T Day plus 1 (11th January)

John wrote:

Last night I had a good sleep at last, probably helped by the paracetamol given to me for my temperature of 38.6.

Then woken early for the first of today’s 2 cyclosporine drip. I am to get them morning and evening. I fall asleep while the drip is running, but that seems to be alright.
The doctor visits and tells me they want to try to find the cause of my high temperatures , which seem to be a regular evening occurrence now. He has ordered a chest x-ray for me.
So just as Sue is about to end her visit, the nurse comes in to take me for the x-ray. It’s a wheel chair job. I must also wear a mask over my nose & mouth, presumably to protect me from breathing in anything nasty.

The doctor tells me I am also to receive a blood transfusion, this morning - my first ever. This is to support my red blood cells, which have been wacked on the head by the chemo. He says to have one or more blood transfusions is quite normal following the transplant. When I ask if it is to be group O (my old blood type) or Group B(my new blood type), the answer is “It’s very complicated”.

The doctor tells me that I must be resigned to feel poorly for at least 7 days following the transplant. I am just beginning a long journey and there are significant milestones to look forwards to now

1.    Leaving hospital  in 2 or 3 weeks time

2.    In 3 months when I will no longer be confined to home and hospital visits

3.    In a year when they will be able to tell if the transplant has really worked

Later in the evening I received a second transfusion.

 
Thanks to all those who are reading this blog and sending me encouraging e-mails which I can read once Sue has put the phone on the windowsill.  

Sue wrote:

The Anthony Nolan trust sent John a card. It quite choked me up to read it.

This is in no way a plug for them.
You can see the great things they are doing, besides giving us much hope and encouragement, by visiting to  www.anthonynolan.org