Awaiting or considering or had a stem cell transplant, a place to share here

Oh @Summertime what a beautiful idea to have a little walk to your sons bench to stretch your legs and that you will be wrapping up like Santa. So special for you.

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Yes, @Summertime, the clinic often rings on Friday evening (when ciclosporin results in). I’m using a dermal wash in shower and aveeno moisturiser all over after. I also use Ultra Bee Exeskin on particularly dry patches.
I’ll be there on Friday again, so I’ll look out for you!
Gentle exercise is so good, do what you can but rest hugely important too xxxx

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Hi @Lyn99 :+1:t3:, platelets are picking up but my neutrophils dropped! Consultant said it’s often seen, so you and I are proof :heart_eyes:.
My Hickman line wound is still awful - no infection but a huge haematoma that’s taken 4 weeks so far to reduce, and it bleeds every day still. I really am fed up with washing pjs and bedding daily xxxxx

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Hi @Summertime, I think there are a few things that you can take for hair growth but they seem to have side effects. I had my strong chemo at the beginning of August and my hair is about 1/2 inch now. It will come back but it just takes time. I was lucky that I didn’t lose my lashes or brows. I got very excited when my head started to look darker as the follicles started to make hair again. I look boyish but make sure I wear makeup each day so I feel more feminine. I have finally started to go out without my wig, it takes courage but the lady that takes my blood weekly said it suited me and she will never know how much that boosted my confidence. Just a tip, if your hair comes back grey and you used to dye it, it’s a bit of a shock. You can use a henna dye safely as it has no chemicals to harm the baby hair and you don’t have to wait the 6 months that’s suggested in most places. I used 'It’s Pure organics herbal hair colour 'natural brown and it’s really excellent. Xx

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Oh @ChrisCKW your Hickman line wound sounds really horrible and the bleeding every day on you and bedding must be really wearing and hard work.
Blood is visually so bright a colour too, my head wound won’t stop intermittent bleeding either after a month and I get rivulets of blood appearing down my sparse hair or luckily only once on my pillow and cases. I sleep with a folded towel covering the pillow which is easier to wash.
I have to laugh (or scream or cry) last week I was on daily dressing changes and every time the nurse pulled the plaster off a rectangle of my hair came off with it.
Like you being half pint size one of these days I will get trapped within my duvet cover when changing it or attempting to fold it after washing.
It must have been an enormous step to go out without your wig on, I really admire you.
Take it steady and be kind to yourself xx

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@Erica my skin is really not happy with any kind of sticky tape or dressing, so daytime I tuck a gauze pad into the upper part of my bra, night time I tape gauze to pj top but I move about too much and I bleed anywhere/everywhere but on the gauze.
I think the belief is it will heal quicker (really? 4 weeks on?) if there’s no dressing enclosing it. They’ve replaced the steri strips but are now trying to leave alone - they don’t want to pull healing scab off.
Poor head :weary: that sounds painful and distressing :weary: xxxxx

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Hi @ChrisCKW , sorry to hear that haematoma is still troublesome. I wonder if it’s the lower platelets that’s stopping it from healing. I’m still getting loads of bruises whenever I tap myself on something so I guess it’s a similar thing. Hope that problem will soon be on the mend for you. Do you think Santa does platelet and neutraphil gifts for Christmas? :thinking: would be quite handy xxx

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Hi @Erica, I wonder if you can get an alert button that you could wear round your neck when changing the duvet just in case you get trapped in one. I’m thinking of marketing Duvet Alert for the more petite individual :rofl: I’m nearly 6ft and struggle with mine so goodness knows how you and @ChrisCKW manage. Sorry to hear about the hair, I think someone is secretly making wigs in the NHS from all our lost hair !!

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I’m up for a Duvet Alert @Lyn99. My husband is 6ft and I realise how he can reach things with ease, whereas when I open the cupboard doors above my kitchen worktops they bounce back and the underneath of them hits me on the head, especially not good after my head up. So could I have a Cupboard Door Alert as well please.
On the plus side I can only see the dust up to a certain level.
It must have taken you so much courage to go out without your wig for the first time.
Look after yourself xx

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@Lyn99 Duvet Alarms; Santa bringing platelets and neutrophils- these are some seriously great ideas!
The wound was far bigger and far less tidy than it should have been - my tissue ā€œrepairedā€ around the tube of the line and (graphic description alert) they had to scrape tissue away from line as it wouldn’t just pull out after initial cut. Then stitches burst after just one day, so steri stitches used, which have had to be changed. The procedure caused a huge haematoma which was full of blood. The bleeding is old stale blood, rather than fresh bright red. They said there were only 2 ways for body to get rid of such blood - absorption which takes time and bleeding from wound. But good news is because it’s been bleeding it’s not getting staler and infected. So platelets only played a very minor part in continuous bleeding xxx

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Just heard from GP, have appointment 2:30 this afternoon for first Covid jab - woo! (Just a teeny bit nervous) xx

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Thats good news. Hope it all goes ok X

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Oh @ChrisCKW, thank you, I have a very vivid imagination and it must have been and is horrendous for you.
The scar will definitely be a war wound scar.
Hang in there and yes, as it is bleeding it’s not getting any staler and infected and you have not lost that many platelets.
It comes to something when you will be asking for platelets and neutrophils in your Christmas letter to Santa, please ask for something to pamper and spoil you as well.
I have this picture in my mind of Santa on his sleigh with a drip stand on the back.
Good luck with the first Covid jab this afternoon, it is natural to be nervous about this outing.
Look after yourself you have and are going through so much, you must be exhausted xx

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Jab jabbed - first one of eleventybillion :joy: xxxx

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Hope it all went ok?

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Oh @ChrisCKW , it does sound horrible but good that it’s leaving your body without causing any infection. At least they’re not using any leeches! :confounded: Good news on the covid jab, I’ve just had mine too. Hope it gives us some protection, although my social calendar for December is completely free…Look after yourself xxx

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I will be at clinic thurs and fri this week Chris, maybe will see you :slightly_smiling_face:
How exciting had your jab.
I was there yesterday from 9 til 6pm phew long day xxx

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I’m at clinic Friday 815 for bloods and 9:30 for consultant - I’ll look out for you! I’m not hard to miss v tiny with baseball cap.
Wow long session for you yesterday @Summertime why so long, and why 2 visits Thursday and Friday? Keep well :weary: xxxxx

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@Lyn99 Do you know I haven’t got any pets - and whilst leeches not so cuddly …. :joy:
My arm achy but ok apart from that. How are you xxxx

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Went well thanks @Nichola75 - they were so good about keeping me safe xxx

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