get that! We're very much the waiting game now. We have to ring up at 0830 in the morning to make sure there is a bed…..that would be all we'd need!

Will keep you all…[Read more]

Hi Polly,

Sorry you've had to start treatment, but best to keep that mm under control. I'm like Eve, great at the theory but a complete whimp when it comes to taking any tablets!

Colin had to inject every day when he was on induction treatment. He was injecting something called fragmen. It worked for him, no clots :-). He disliked doing it…[Read more]

Hi chris,

Hope things are going ok….keep yourself occupied and counting the days till out.

No need to brag Tom, 3 years ahead indeed 🙂

We're getting a bit nervous now. Bits and pieces being charged up and gathered to keep Colin occupied whilst in hospital. I'll start a new thread for Colins SCT update as the other one is turning into…[Read more]