Phillip Branch

August 10, 2010

New blog

Filed under: Uncategorized — cancer @ 10:34 pm

Not that new actually, over a year old.  12volts.branch.id.au

October 23, 2008

Why a transplant and what does it involve?

Filed under: Phillip — cancer @ 8:51 pm

Phillip has been told by his doctors that the best chance of a cure is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.  He is currently in remission and should be in remission for at least a year or 2.  It is during this time that he needs a transplant, when his body is free of the disorder and he is at his fittest.

We are hopeful that a match will come from his brother or sister but the reality is that only one in three patients will find a match from family members.  The other two rely on the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Register (AMBDR) to try and find one for them.

There is a very small chance of being asked to donate only 1in 1000 will be asked to donote for a patient transplant each year.

The word transplant conjures up images of major surgery and long recovery time.  This is not the case for either a bone marrow or a stem cell transplant.  The risks for donating bone marrow are the same as with any general anaesthetic.  In fact after donation the donor often goes home the next day and can do normal activities after two or three days.  Stem cell transplantation only takes about 3-4 hours and no anaesthetic is required.

Often it is due to a family member or friend becoming diagnosed with a life threatening blood disorder that people decide to give blood and join the register.  My wife Clare has become a blood donor and joined the register.  If we can help some other family through this we would feel proud.

Please consider joining the register and talk about it with your family and friends.  The website for further information is http://www.abmdr.org.au/index.php?id=36, you can join when you next donate blood.

Please help save a life.

October 22, 2008

Acute Myeloid Leukaemia

Filed under: Phillip — cancer @ 9:56 pm

This leukaemia develops quickly and needs to be treated urgently.  Phil was told on a Wednesday and had to report to hospital the next day to begin treatment.

Although Phil is in remission at this stage there is a 70-80% chance that the leukaemia will return in around two years time.  Phil’s doctor has told him that his best chance is for a stem cell transplant go on is viagra available over the counter in australia.  This should increase his chances for a cure to around 60%.  Far better odds!

At the present time his brother and sister are being tested to see if they are a match for him.  We have our fingers and toes crossed.

A family update

Filed under: Family — cancer @ 9:45 pm
Nicholas is five and now in Reception at Highbury Primary School.  He is enjoying school both learning and playing with his friends. 
Nathan is three and really wants to go to school with his big brother!  He is so close to kindy age and growing up really fast with an older brother to follow acheter cialis!
They have both been very good children and coped really well with not being able to see their Dad for such a long time.  When Phil got home from hospital Nathan was jumping up and down like Tigger saying ”Daddy home, Daddy home”.  The first thing Nicholas asked was for Daddy to help him with the PC. 
On the train at Port Adelaide train museum

On the train at Port Adelaide train museum

Welcome to my blog – my first posting

Filed under: Phillip — cancer @ 9:24 pm
Hi all
Thank you for all your nice comments of support.  I have completed my first stage of chemotherapy (induction) and have been advised that I am currently in remission.  Over the next couple of months I will be having two post-induction bouts of chemotherapy.  Thankfully these should happen as an outpatient – all things going well where to buy kamagra oral jelly in canada.
Here I am in my isolation ward – I can tell you it was an extremely boring 4 weeks.  Thankfully my recovery was ‘rampant’ and I left earlier than expected which was great.
Love those socks!

Love those socks!

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