Hi, my name is Alan and I would like to share my AML story including two stem cell transplants so that others might find out some information to help on their Cancer journey. I will be writing this in almost real time as I am just starting my second stem cell transplant procedure in March 2026.
Firstly my background story:
I had always been very active and fit working as an Electrician all my life till retiring at aged 66 in 2019, I had been a keen long distance walker with my lovely partner Anne completing The Pennine Way, Coast to Coast, Ridgeway and various other long trails and kept busy with our Allotment growing everything we could think of. Life was good and we had great families to see and enjoy and lovely holidays in Greece every year.
In March 2023 I started feeling tired and short of breath but just thought this was my usual Hay Fever, went to Docs for high strength Anti Histamines hoping that was the reason but things didnt improve. As April went on I felt worse and had no energy at all, I remember going to a family Bbq and having to sit down most of the time, Anne was concerned about things and was telling me to get further medical advice, being a man I was ignoring this and just thinking things will improve! Through May I was really struggling and began to realise it might be something serious. In early June I was totally wiped out and went to our local A & E who were brilliant, did tests found out I had blood cancer and got me admitted.
For four days I had various treatments and was then transferred to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge who are well known for cancer care, after various tests I was put on a ward which I can hardly remember as I was so "out of it"!
I stabilised after a while and was discharged subject to daily visits to the Day unit but after a few days I was readmitted as my condition was so poor, this was middle of June and then until August I received numerous tranfusions, platelets, fluids etc to try and stabilise things again. I was incontinent and sometimes delirious and lost a lot of weight as my appetite had gone, the medical team worked so hard to keep me going and eventually I had a feed tube fitted and was on liquid feeds all night every night. Family and friends were so supportive and helped me to turn things around till eventually I stopped losing weight and started to become viable again, I then started on Chemotherapy to start the long process of looking to go home again. At the beginning of September I was discharged very weak but glad to be home, again I was put on twice weekly visits to the day unit for blood tests and transfusions etc.
To be continued.
