Hannah's Stem Cell Journey to India

Hannah's Stem Cell Journey to India This page charts the progress of Hannah's journey to India with her Dad Graham, for a Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) as treatment for her Multiple Sclerosis

13/07/2024

I have been telling Dad we need to do an update
It’s been 31 days since the stem cell transplant and we have been back in Taupo for 16 days
India was a complete success I now identify as not having Multiple Sclerosis and I am off most of the medications for MS
I have another 70 days of being very careful to avoid germs
It was encouraged I go to the gym with a mask but I am Neutropenic so I cannot get even a cold
The special food will continue for another 70 days
We realized that my dog was such a big part of my life that it was best he was with me, but there are rules for me with him - he now sleeps on his own bed 😆
4 days straight of chemo then the blood infection I got after the stem cell transplant were grueling and it has probably changed me as a person as I fought so hard in India to get well
But it was the best decision to go to India for HSCT and I can’t wait for my new life with my new cells

We're now in Day 11, 11 days since Hannah's Stem Cell reinjection. Everything has been going as planned, but it certainl...
24/06/2024

We're now in Day 11, 11 days since Hannah's Stem Cell reinjection. Everything has been going as planned, but it certainly wasn't a walk in the park. The after-effects from chemo lingered for quite a few days, and then from the transplant itself Hannah was getting a lot of rapid fever spikes which could come on in a matter of minutes, quick transitions from shivering to hot sweats. These were rapidly treated with IV antibiotics and paracetamol which worked quickly and effectively, but sleep was pretty broken for a few days. Ozark has been our main TV watching, Hannah has still been watching Shortland Street 😬😬, and we're part-way through The Bucket List 😁😁

We'd been told that the white blood cells would start regenerating around days 8-10, and sure enough on Day 8 Hannah woke up feeling way better, with a White Blood Cell count (WBC) of 160 (up from undetectable). Day 9 WBC was 600 and at this stage the Drs started saying it looked as though we could possibly head home a few days early. Day 10 WBC was 3,000, and we've changed our flights to depart this Thursday, 4 days early. We'll get home to Auckland Friday. This morning WBC was 7,700, well inside the normal range, and we're pretty safe saying that the transplant has been a total success 😁😁. Hannah is feeling really good most of the time, yesterday she said that she felt better then she had for many years. She did pick up a bit of an infection a couple of weeks ago, so she'll stay on antibiotics until we leave. From here, we're really excited about getting on the plane Thursday morning.

Day Zero, this was the big day, Stem Cell Re-Injection. The head of the Stem Cell Transplant program, Dr Guarev, perform...
13/06/2024

Day Zero, this was the big day, Stem Cell Re-Injection. The head of the Stem Cell Transplant program, Dr Guarev, performed the procedure, he injected three bags of the stem cells previously harvested from Hannah a few days ago. Before starting he led the team in a prayer, it was very moving. It was very quick, about twenty minutes, Hannah was very chirpy throughout and entertaining everyone (you can imagine !!! 😁😁).
About half an hour later Hannah got very cold and shivery, they brought in an oil column heater which didn't work (there's not a lot of call for heaters over here ....), but with an extra rug she soon warmed up and is now watching Shortland Street.
Now we wait 8-10 days for her immune system, which has been totally knocked out) to start coming back on-stream, we have to be really careful not to get any infection over this time.

12/06/2024

It's been a chemo roller coaster for Hannah over the last few days. She's now finished chemo after four days of it, Sat, Sun, Mon and Tues nights. Sunday she was hit pretty hard, Monday and Tuesday she was on top of the world, then after the final one Tues night she's been really pretty sick from it today - unfortunately to be expected. She's now having an infusion of the final drug, Rituximab, which will wipe out her B-cells, then tomorrow (Thursday) is Day Zero - Stem Cell re-injection !!!! After that she's into recovery period, at least two weeks, before we head for home. The staff here at the hospital are really great, and plenty of them on hand when they're needed.

Dad is tired and has been meaning to post but I will as I am feeling good.We have had massive daysOn Saturday they harve...
10/06/2024

Dad is tired and has been meaning to post but I will as I am feeling good.
We have had massive days
On Saturday they harvested my stem cells and they got over 13 million per kg of my body weight which is really good. They started chemo Saturday night.
Yesterday was an interesting day
Between the chemo and the other drugs being thrown at you, you end up a bit delirious. And I thought it was a great idea to get Kimberley Aitkento India for Frujus- as you do.
Dads loving his patients menu
I am getting foods I want to eat accepted so that is good.
My hair is now very very ready for the stage it needs to be at- but that is why we can get get wigs and caps and more wigs 💖

04/06/2024

Hi there everyone. Just an update. Hannah's had heaps of tests yesterday and today, and we're now all go for the transplant. She had her first injection today of the drug GCSF which will make her bone marrow release stem cells. She'll now have an injection every day up to and including Saturday, and on Saturday they'll harvest her stem cells and freeze them. At the moment we're in a really nice hotel, on Friday we'll move from the hotel to the hospital. Until then we're pretty free to move around, we'll just have to go to the hospital every day for the injection. Hannah wants to go visit v**e shops and sports supplements shops, I'm not so sure about that, she can hit the wall really fast and we don't know what effects the injections may have on her - I'll probably keep her at the hotel (don't tell her that !!!). She's bearing up really well, today was hard for a while as long waits and no food, but now she's fed and happy. I'm told it's more Singapore Slings tonight to celebrate !!! (Whoops just found out it's a Dry Day in all of Delhi). Once her stem cells are harvested on Saturday, she'll start chemo either Saturday or Sunday. Chemo will be for 5 days, and then they'll re-inject her stem cells, then it's a 2-week recovery. That gives us 3-4 days extra up our sleeves, I guess if recovery takes longer. That's all, the last two days have been very tiring, but it should get easier for a few days now, although of course Hannah will be getting some side effects from drugs any time from now.

Dads all happy with himself as the guy that wants to drive us everywhere referred to him as my brother.I tried telling D...
04/06/2024

Dads all happy with himself as the guy that wants to drive us everywhere referred to him as my brother.
I tried telling Dad the guy is playing him 😜

A good gym session in Singapore this morning, Hannah's determined to arrive as strong as possible. We're off on the fina...
02/06/2024

A good gym session in Singapore this morning, Hannah's determined to arrive as strong as possible. We're off on the final leg to Delhi this afternoon, and tomorrow the real hospital work will start.

We're off !!! Singapore tonight, Delhi Sunday. Hannah is ready to go ....
30/05/2024

We're off !!! Singapore tonight, Delhi Sunday. Hannah is ready to go ....

Thank goodness you can get wigs better than your hair
28/05/2024

Thank goodness you can get wigs better than your hair

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