Well, we're sitting in room 3 awaiting the bone marrow. We've just been told it's due at the hospital at around 5pm, so after it has been tested I should receive it around 6pm.

Yesterday after the last dose of radiotherapy I was given a 'day off'. In other words, there would be no more chemotherapy or other treatment, to allow my body to relax and possibly recover a little from the week's events. The only thing I had to do was take the cyclosporine as I'll be continuing for the next 6 - 12 months.

Following a lie-in I popped round to visit the radiology department to thank the team for their good work, and to take some photos which will soon find their way on the web. When my parents arrived we then went for a walk around the hospital to use the day off as an opportunity to get some fresh air and escape from the ward. It's amazing how you soon start to look at things differently when they are taken away from you. Just walking around the grounds felt like such a privilege.

One little surprise was when the consultants came by on their rounds late in the afternoon and suggested that I could go out home or for a meal. Well it didn't take too much persuading to quickly pack up and head off home for some of mum's finest. Although it wasn't a planned visit, it was great to get home and swan around for a while. It felt strange being at home knowing that I'm in the middle of this treatment and should really be in hospital. The family had it's last pre-BMT supper in style and shortly after Michael dropped me back at hospital.

I have recently been getting some stomach pains like a little indigestion, which may have been aggravated by the cyclosporine, so I've been taken various pills and fluids to combat these. Apart from the occasional stomach aches I'm still feeling good, and just waiting for the body to start deteriorating. It's not that I'm feeling negative about it but that's my way of preparing for the hard times.

The bone marrow infusion is just another bag on the IV stand, so we're not getting too excited about it despite its significance. We'd rather celebrate when I make through the other side after 3-4 weeks as that will be a bigger feat in my opinion. So in the next posting I'll be revealing what it feels like to have a German woman's bone marrow in me. Auf Wiedersehen....