Here We Go Then!

Sorry about the gruesome pic, but I couldn't resist having a pic of a picc! Yes it's day 1 of my transplant, but in transplant land this day is referred to as day -7. The day I get my stem cells returned to me is day 0. So before we get there I have a week of them tipping vat loads of poison into me via the now freshly inserted picc line. It was a procedure that I have to say I wasn't looking forward to one little bit, but it all went very well. They find the vein they want to put it in with an ultrasound device, give you some local anaesthetic and slowly thread the line up your arm until it gets to the desired spot, which is just above the heart. I went for a x-ray afterwards to see if it was in the correct place only to discover that the bloody thing has a kink in it. They've squirted a load of saline up it and will have another look tomorrow and if it hasn't straightened out they'll remove it and have another go. Just what I need! What it means is that all the meds I'll be getting over the next few weeks and all the blood tests that have to be done will be via this little gizmo.....so no needles, which has got to be a good thing.


In the meantime this is where I am at the moment, The Radisson Edwardian Grafton hotel which is just across the road from UCH. I shall be here (if all goes smoothly) until I get my stem cells back next week. The idea is that this is a better experience for the patient than having to spend the whole of the month or so this process takes as an inpatient on the ward. Of course if I get very sick then I'll be admitted immediately, but I'm going to aim to stay out as long as I can. Over the next week I shall sleep here and pop over the road for the chemotherapy and general daily check ups. I think it's a great idea. After I finish this I'll pop out for a walk and buy a few things at Boots and top up my mobile before finding something to eat. It doesn't feel like being in hospital at all. I fear all this will change tomorrow when I get the first of my doses of chemo and start to feel poorly. I'm just glad that finally the waiting is over and we're finally getting on with it. It feels slightly unreal at the moment (especially being in a hotel) but it's so far so good.