Day 45 Had my second injections today, they didn’t sting as much as yesterday as the drug was warmer (I’d taken it out of the fridge about an hour beforehand). I got a headache again and had a very dull ache in my lower back although I wouldn’t describe it as particularly painful, I was just aware of it so still feeling ok. Day 46 Injections again today, I am finding the side effects slightly worse now, the lower back pain has gotten worse but paracetamol is working well, I’m just finding that I need to take it more frequently. The pain is worse if I’ve been walking for a while but nothing too restricting. Day 47 Travelled to London today for my final injection. We got here in plenty of time and so checked into the hotel first, it’s a nice 4* hotel, although the room does have one of the smallest bathrooms I’ve ever seen! My mum and I then wandered down to UCH, my final injection was done on the haematology ward which is on the 16th floor of the ‘UCH tower’, it has amazing views across London. I had to have a blood test first to check that my cell count wasn’t too high and to calculate my dose so they took that and then we went and had a walk round the shops, until we got the phone call to go back for my injections, I had the full dose as my cell count wasn’t too high. I’ve felt absolutely fine today, which has surprised me slightly as I expected the side effects to be at their worst today. Had a nice meal in the hotel and I’m getting an early night tonight, I have to be up quite early tomorrow. Day 48 The day of my donation is finally here!! We were greeted by the nurses who run the apheresis and firstly a cannula was put in my right arm and (yet more) blood samples taken. They then injected some local anaesthetic in my left arm and put in the needle. My blood would go out through this needle and back into my right arm through the cannula. As soon as the needle was in my left arm I couldn’t move it, I was connected up to the machine and couldn’t move from the bed for five hours. I had my mum with me to kill some of the boredom and took my laptop with me so I could watch DVDs as well and I’m glad I did otherwise it would have been a very boring day. I had been warned by the nursing staff that I may feel ‘tingly’ in my lips, fingers and toes, this is a side effect of the anti-coagulant they use, it felt really strange and I had to have calci-chew a few times (they taste really nice!) but ended up on a drip towards the end as I was still getting tingling despite the tablets. During my donation the Anthony Nolan Trust welfare officer came to introduce herself and to discuss the next steps with me. She gave me some more information (and a badge) and we talked about my feelings about donation. I was so relieved when my five hours was up and I could finally get up from the bed! We had to go away for an hour while they calculated how many cells they’d harvested, if there wasn’t enough I would have to have another set of injections and had the apheresis again tomorrow. We went for a coffee round the corner from the hospital and then went back. I don’t know what the units are but they had wanted 7 units of my cells and I had managed to give 12.8! I was very relieved that I didn’t have to spend another day in that bed. I had the cannula removed and my blood pressure and temperature done and then left. It was a very strange ending for something I’d been preparing for and building up to for so long, it felt a bit like an anti-climax to just walk out of the hospital and being finished, particularly considering the profound effect it could have on someone else. |
