Ask Away Answers

This part of the blog is dedicated to answering the questions you have. Post your questions in the comment box on this page or any Ask Away pages and I will answer them.

Answers For Becki

1. What form of cancer do you have?

I have Chemotherapy Induced Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. So basically, I have leukaemia that has been caused by the chemotherapy I had three years ago to treat Hodgkin Lymphoma. 

2. What can I do to help?

There is always a need for support for cancer. Being on the bone marrow register is a fantastic thing to do because it helps people like me who are waiting to find a match for a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, bone marrow matching is not dependant on blood type or as straight forward, but the advantage of going on the list is that it is bound to be of help to someone somewhere. Also, if you can, please give blood. I am B+ but there is always a shortage. If you would like to raise money, the Teenage Cancer Trust would be the organisation to do it for, here is the link http://www.teenagecancertrust.org/

3. Can I send post?

The best place to send post to me would be directly at the hospital because I am there most of the time. The address is:

Stari Gunarathne

Ward 94

Bexley Wing

St James Hospital

Leeds

LS9 7TF

ps re cupcake flavour, surprise me!

Answers for Steph

1. Are you going through hair loss?

Yes and no. So I started to lose my hair at the start of the first cycle of chemotherapy, but once the chemotherapy eventually leaves your system after a few weeks, I stopped losing my hair and it started to grow back again. So if you saw me now, you wouldn't be able to tell that I have lost any hair. But eventually, I will most probably lose all of it, but it doesn't bother me too much. Irritatingly, you don't tend to lose body hair, just the hair on your head, so you end up looking like a bald yeti!

Answers for Liz

1. When does the next round of chemotherapy start?

It is most likely to start on Monday 11th March. It will hopefully not be nearly as bad as last time because they have reduced some of the chemotherapy doses and have found out what anti sickness medication works for me. I will probably have to play it by ear in terms of people visiting in the first week, but I shall let you know.

That's all folks! Keep the questions coming!