The admission to hospital was a relaxed affair. The team seem to be really pleasant and helpful, which is what you would hope for. The room is a decent size and has an on-suite toilet and shower which is pretty important when you are neutropoenic (have a very low white cell count). Included is a TV/video and small CD/stereo. There's also a small fridge and desk so I can keep the laptop here whilst updating the pages.

The nurses seem to have taken pretty well to the punk hair cut, and it seems to raise a few smiles and eye brows when walking through the hospital.

Yesterday morning I had the Hickman line inserted into my chest. The hickman line is a catheter or plastic tube that is inserted through the Jugular vein in the neck. With this tube permanently inserted my veins do not have to be constantly punctured by needles to have blood taken or various drugs administered. In fact the chemotherapy and eventually the donor's bone marrow will be given through the hickman line just like a regular drip.

It was inserted with only local anaesthetic and although pretty painless, as the anaesthetic wore off there was a bit of discomfort which should only last a couple of days. That was about all of the day's work. I've been started on some drugs in preparation for the main treatment which includes anti-fungal anti-viral tablets and something to prevent gout.

The immounosuppressants started toady (22nd) with Campath and will continue for five days. Click here for a list of the drugs involved and their role in the treatment. Before the Campath an anti-histamine was given to reduce side effects of the Campath. This made me feel really light headed, pretty similar to being drunk. I'd only woken up ninety minutes before, but had to go back to sleep again.

The Campath is administered through the hickman line and regulated over four hours. Having this stuff makes the body feel fluey, just the same as when you get the first symptomes of flu, light-headedness/ drowseness and aches and pains in the joins. The 'flueyness' increases over time, and I've tried doing some basic exercises but don't really feel like doing much.

When the four hours are up that is it until the next day. And this is the easy bit. What you realise when starting chemo is that no matter how you prepare for it, the effects still manage surprise you a little. You feel like you are making a bigger effort just to go to the toilet or sit down at the computer and type.