Stem cell transplant

Hi Mark I can only give you my experience but it was quite easy & straightforward.  Really experienced staff who chatted whilst hickman line went in & put music on. Just felt slight tugging feeling. It was good as it avoided having loads of needles. They can house an infection which mine did but removal & new line was no big deal. They have to highlight what may go wrong but these things are really rare. See it as 1st part of saving your life. Easy for me to say as I am not facing having it done but it really was a smooth process. Good luck with your journey

Thank you everyone for your advice, not long now until I find out. I will keep you all in the loop. I think it’s going to be w long very boring stay 

Hi Mark,

hope the line is all done and dusted and you’re wondering what all the fuss was about? 

Daughter found it felt odd and a bit sore for the first day or so when she moved her head but it soon settled and she never had any problem, either time. Getting it removed after her auto was a pest, that was in a general hospital with relatively inexperienced staff, but after her allo it was out in a jiffy, but that was after it had been in for a longish time too. 

Hugs xxx

Hi Mark,

Sorry for the delay in replying, been away this week, so sorry this may be after the horse has bolted. Re: PICC line, how honest do you want me to be? I didn’t find it painful at all, but found it unnatural and unsettling, so much so the second time I nearly fainted. Never fainted in my life, but I got this strange warm sensation rising up my body and very nearly passed out. But the nurses were great and I was settled very quickly. I know what it was that set me off, it was when they said, “oh no, it’s going into the neck”. I am so squeamish around needles and blood, and (too much information) I lose about a stone in sweat every time I go to the hospital, so it was a completely unnecessary overreaction!

But when it is in, PICC lines are amazing - no more needles and the whole process of bloods / treatments is super easy. You’ll only need one in whilst you are having regular treatment / bloods - with the auto, I only had it in for about a month, with the allo it was over 14 months, but I did have a fair few complications. After that length of time, I actually got quite attached to it. In fact, quite literally, funny story, the day I was having it out on the day ward, a guy a similar age to me was sat across from me waiting to be called to have his put in, and he was really nervous about it - I said not to worry, it’s not painful, been really easy, etc, etc, and then when the nurses came to pull it out, they couldn’t, the skin had grown over the entrance! Three nurses came and went, each failing to get it out, until someone in charge came along with what looked a bit like industrial pliers, tugged and tugged at it until it popped free. When she had gone, all I could see in the guys eyes were “you complete liar!”

Here’s hoping it’s all gone really smoothly for you.

Greg

Thank you Gregg and everyone else that’s kindly written to me about this.

The horse has not bolted yet so to speak I go in on 2nd Feb for it and that’s the first thing on my itinerary. To have that put it.

i will update you afterwards but like yourself I don’t mind admitting I’m a wuss. Even when having a blood test I try to slip something sugary so I don’t pass out. I do t think I will be able to sip anything with this.

Thank you all again.  Jeez what a thing to worry about eh, they tell me I have a non curable cancer so to speak and I worry about a chuffing pic line ha ha.    I suppose while I’m worrying about that I’m not thinking of anything else.

Mark 

Hi 

Thank you Ally that is extremely helpful. At no I'm halfway through matrix cycle as inpatient. I'm due for stem cell around November time as I have another 2 cycles of RICE and matrix to do 

Alice x

Hi Alice, I also had MATRix chemo so you are probably used to the whole neutropenia thing and also being in a hospital room. One thing I would add is that the transplant really messed with my internal heating system so be prepared to wrap up warm as you are having yours in winter. Hope all goes well and if you ever need to talk just message me. Ally x

Ally  could you go to the bottom of your post, hit more then edit and remove your phone number as these Forums are open to the world.

You can always send a friend request then use the Direct Message System .  

I think I’ve done it! 

Well done, you can send a friend request to any member by hitting their forum name and send a request xx