Only three craft activities!

We are still in hospital. Today Catherine started a new combination of antibiotics as the first set were not having any effect. This afternoon, her temperature started to go down which is progress!

However, the rest of her blood counts have now taken a tumble, and her HB is now 7.6 whilst her neutrophils remain non-existent. This is all despite the fact that she has not had any chemotherapy for a week - the drugs have a delayed effect. So we are now anaemic and without an immune system. She will receive a blood transfusion tomorrow morning to improve her haemoglobin levels. This will take four hours attached to 'Melody' her drip.

Her ears were painful again this evening, but her temperature did not go higher than 37.

I still find this all bizarre considering we are in the maintenance phase of treatment, but hopefully they will be able to reduce her chemotherapy so that she doesn't get quite so neutropenic next time.

We will be in hospital either until her temperature has been reasonable for 48hrs after treatment with antibiotics or until her white cell count improves and the infection clears up.

Today we only managed three craft activities as we had some non-infectious (!) friends to come and see us. Tomorrow Catherine has plenty more activities lined up! I am amazed at Catherine during this hospital stay because she has not complained once about being there. She has not asked to come home, and only once said she wanted to go to school instead. She is missing her friends though, but has been fine about the fact that we need to stay in hospital for however long it takes. She has also spent time today charming the consultant - I think she is working hard on becoming his favourite!