False start

Well, lots of waiting, but not much action today. Emily was on the Emergency list for the bone marrow harvest (standard protocol for donors apparently), however the day surgery centre was ridiculously busy so she didn't get in. Thus no transplant today. Seems outrageous that fractured fingers get priority over a harvest, particularly given the finger can be fixed later in the day or night but the harvest has to happen early enough to get it processed in the lab (office hours). Urrgh. So long day of fasting only to be told at 3pm that it wasn't going to happen. Another 8 hours in hospital waiting. So, same process again tomorrow, though it looks like it will happen, as harvests don't happen on the weekend, and she needs to get those cells now she has finished conditioning. We have been assured that a day or two later than planned won't affect Abigail in terms of her prognosis.

Abi is starting to feel the effects of all the drugs used during conditioning. She was fitted with a nasal-gastric tube yesterday and has been feeling off and grumpy much of the last few days. She has also been plagued by nausea, the odd bit of vomiting and also diarrhoea. Thus fair enough that she isn't happy. On the plus side she has started eating the odd bit here and there over the last two days, but has lost weight after refusing all food and drink for a few days before this. We can expect this peak in condition to end in the next day or two, as she is currently on a relative 'high': getting over much of the cyclophosphamide-induced nausea, but not yet experiencing the full impact of all of the other side effects such as mouth ulcers, GI tract problems and low blood counts. These will likely kick in over the next day or two and she'll be gradually fed more and more through the tube and perhaps eventually the IV drip. She has now moved into her own isolated and cleaned room, and will not be allowed out until engraftment is successful and she has good counts again (likely 4-6 weeks from, hopefully, tomorrow). So, no real news today, but as it can't happen on the weekend I'm sure it will tomorrow.