Diagnosis -updated

The results from the bone marrow test are now in and Catherine has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. This is the most common form of Leukaemia and cancer in children and therefore has had a lot of research and a good prognosis. The diagnosis was not unexpected, as her blood has had some changes since the doctors first thought Leukaemia was a possibility. Catherine will begin chemotherapy today.

Having said this, there are certain elements in her favour:
1. Catherine is beginning chemotherapy when only a few bad blood cells have passed into the bloodstream from the bone marrow.
2. She is a girl - treatment for girls is 2 years, for boys it is 3 years
3. She has had a healthy and positive start to life and is certainly not a 'sickly' child
4. If there is a good personality type for a child to deal with the gruelling chemo, Catherine has it! The nurses on the ward have noticed that she is a strong and feisty character, and that these children tend to fare better emotionally.

Technical information!:

The chemotherapy has a long list of potential side effects, some of which are unpleasant. For the first four weeks, treatment is intense, but by the end of this period, over 90% of the leukaemia cells will have been eliminated. The remaining treatment will involve periods of maintenance treatment followed by two blocks of seven weeks of intensive treatment. The first treatment period is called induction and involves a combination of four drugs, one of which is a steroid. The steroid will mean that she is likely to put on weight and her temperament will potentially change to moody, clingy and/or aggressive. She will also need three more bone marrow tests to ensure she is making good progress.

Obviously she will lose her hair and potentially eyebrows and eyelashes whilst treatment takes place, but these will grow back after treatment. Doctors cannot predict how she will respond to the treatment but have given us a list of the potential complications. The effects of the chemotherapy on the bone marrow last a few weeks and afterwards the number of the healthy blood cells improve and Catherine will stop being in danger of side effects and complications.

Catherine's day

In herself, Catherine has been well today and has been playing with big gloops of glue, feathers and sparkly things in the wonderful playroom on the ward. I think she has just about caused them to run out of craft equipment today! She has also named her drip 'Melody' because it makes a bleeping sound a bit like music. The playworkers made a face for 'Melody' and hung a paper body on the drip - Catherine really enjoyed it. I have taken some photos, so once I get the chance, I will post them on the blog. The playworkers are brilliant - there are four of them and it reminds her of nursery so she feels secure there. Last night was 'film night' in the nursery, and the children all watched Pocahontas 2 on the big screen telly and had pizza. Catherine hasn't been going to bed until late though, as she keeps asking me questions about what is wrong with her and the other children until late. She is having an early night tonight!

For all you pray-ers out there, don't give up. Just after the diagnosis, I went to my bag and there was my bible. Mark had put it there without me knowing, so I just said, 'Ok, God, what are you going to give me for this moment'. I received Luke 18:

'Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and never give up. He said 'In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea 'Grant me justice against my adversary'

'For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she wont eventually wear me out with her coming'. And the Lord said 'Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will God not bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you , he will see that they get justice, and quickly'.

Let's keep bothering God. Our prayers are working in ways we have not yet seen.

Thank you for caring.

Dawn