Royal Hospital with Nigel, start of the transplant process

Not long got back from the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Nigel’s first appointment with me to start his stem cell extraction process for me. Nigel had to travel from Basingstoke last night to Barnsley, then in the morning to Chester and then to Liverpool with me only to have to drive back over to Barnsley to pick up his works vehicle and then drive back to Basingstoke (I think that is the journey he’s taken!). I know he has had to do a lot of driving today to help me out and I of course very much appreciate it.

My next appointment is on 16 September and Nigel’s is on the 23 September. The date will be the first week in October (unless something changes). Unlike with my last transplant, Nigels stem cells will be taken and then put into me on the same day. Last time mine were frozen and then put in to me. So I will be in my ward and Nigel will be at the other end of the corridor having them taken then walked over and put in me. I don’t know why, but that just seems to make it a bit more … err I don’t know what the word is really …. odd, maybe. I never really thought of cells coming out of him and into me, it’s always been just a bag that has been defrosted of stuff and then infused. This makes it more like cooking a meal and eating it while it’s still warm!

He did threaten to get drunk the night before, just to see if it has any effect on me at all!

We both had lots of blood taken today and labelled up and sent off for lots the preliminary tests that need to be done. My bloods were taken second by the nurse using my hickman line, so I never felt a think.

Nigel and I both have a strange sense of humour, so us both in the same room at the same time may have been a bit much for Edwina the transplant coordinator.  We joked about Edwina taking the blood from Nigel and she ended up apologising for causing him bruising in his arm after promising not too. We did say we would take some pictures and put them on here. (Nigel when you read this take a couple on your phone and send them over, then we can keep to our promise) although we day say we might edit them in photoshop to make it look worse than it was  

At least the ball is rolling now and the day is getting closer. Nigel has to meet up with another person on the 23 to go through what happens, the risks etc to make sure he is ok to go ahead.

On the 16 I’m just having the ECG etc done to make sure I’m ok to before starting the transplant.

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