By today, New Year's Eve, Catherine's temperature completely stabilized again, meaning we do not need to go into hospital. It never again hit 38 degrees. We are at home for New Year.
Thankyou for your prayers for Catherine this year. They mean so much. To everyone who reads this blog and cares for our family from a distance in prayer, we wish you all a very happy New Year.
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Thankfully still at home
We are still at home! After Catherine's temperature hit 38 degrees, we monitored her through the night and even though she has a temperature over 37 degrees, it has come down and has not hit the level where we need to take her in to hospital. The hospital confirmed that we do not need to take her unless her temperature goes above 38 degrees. This is great news and a relief for Catherine who just wants to play at home.
Monday, 29 December 2008
On our way to another stay in hospital...
I am writing this at nearly midnight. Currently we are at home and Catherine's temperature has hit 38 degrees. We are waiting an hour to check her again, but it looks like we'll be having another stay in hospital with Catherine on intravenous antibiotics. She is not in any distress and doesn't look flushed, but if her temperature hits 38.5 degrees then we are definitely on our way. Oh, how miserable. She will not like being woken up...
She had her chemotherapy drugs today - Doxorubicin and Vincristine - and this went well. She has a small number of neutrophils but is still susceptible to infection at this stage. On the way to the hospital, she suddenly piped up 'Mummy, when will I be better like all my other friends'. It looks like she has realised that her life is a bit different to her friends' lives at the moment.
Prayers would be welcome. Please pray that the infection is only minor and can be easily solved, and that her temperature comes down. Thankyou.
She had her chemotherapy drugs today - Doxorubicin and Vincristine - and this went well. She has a small number of neutrophils but is still susceptible to infection at this stage. On the way to the hospital, she suddenly piped up 'Mummy, when will I be better like all my other friends'. It looks like she has realised that her life is a bit different to her friends' lives at the moment.
Prayers would be welcome. Please pray that the infection is only minor and can be easily solved, and that her temperature comes down. Thankyou.
Friday, 26 December 2008
Christmas Day
Catherine has decided that she loves Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer but thinks that Father Christmas is ''a bit scary'' because he comes into bedrooms at night time. So, rather than leaving a mince pie out for Father Christmas, she left a carrot and a bowl of water outside for Rudolph instead. In the morning, she was so excited to see if Rudolph had eaten his carrot, that she left half her presents to go outside and have a look.
On Christmas Eve, she went to bed physically shaking with excitement. However, she still didn't like the idea of Father Christmas at all. She couldn't understand why she couldn't see him and thought he was afraid of children! We managed to persuade her that Father Christmas was only going to go into the living room with her presents, but she still woke us up in the night because she didn't want him in her bedroom.
We have had a very special Christmas with Catherine. She has been well all through Christmas and her blood counts were very good which meant she has been leaping around all over the place (well, as much as she is able to)! She had some 'fizzily feet' (side effect of chemotherapy) on Christmas Day, but it was only minor and went away quickly. She thoroughly enjoyed opening her presents and had fun playing with her friend in the afternoon.
Thankyou for your continuing prayers for her. We are so relieved that she didn't have to spend Christmas in hospital, and because of Catherine's situation, I have to say I ended up thinking about and praying for the families and staff in hospital a lot this Christmas. We have our next dose of chemotherapy on Monday - Doxorubicin and Vincristine.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Christmas approaches...
Catherine had a difficult day yesterday as all the treatment hit her system. She felt quite fragile and her moods were really up and down (steroid). One minute she was crying and wanting to be cuddled, the next minute she was cheerful and bouncing around. Her hearing and sense of taste and smell are all heightened from the treatment, and she kept complaining that things are too loud or smell funny. She was also up a lot during the night, which we found happens because of the steroid treatment. She woke at 1.30am, 3am, 4am, 5am and then was awake in bed until 6am.
However, today she has been much better. She still looks really tired but is feeling much more cheerful and has just gone up the park to play with a friend. We are trying to make the most of this week as the treatment will hit her neutrophils by next week, meaning she is much more susceptible to infection.
Today she has been walking round the house with her pillowcase full of toys pretending to be Father Christmas. She is also getting excited about Christmas, especially when she found her 'socking' (stocking) and found out that she will get presents in it on Christmas Eve. She was also very excited today when we found the video of her first Christmas. She could tell that the baby was her, and thought it was funny that she couldn't talk or walk properly then. Catherine's grandad is coming to stay with us over Christmas, so she has also been excited that 'Grandfather' will be sleeping in the room next to her and that 'Father Christmas will also bring Grandfather some presents too'.
However, today she has been much better. She still looks really tired but is feeling much more cheerful and has just gone up the park to play with a friend. We are trying to make the most of this week as the treatment will hit her neutrophils by next week, meaning she is much more susceptible to infection.
Today she has been walking round the house with her pillowcase full of toys pretending to be Father Christmas. She is also getting excited about Christmas, especially when she found her 'socking' (stocking) and found out that she will get presents in it on Christmas Eve. She was also very excited today when we found the video of her first Christmas. She could tell that the baby was her, and thought it was funny that she couldn't talk or walk properly then. Catherine's grandad is coming to stay with us over Christmas, so she has also been excited that 'Grandfather' will be sleeping in the room next to her and that 'Father Christmas will also bring Grandfather some presents too'.
Saturday, 20 December 2008
The Star
Catherine has had her treatments and was well enough to take part in her nativity play - thankyou for your prayers!
On Thursday she had three chemotherapy drugs and her bone marrow test under general anaesthetic which she calls 'wobbly medicine' (because it makes her feel 'wobbly' afterwards). She did very well and was very calm about the whole thing. On Friday she had another chemotherapy drug and we have had to start treatment with steroids again for seven days. This means that Catherine is likely to be a bit sensitive, grumpy and fed up, and that her appetite will increase again for a short while. However, she was still feeling cheerful yesterday when she took part in her nativity play...as the singing star!
Today we went out for a meal together at Nandos before her neutrophil count takes another big dip - this is likely to happen in the next few days. Catherine really enjoyed it, enjoyed her chicken and garlic bread, and spent the rest of the afternoon napping on the sofa. Her moods have already been a bit up and down today, but we are not sure how much of this is the steroid and how much is tiredness from all the chemotherapy drugs.
Catherine is now also taking an anti-sickness drug, as Doxorubicin can make her feel or be sick. Doxorubicin is an effective drug although stronger than any she has had before. It is still weird watching your child as a drug labelled 'cytotoxic' (cell killer!) is pumped into her little body as she is eating her snack! I'm just pleased she doesn't really know what it is!
Specific prayer requests again are for protection against side effects and infections. Also that Catherine receives the right treatment plan during randomization - good enough to ensure that she doesn't have a relapse. We have had so many victories during Catherine's treatment that I know God is working on her behalf. Thankyou for your prayers.
On Thursday she had three chemotherapy drugs and her bone marrow test under general anaesthetic which she calls 'wobbly medicine' (because it makes her feel 'wobbly' afterwards). She did very well and was very calm about the whole thing. On Friday she had another chemotherapy drug and we have had to start treatment with steroids again for seven days. This means that Catherine is likely to be a bit sensitive, grumpy and fed up, and that her appetite will increase again for a short while. However, she was still feeling cheerful yesterday when she took part in her nativity play...as the singing star!
Today we went out for a meal together at Nandos before her neutrophil count takes another big dip - this is likely to happen in the next few days. Catherine really enjoyed it, enjoyed her chicken and garlic bread, and spent the rest of the afternoon napping on the sofa. Her moods have already been a bit up and down today, but we are not sure how much of this is the steroid and how much is tiredness from all the chemotherapy drugs.
Catherine is now also taking an anti-sickness drug, as Doxorubicin can make her feel or be sick. Doxorubicin is an effective drug although stronger than any she has had before. It is still weird watching your child as a drug labelled 'cytotoxic' (cell killer!) is pumped into her little body as she is eating her snack! I'm just pleased she doesn't really know what it is!
Specific prayer requests again are for protection against side effects and infections. Also that Catherine receives the right treatment plan during randomization - good enough to ensure that she doesn't have a relapse. We have had so many victories during Catherine's treatment that I know God is working on her behalf. Thankyou for your prayers.
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
A surprise
Today we had a surprise: a package and a card. The card was a prayer card from the Netherlands. It was very special to read what was written on the card. A gentleman who has leukaemia had heard about Catherine entering the next phase of chemotherapy and spent time praying her. The message on the card was very moving. Then we received a little parcel containing a little wooden cross made out of wood from trees near Bethlehem. I don't want to embarrass people by mentioning them by name, but this was a gift from a lady who we have never met. When Catherine saw the wooden cross, she smiled and kissed it. She said 'I really like this mummy, I will put it here'. Tonight when she said her prayers, she asked for it to hold. The kindness of people still moves me, and everyone's prayers and tokens have meant so much.
Catherine knows that tomorrow is 'not a school day' but is more worried about having the little plaster on her back than actually having the general anaesthetic! I have reassured her that we can take the plaster off gently by soaking it in the bath. This seemed to do the trick, and she has gone to bed much happier. Please pray that the procedure goes well tomorrow and for all the doctors and nurses that will be working at her hospital tomorrow. Thankyou.
Catherine knows that tomorrow is 'not a school day' but is more worried about having the little plaster on her back than actually having the general anaesthetic! I have reassured her that we can take the plaster off gently by soaking it in the bath. This seemed to do the trick, and she has gone to bed much happier. Please pray that the procedure goes well tomorrow and for all the doctors and nurses that will be working at her hospital tomorrow. Thankyou.
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