Was it really last February?
Seems like longer than that I last blogged.
Anyway, just been on a great holiday to Corfu, the greenest island of Greece, people really lovely, scenery awesome, land - sea and air.
But I'm back now, and I thought I'd let you know something that I'm up to. I have been on something called the Anthony Nolan register for about 15+ years. You might remember that Anthony Nolan was quite a high profile young lad who died of Leukimia about 20 years or so ago. In his honour, this register was set up to increase the likelihood that people suffering from similar diseases in future might find a bone marrow match.
Well, after all this time, I am now a match for someone (don't know who, you're not allowed to find out).
It used to be called bone marrow donation, but its a bit different now. You have to have 4 sets of injections on 4 consecutive days to make your body produce stem cells, they make you feel really achy and as if you've got flu - had my first one yesterday, apparently it gets worse and worse as the days go by (poor me lol). Then on Sunday, I have to go to London to have my last injection and then on Monday, they will put me on this machine that takes blood out of one arm, circulates it through a machine which filters out the stem cells and then goes back into my other arm. This takes about five hours and hopefully it'll be enough, if not, I'll have to do it again on Tuesday, but I really hope not.
It's a bit more real for me at the moment because a friend of mine just died of Leukimia - in fact, its his funeral on Monday - the day I will be donating - God's poetry I think, but I am sad I'll miss it.
If anyone is interested in signing up by the way, you can find out how at www.anthonynolan.org.uk/
They are particularly interested at the moment on men aged 18-45ish as they are likely to get more time out of them, but anyone is welcome (actually, there may be an upper age limit of 55). (The reason they prefer men is because they are unlikely to be pregnant in that time frame ;) )
Well, thought I'd dip my toe back into the virtual pond, hope everyone is well,
Evo
x
Anyway, just been on a great holiday to Corfu, the greenest island of Greece, people really lovely, scenery awesome, land - sea and air.
But I'm back now, and I thought I'd let you know something that I'm up to. I have been on something called the Anthony Nolan register for about 15+ years. You might remember that Anthony Nolan was quite a high profile young lad who died of Leukimia about 20 years or so ago. In his honour, this register was set up to increase the likelihood that people suffering from similar diseases in future might find a bone marrow match.
Well, after all this time, I am now a match for someone (don't know who, you're not allowed to find out).
It used to be called bone marrow donation, but its a bit different now. You have to have 4 sets of injections on 4 consecutive days to make your body produce stem cells, they make you feel really achy and as if you've got flu - had my first one yesterday, apparently it gets worse and worse as the days go by (poor me lol). Then on Sunday, I have to go to London to have my last injection and then on Monday, they will put me on this machine that takes blood out of one arm, circulates it through a machine which filters out the stem cells and then goes back into my other arm. This takes about five hours and hopefully it'll be enough, if not, I'll have to do it again on Tuesday, but I really hope not.
It's a bit more real for me at the moment because a friend of mine just died of Leukimia - in fact, its his funeral on Monday - the day I will be donating - God's poetry I think, but I am sad I'll miss it.
If anyone is interested in signing up by the way, you can find out how at www.anthonynolan.org.uk/
They are particularly interested at the moment on men aged 18-45ish as they are likely to get more time out of them, but anyone is welcome (actually, there may be an upper age limit of 55). (The reason they prefer men is because they are unlikely to be pregnant in that time frame ;) )
Well, thought I'd dip my toe back into the virtual pond, hope everyone is well,
Evo
x
posted by Evo1 at 10:15 AM
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