Day zero, transplant day.

Another very peaceful start to the day..Sally and Ella both fast asleep when I arrived. They missed the sight of me arriving covered in snow, it was coming down quite heavily then.(Sadly for us it stopped early so Ella's tree didn't look like a christmas tree for long.)

We got started properly on the day about 8.00am, with Ella propped up comfortably on Sally's bed. No shower today, the thought was too daunting but from tomorrow Ella has to shower everyday. We tried to get interested in "making and doing" but we finally settled on a DVD, which none of us was watching !

How about some breakfast then? That might cheer us up? Sally and I were just getting to grips with cereal and toast when Damian arrived, about 11.30. Now the four of us wondered what to do next. (minds were definitely elsewhere today ).

One of the transplant team arrived to check Ella over, and the first question on three minds was WHEN? He said probably about 7.00pm, we'd know more later. Shortly after he popped his head around the door to say " the cells are air born!". Frantic texting and phone calls followed to let people know the news we had been waiting to hear.

Ella perked up a little during the afternoon, but it was very quiet with Sally still cross stitching,

Damian watching TV with Ella and me doing one of Ella's painting by numbers, age 6+, which was quite hard enough thank you very much.

About 5.30 Sally and I went for a walk and as we passed the nurses station we over heard them talking about Ella and mention "between 5.00 and 6.00". It wasn't a secret of course, but we put two and two together and realised that the moment was coming soon. About 5mins later we saw the courier arrive carrying a cool box and being met by the transplant technician.It was a heart stopping moment I can tell you. To realise the precious load he was holding.

We came back to tell Damian and Dr Wynn came to say that the cells had arrived and were being prepared and checked ready for transplant about 7.00pm. How organised and accurate the timing had been , from this mornings estimate.

The nursing staff made Ella's lines ready, we put our pinnies on ,because from now on Ella is in isolation and everyone who is allowed inside the cubicle needs to wear one, and we clock watched until 7.05 when they arrived to set it up...

Just before that ,two faces appeared outside the door, Auntie Rachael and Auntie Dianne, who had raced over to be here as soon as they heard the news.

The transplant took about an hour to go through, very successfully,with no hitches. A doctor stayed on the unit just in case and a nurse stayed in the cubicle to monitor Ella's vitals every 10mins.

Half way through Ella really perked up and afterwards she made her way to her own bed and waved back to her adoring fan club, through the glass.

We have all (and I'm including all our dear families and friends ) reached the end of a momentous day in many ways, none more so than Sally,Damian,Sam and Ella. We are so grateful for the wonderful support you all give and for the fantastic skills of the team here, who have steered Ella so far successfully.

Here's Tevor the Consultant Clinical Scientist who set up the transplant.

The red bag holds the cells from the donor, Ella's new bone marrow.

The cells have reached Ella's body.

Damian is staying with Ella tonight and Sally is joining me in the igloo, so she'd better behave. Daddy is on breakfast duty so I hope he has a good night ,don't you?

Night night, Sally,Damian,Ella an Annettex