Taking the marrow

Last week, Mandy had a drug to increase the amount of bone marrow cells. Ready for Harvesting at BCH.

Today, the day 23 February is the day the harvesting happens, a mile stone in the treatment of Kim, and a big day for Mandy. It not everyday you have a procedure like this. And I can tell she nervous. Trying to Park a Over hight* vehicle by the BCH is not easy. So Street parking it is, down side, it bloody expensive.

The Receptionist looks up from the computer, I give her the details of the letter. “ What part of Wales are you from” She asks. I sigh “ about 3 miles from the border in England” She smiles. As We walk down to the day ward, I wonder about my accent and how here I sound Welsh and in Aberystwyth I sound like I come from the Midlands.

On the ward. Mandy is checked over again, as the aspiration is done under general anaesthetic. So blood pressure, oxygen level, Hight, weight** and a few others are done so they can get the amount right.

Mandy gets into a unflattering little Number, that showed a strip of her back to the world. Soon it is time for her to head off to the theatre.

As she is wheeled off. I am left there to wonder about the procedure she is about to have. And the strength she must have to go though the mill for her sister. Then the worry started to creep in.

I head outside to have a smoke, put another parking payment ticket on the vehicle. I start to think about what is going on in a theatre in the the hospital.

Mandy lying on her side, A large gauge needle is pushed into the hip bone***, and the fuild in the bone marrow including the Hematopoietic stem cells, that are needed drained into a bag. But it not just one needle its two, one each side of the hips.

She looked quite white when she returned to the day ward and totally out of it. She slowly came around from the anaesthetic. Had something to eat and after being checked was deemed fit to go home.

There where some rules, Rest, take iron tablets and change the covering regularly. She was quiet going home, and fell asleep for most of the journey. Poor thing, she had given so much to this. A lot more than just the bone marrow. She had given it her all, her heart and soul. The love she has for her sister, at the very core of this selfless painful act in a bid to save her sister.



* A vehicle that is over 2 metres in hight.
** She does not like being weighed. And being a gent I did not asked what it was.
***The crest of the ilium for the medical minded amongst you.