I have had a blood transfusion.

Yes this happened Monday of this week: it was probably likely to happen as my HB levels were down on what they should have been. I did not want the transfusion; i went to the hospital on Friday because I had a skin rash - I was told and have been given it in writing that as I was having chemo I was to contact the chemo unit if I had the slightest thing wrong with me. So if I had a little temperature I was to contact the unit. They would check it out and if necessary give me blood tests to make sure all ok. Chemo can and does destroy good cells as well as bad. So any way I had this rash, they gave me blood test, there was a lot of stroking of chins by the staff while they looked at the results and they decided it was a blood transfusion for me. Apparently more people have blood transfusions than we all know.

I arrived at the Hospital in good time for my appointment - as always my rock Sarah took me in - she could not stay as she had to go to work. I went in and after the usual security preliminaries I was connnected up and given two units. One unit is one donation from one donor and is anything between 250 ml and 300 ml. It is trickled into you very slowly, presumably to ensure there is no rejection problem. It took 4 hours.

When the blood was all in they disconnected me and I was allowed home. While I was at the hospital I mentioned that I had had stomach problems. Would you believe they decided to take some blood for testing while I was having the transfusion. So there I was with blood trickling in to me through my right arm and they were taking it out as fast as they could out the left arm! They did n't need much which was good because, strangely enough, it hurt on that occasion.

Since then the stomach problem has got better - I hope - the GP gave me the appropriate medication. But I have had two sleepless nights: the one because of the stomach and the other because of the pain in my bones. I don't know why the pain should all of a sudden come back unless the effect of the stomach problem was to "dilute" the efficiency of the MST tablets.

Any way thats about all I can tell you for now except to get you to wish me luck - I am having a CT Scan Thursday this week to see how the chemo has worked etc. I have mixed feelings and emotions on this one. I hope I have been positive enough to ward it off - if I have n't what then? If the oncolgist says that the chemo is not working what else is there to beat the cancer and get rid of it? So I am looking forward to it but have some reservations.

I'll be back