Hi,my name is Una and I have recently been accepted as a community champion for Anthony Nolan.
My husband was diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia seven years ago ,he was initially treated with A.L.G. ,blood and platelet transfusions .
Initially ,he was in hospital for seven weeks and then released to attend hospital twice a week for transfusion of two units of blood and one of platelets.
Aplastic anaemia means that you don’t produce either of these or indeed white blood cells.
He was hospitalised a few times with infections,mainly from his Hickman line and although very worrying at the time,he fought through them.
We both virtually lived in a bubble to avoid getting infections.
Few visitors,unless immediate family,no eating out,all food cooked freshly at home.
It never ceased to amaze me the number of people who tried to visit with colds etc. ,so a blanket ban was the easier option,after all his life depended on not getting infections.
After a couple of months ,it was decided that a B.M.T. was his best option as he had not responded to treatment .
He was transplanted on 6th October 2007, at the age of 51,his brother was his donor,and he responded well and left Belfast City Hospital in early November.
Life is good,we have become grandparents to two boys since then.
Our Daughter,their Mother,was married just one week after his diagnosis,a very emotional time for us all.
He is back swimming,running,socialising and generally driving me mad,somethings never change!
I am looking forward to talking with some of you and hopefully will be able to help answer some of your questions.