October it is for my Transplant

In the end we have gone with plan D!!

The Prof at Kings and my local super consultant had a chat, assessed risks and benefits and decided to go for a transplant in Oct, all being well. I am very happy with this solution and was going to ask if I could do that anyway instead of waiting 4 months - as it is less time to catch something nasty, less time to worry about it and frankly you get to a stage when you just want to get on with things (while at the same timing thinking this is scary)

So the process is

• Request the stem cells and schedule the donor
• Next week I have my last round of Azacitidine at full strength for 7 days - which should carry on the process of knocking down the blasts
• Have a pre-transplant formal planning and risk assessment meeting
• After a while to get over the chemo - have a series of tests to ensure I am medically fit enough - heart, lungs etc.
• Have a bone marrow test, when my local consultant will check the blast level herself on the same or next day

This whole process is part of the seven stages as outlined in a book  - click on the link if you want to read it.

Meanwhile continue getting fit and sort out other bits and pieces

• Clarinet to help my lungs
• 6000 to 10000 steps per day to get my heart and lungs going (often vigorous)
• Various minor exercises
• Massage and Osteopath to tone up muscles
• Make sure my teeth are in good nick - I still have two damaged teeth which should be removed or have root canal treatment, neither of which should be done given my status - negotiations ongoing
• etc

 And of course to try and keep stress levels down. We had a smashing holiday last week which helped a lot in this respect

Where my extended family stayed in South Derbyshire

The pub / restaurant in Bamford where my wife and I had our wedding reception many many years ago

Dovedale - a beautiful restful valley in mid Derbyshire