Hi All

Welcome to my blog, as most of you know I was diagnosed with Bone Marrow Cancer in July 2008, after 6 months of treatment with Chemo and Steroids my cancer has reduced tremendously, I have now had a stem cell transplant which will keep the cancer dormant for longer, my stem cell treatment started on January 5th with Chemo and I had the transplant in March. I am now home but having to take life very slowly while my cells build up, I will be back to hospital several times over the next few months for blood tests and treatment.
Please feel free to pass this address to anyone and to add comments and join in to help keep me sane (or is it too late for that).
Thanks to all at Royal Liverpool Hospital who have made this year possible, and to all the staff who have worked so hard to eventually harvest the cells and the wonderful staff on the transplant unit, A special thanks to Jamie who is as daft as me when I need humour but an absolutely fantastic support from day one (shame he and most of the staff support LFC but I can't hold that against them).

Ivan 07957361356
ivan.thomason@ntlworld.com

17 January 2009

Cell Separating Machine

This is the Cell Separating machine that I was piped up to for 3 hours 30 on Thursday and 5 hours 50 on Friday. The blood is taken from the left arm, circulates through the machine where the cells are separated (some how) and then the cleaned blood is returned to the right arm leaving stem cells and plasma in bags at the top. It takes about 100 minutes for all blood to circulate through the machine and back into the body each time collecting some cells. At the end of the session the Stem cells and plasma are frozen to be used during the transplant.

5 comments:

  1. hey Ivan its peter ,it looks a bit complicated...? im sure they know what they are doin'but make sure you see their A.D.I badge before you let anyone near you...!!!good luck mate x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Ivan its me again just lookin' at that machine again..its a bit like my i pod with a few more buttons ,!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Uncle Ivan!!
    We're all thinking of you over in the I.O.M
    Hope you're getting on ok.
    Lots of Love
    Beth
    xx
    x

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Beth
    Feeling good, just playing the waiting game now and then going back in to try to harvest more stem cells. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. It brings it all back - these hospital machines all look the same.
    Come to think of it: are you sure they used the right one???
    Enjoy the rest from it all...

    ReplyDelete