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A quick update for my friends on Forums and Casebook. Firstly thanks so much for all the messages and good wishes I have received which have meant a great deal.
The current situation is the chemotherapy was finished in May and has put the leukaemia into remission - there is now no trace of the disease. If I had no further treatment there is every likelihood the disease would come back in the long term so, in consultation with the medical staff, the lasting solution is a bone marrow transplant. This has now been time tabled and a donor found who is a perfect match for me.
I will be going into hospital on 15 September and the transplant will be done on the 19 September. This procedure is not an invasive surgical procedure but is a transfusion of stem cells from the donor which should rebuild my immune system. I will be in hospital for about 3-4 weeks as during the early days after the infusion I will be effectively without an immune system. I am prepared for the transfusion by a short course (3 days) of mild chemotherapy and a one off session of low level radiotherapy.
Because the match of the donor and myself is so good the chances of problems is very low level. The figures I have been quoted is that the chances of major problems is of the order of 1-2% and the possibility of minor reactions is about 30%.
Because of the risk of infection while I'm in I will be in isolation but I can certainly cope with that and will have my laptop, tablet and mobile phone with me and there is wi-fi access in the hospital. So I will be able to keep in touch with what is going on!
I must give unstinting praise to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey where this treatment will be done. The staff and treatment I have received are incredible and this hospital is the world leader in the treatment of this disease so I really could not be in better hands.
Thanks again to all my friends on casebook and Forums and I hope to be back in action and restored to health by the end of this year
Best regards to all
Chris Scott
The current situation is the chemotherapy was finished in May and has put the leukaemia into remission - there is now no trace of the disease. If I had no further treatment there is every likelihood the disease would come back in the long term so, in consultation with the medical staff, the lasting solution is a bone marrow transplant. This has now been time tabled and a donor found who is a perfect match for me.
I will be going into hospital on 15 September and the transplant will be done on the 19 September. This procedure is not an invasive surgical procedure but is a transfusion of stem cells from the donor which should rebuild my immune system. I will be in hospital for about 3-4 weeks as during the early days after the infusion I will be effectively without an immune system. I am prepared for the transfusion by a short course (3 days) of mild chemotherapy and a one off session of low level radiotherapy.
Because the match of the donor and myself is so good the chances of problems is very low level. The figures I have been quoted is that the chances of major problems is of the order of 1-2% and the possibility of minor reactions is about 30%.
Because of the risk of infection while I'm in I will be in isolation but I can certainly cope with that and will have my laptop, tablet and mobile phone with me and there is wi-fi access in the hospital. So I will be able to keep in touch with what is going on!
I must give unstinting praise to the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey where this treatment will be done. The staff and treatment I have received are incredible and this hospital is the world leader in the treatment of this disease so I really could not be in better hands.
Thanks again to all my friends on casebook and Forums and I hope to be back in action and restored to health by the end of this year
Best regards to all
Chris Scott
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