With a little knock on the door this morning in came Dr Fedorenko, wheeling a little trolly behind him. Either his knock-out sleeping pills are still working well, or he’s a little early. Yup about an hour earlier than I expected (or remembered) in he walks with his wheel’s of steel. Lines the machine up, also raising my bed height for a better view of what’s about to happen. No time for a shower, I’m getting my tube lines wired up from my neck whilst Anastasia is making sure I’m comfortable for my Lennon-esque bed sit in. Make’s me a coffee and passes me every possible gadget and associated cable I could need too. After a few applied squirts of alcohol, the machine spools up with pretty little lines of crimson making their way around the tubes like one of those fun drinking straws. A nurse hangs over a long bottle over the side of the bed. Five hours she says. Suddenly the strong coffee may have been a mistake.

After various pleasantries, okays – thumbs up’s and smiles they leave me to my devices. I lie back and just think how amazingly relaxed I’m feeling. Leading up to this trip meant so much, fundraising, working, meeting people and general getting ready, just laying there was just what I’ve needed for a long time – Bliss. Despite that the machine took my blood twice around to be filtered, I didn’t feel a thing. I lay there, kept up with messages, a little bit of music. All I needed was some oils and lemongrass and I could have easily been elsewhere.

Five hours later Doctor Fedorenko came back in to the the room, inspected the bag of cells and said confidently that it looked a good colour and consistency. Job’s a good’un, now for that shower I had been hankering for. The doctor says give us a little time and we’ll have the numbers for you.  Once all showered up, a couple of the other lads from the ward ask how it went? Having no previous on this sort of thing before.
– Yup, good, comfortable. No dramas – None of the bone pain I’d heard of!!
– What you only managed one bag of cells!?

Sods!! Fortunately Doctor Fedder’s was quick on hand with a big smile and a hug for me announcing three millions cells collected!!! Nailed it!!!!! 🙂

2.9 from the others. Ahem. 😉

Just as I’m considering settling for the evening there’s a knock at the door, you ready yet? Haha I guess the lad had a great idea, but didn’t think to tell anyone else. Ten minutes later we’re both sat in a restaurant clinking a good Russian beer to end a good day.

Na Zdorovie!