1st Stem cell transplant

Hi all, just a quick update today to let you know things are still going ok inspite of the fact that the effects of the chemo have well and truly kicked in.
I had my first stem cell transplant yesterday without any problems, some people have a reaction to the preservative they put in with the stem cells during the storage process, all I had was a bit of a tickle in my throat. The preservative also made me smell of creamed corn for about 24 hours... I couldn't smell a thing but most other people could.
Now we wait and hope that I don't get any serious infections until my amazing little stemcells can start to work their magic and rebuild my bone marrow and immune system, it will take a couple of weeks until my system is back to a safe level. No one is sure how, but the stem cells take only 20 minutes to reach my bone marrow after infusion, when in the marrow they somehow know what sort of cell they should turn into and what sort of blood cell they need to produce. From what the docs tell me, the whole process is still a bit of a mystery.
Apart from being unbelievably tried most of the time I am on top of most of the other symptoms and I am managing to keep potential problems at bay. It takes a big physical and mental effort to do that when I am so exhausted, even little things like teeth cleaning after every meal can be a major mission, but with no immune system it is critical that the little things get done so that they don't turn into big things.

As I am doing so well I was let out of the hospital for a few hours in the afternoon, I can't even begin to tell you how good that felt. Might be possible to do the same tomorrow if all is good.
Cheers, Pete