Stage Two.....Tick

Another massive tick in the box on Monday, with a very positive outcome to my stem cell collection. All the bone pain over the weekend proved worthwhile as the growth hormone pushed my stem cell production into overdrive......"enough for 10 transplants" to quote the doctor. As the old saying goes "no pain, no gain", and it proved very much to be the case. The effects from my last chemo also joined the party over the weekend....boy was I tired. I just about had the energy to go and watch Marcus play fooball, but that then wiped me out for the rest of the day.

My old man (who's not a dustman and doesn't wear cor blimey trousers ) took me up to Hammersmith and was great company and support during the four hours I was hooked up to the apheresis machine. I must say, four hours lying still wasn't a bundle of fun, especially with my dodgey back aching like a.......er......aching back. Lots of tubes, IV bags, whiring noises and spinning knobs, but the outcome was a bag full of mini me's that looked very much like strawberry milkshake. The nurses were most excited.....it was all very 'celly' apparently!! I play it down, but in all seriousness, I can't emphasize enough  just how important it was to have a successful stem cell harvest. Without it I would at best have had to try another mobilisation drug, at worst, it could have been the end of the road with respect to having a transplant. So...all in all a huge step forward and a fantastic outcome to stage two of my treatment.

So, what now? Well, rest is on the cards for me on the run up to Christmas, trying to recover from the compound effects of chemo, growth hormones and lack of sleep. I'm not due back at Hammersmith hospital now until 2nd Jan, but still have a few visits to Kingston hospital for Zometa injections etc.

Looking forward to a relaxed Christmas with my family, good food and a few (too many) cheeky beverages!!