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Friday 6 August 2010

Update for those on Facebook

To bring everyone up to date as to how I am doing...


After a number of months of chemo and various other drugs all in preparation of my stem cell (bone marrow) transplant, I finally have a date.
There are two stages to the the transplant:
a) the extraction of stem cells.
b) engraftment - putting the stem cells back in.


I'm having what is called an autologous transplant, which means they take my own stem cells and re-insert them back into me at a later date. I have already had the extraction process and that went successfully after two days on the machine they finally had enough for the next stage.

The engraftment process takes longer and is more dangerous. I will have to have about a 3 to 4 week stay in hospital that requires a very high dose of chemo that will destroy all of my bone marrow/stem cells in my body. They then re-insert (engraftment) the stem cells previously stored. I wont have any immune system during this process and it will take about 3 to 4 weeks for my body to recover enough to be able to come out of isolation and return home. It takes a number of months for the body to recover completely and the immune system to return to normal, so I will have to be careful what I eat and do once I get home.

Oh the date for this to take place starts on Monday 23 August.

To answer another question that people keep asking as well: After the transplant will I be OK?
Well I hopefully should be OK for a number of years, but it will eventually return as Myeloma is incurable. It depends what is available at that time as to the process I go through, but at the moment I will would have to go through this again. Fingers crossed though that is a while off :D

4 comments:

  1. Ah, hope it goes well for you Sean, the way you are coping is inspirational. I hope you have many years free from it :) Will be thinking of you and your family love Ruth Miles and family

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  2. If you will have no immune system do you think its safe to stay in the NHS hospital??....sorry had to get that one in! :D Good luck with it and we are all thinking of you. Yazmin wrote about you in her school book at primary,bless :) Lots of hugs and love to you! The family Ness xxxx

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  3. We will be thinking of you on the day constantly and afterwards, willing it all to go well for you. Maria stay as strong as always thinking of you too.

    Much love to you both Carol xxxx

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  4. Yes I'm strong because GOD stay with Sean and me. Si my DIOS lova curar el va vivir
    muchos anos DIOS va ser el MILAGRO de curarlo
    yo lo se, ya my Sean manana va al hospital y se vaquedar por 3 semanas y cuando regrese va
    regresar curado si DIOS solo nuestro SENOR lo
    sabe si ,GRACIAS PADREA MIO POR TODO, CUIDALO
    MUCHO EN EL HOSPITAL PON TU MANO BENDITA PADRE
    MIO SANA AMY SEAN DE ESTE MAL PORFAVOR PADRE
    MIO SOLO TU LO PUEDES HACER CON TU MESIRECORDIA
    LO VAS A CURAR Y AMI SEAN, TE AMAMOS MUCHO PADRE MIO SI, GRACIAS DIOS LINDO.
    I LOVE YOU LOTS. CHARITO AND ALL FAMILY OF PERU.

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