astraboy

I am now officially off work, my manager has kindly given me paid leave to donate so now the only thing to do is prepare for H day, now just 4 days away.
Today was the first of my injections of GCSF, a chemical which stimulates the stem cells (the stuff they want) in my bones out into my bloodstream. I have to have these injections everyday, three times a day, from 4 days prior, up until the 6th. My first was happening at 10am this morning.
10am came and went and eventually I welcomed Nursie Dan into my home. The injections have to be given at the same time each day, and apparantly I cant be trusted to make my own way to hospital so Nursie Dan has to come to me.
Once he arrived, he gave me a large box, in it was four days supply of GCSF, needles and syringes. From that he took three and prepared them for me.

Whilst he was doing this, he shoved a thermometer in my gob and wrapped a blood pressure gauge round my arm,

This was done to provide a baseline from which he could monitor me.
There was no avoiding it, it was time for me to get the good news!

Two more and I was done for the day. After that, Dan monitored me for any allergic reactions. These are rare, but they can happen, fortunately they happen pretty quickly so, after 20 minutes I was out the woods.
Unfortunately, the non allergic side effects soon manifested as the chemical circulated around my system. As I was shot in my left arm, the aches started there. Then it was my lower back, then my ankles. Finally the GCSF tour de astraboy finished off in my right arm. Then I started sweating.
I'm still sweating now, but I was told it would resemble a fever, so there are no surprises there. I'm also feeling a bit spacey, but this is only going to get worse as the days goes by and the injections I get go up. hey, it could be worse, I could be like this and at work
D-Minus 4 days and counting,
astraboy.

Steve vRS

I may have missed a few episodes. Have you opted for this procedure rather than the invasive harvest?

Well done by the way!

Steve

EddScott

Whats all this about then?

Are you giving bone marrow? I've often wondered how they do it.

boxst

I look forward to some erratic posts on Scoobynet whilst the spaced out / tired feeling is there over the next few days.

You are probably bored with the praise, but well done for doing this.

Steve

astraboy

Click here for the first stage...
https://www.scoobynet.com/non-scooby...onemarrow.html

I had no choice, the recipients needs changed and it was chemical or nothing.
astraboy.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Nothing else to say but

richieh

Good man
Eat and drink as much as you can in the next few weeks to keep you and your person you are donating to strong(if that makes sense)
Have they given you any special dietry advice to minimise any ill effects you may feel/increase your harvest count so to speak?
cheers
Richie

astraboy

no I have been looking for some kind of stem cell superfood online, but have drawn a blank so far. The general advice is to drink lots of fluids and eat a healthy balanced diet, we are having three bean curry and brown rice for dinner tonight, which is a good start
astraboy.

bigsinky

been on the donor register for years and haven't been called. best i can do is platelets every 4 weeks

yoza

Well done to you.

My donations will be carried out when I m dead, the easy option,

Spoon

Well done indeed but **** that if you have to play those games with Nursie Dan first!!

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

I missed a few episodes too.

Hats off AB

mart360

Still think your a fcking legend

mart

The Dogs B******s

Well done you,to do all that for someone else,,,,,,,

sbk1972

Like the others, you have my full respect. I wish many more people would do this.

When my son was born 6 months ago, I had his stems collected then. This is when the umblical cord is taken, drained of the stem cell packed blood and then stored. Cost me a good £2K in total, but well worth it :-)

Eat, drink well and look after yourself ! I hope it all goes well.

SBK

Funkii Munkii

+1

Fair play to you AB

astraboy

Aint that the truth, I woke up this morning and I'm off my face! Its not particularly unpleasent, its like being in a bouncy castle world of fun, sort of like a cross between losing a lot of blood not sleeping for three days
Not to worry though, I have a plate of sausages, some chilli sauce, a packet of paracetamol and the Jaws films to keep me company, I'll be alright. Yep, I'll be just flippin fine

Not at all, thank you all for your kind words, they mean a great deal
astraboy.

Lee247

How amazing is this. Well done to you astraboy. Hope it all goes good

marky1

Really impressive thing to do, you have my full respect and admiration. I might have missed this in the threads somewhere but do you find out who the recipient is? Wish you well with it, I am sure everything will be fine, really takes some guts to do what you are doing.