Schoolgirl

This week we are looking at schools for Catherine! It is hard to believe that this year, Catherine will be old enough to start school. She is more than ready, though, as she really loves nursery and keeps asking me to do reading, writing and numbers with her. You may remember me writing that it would be good for Catherine to have hair in time for school. Well, today, I was stroking her head and could actually feel a soft covering of hair! It feels so nice. Poor Catherine will now have to put up with me stroking her head until her hair is longer!

We are also trying to organize a birthday party, which this year, Catherine wants to be along the theme of animals. She has been trying to decide what animal she wants to be, and keeps changing her mind. She started off wanting to be a pig, then a monkey and now she wants to be a duck. She has even perfected her own 'duck dance' for the part! I imagine she will change her mind between now and the birthday.

Catherine is doing really well on the maintenance treatment. Tomorrow, the nurse will come and check her bloods, but we imagine her haemoglobin is high as she has been very rosy-cheeked the last few days. It has been quite unusual seeing her so pink when for a long while she was constantly at various stages of anaemia. Thankyou for continuing to keep Catherine in your thoughts and prayers.

Scootering!

Since Catherine's chemotherapy on Monday she is noticeably more tired again, but on Wednesday she did something she hasn't done for ages - she scootered her way to nursery! She started out using her scooter and when we got to the hill, she got off and pulled her scooter up behind her. She then carried on all the way to school! I was so proud of her. This is a big step as usually she has always asked to be carried. Today she has also spent time bouncing on a trampoline, which can only mean that he muscle strength will improve. Her stamina is still low, but we're hoping that this will improve at the chemotherapy becomes less intense. She's having a good day today and is enjoying a few days 'holiday'.

'She's got no hair'

The school holidays have not proved too helpful for Catherine the past few days. Now that we can get out and about again as her immune system is much improved, she is getting a lot of reactions from members of the public. This is mainly because she has been very confident not wearing her hair or her hat, but we have always been with friends, family or at hospital! Now Catherine is beginning to notice the reactions from other people. It is much worse from the children than teenagers or adults. One little boy came up to Catherine yesterday and looked her straight in the eyes and said loudly 'you've got no hair' before turning to his mum and saying 'she's got no hair'. Another little girl stood and looked at her with her mouth wide open. The parents of these children, once they notice, have been helpful at distracting their children and taking them away.

Today, Catherine was in the back of the car when she noticed she could see herself in the interior mirror. She got really upset saying she didn't want to see her head because she didn't like it. I feel very sad for her and it seemed a shame today having to ask her to wear her hat or her hair because all the children were around. I'm hoping she will have a reasonable amount of hair before she starts school in September.

Catherine's chemotherapy went well on Monday - she had Vincristine through her portacath. We are now on the maintenance phase fo her treatment which involves three main chemo drugs: Vincristine which we are given at the hospital, Methotrexate and Mercaptapurine (given at home by mouth). Catherine will need to go for another lumbar puncture in two weeks time. The doctor checked her legs and feet and could see no damage from the Vincristine (this chemotherapy drug can cause nerve damage and can make children walk on tip-toe). This is very good news.

The chemotherapy has slowed Catherine's growth (although she is still growing, albeit slowly!) and she is clearly not as physically strong as she once was. However, she is gaining weight, which is great. She also has about a millimetre of very light blonde hair all over her head, which is also a good start.

Please pray that she doesn't lose any more confidence because people are noticing her lack of hair, and that she has a reasonable covering of hair for when she starts school. Also that her body continues to recover well from the recent heavy chemotherapy. Thankyou.

Who nose why?

Catherine's latest favourite film is Tinkerbell, and yesterday I noticed that Catherine's face was very similar to Tinkerbell on the film, so I said to her that I thought she looked a bit like Tink. Catherine was most confused and started stroking her head, explaining that she couldn't look anything like Tinkerbell 'cos Tinkerbell's hair hasn't disappeared like mine'. It was at this moment that I realised Catherine actually understood that she still has no hair. Previously she had never been bothered, so I'm glad that it is starting to come back now before she finds it more of a problem.

At night time, we have bedtime prayers and a story and I give her a cuddle before she goes to sleep. Last night was funny, because just as she dozed off, she grabbed my nose! Not painfully, thankfully, but she still went to sleep holding my nose! I have no idea why, but then Catherine was so deeply asleep that she probably didn't either. Eventually I managed to prize her hand from my nose before leaving the room quietly as usual.

Tomorrow we are receiving the next dose of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, she will also have a few days of steroids as well - frequently known by parents of children being treated for leukaemia as 'grumpy medicine'. Please pray that this goes well and that side effects are minimal. We are hoping that she can get a bit more strength in her muscles to start at basic ballet - she has been asking us when she can start!

Great results!

Catherine's blood results were excellent today! Her haemoglobin levels, platelets and neutrophils are all extremely good which means that we will be able to start the maintenance phase of chemotherapy on Monday. This is excellent news for Catherine and means that she is now completely through the difficult intensive treatment!

Catherine is having difficult sleeping at the moment - we're not sure why, but at night times she just isn't that tired. She also now has enough energy to be a mischief again, which means that we are adapting to life with a 'normal' three-year-old.

On Monday, Catherine will be able to receive her Vincristine, which is the first of the maintenance drugs.

Multicoloured hair!!!

Catherine has really enjoyed being back at school the past few days, and has a renewed sense of energy at the moment. She took all her coloured wigs (pink, purple and orange!) to nursery and let everyone try them on yesterday. Lots of photographs were taken of all her friends in Catherine's 'hair' so I am looking forward to seeing them! One of the nursery leaders is also helping Catherine with her reading, as she is really getting into books now.

Tomorrow Catherine is having a photography session with us. We have chosen a new dress for her, and I think she will prefer to have her photo taken 'without hair', but we will see when the time comes. She looks very cute without hair, and some VERY blonde hair is starting to come through now, although it will take a long time to come back fully.

We need to have another blood test on Friday to check her haemoglobin levels, but otherwise there should be no more hospital visits until next Monday.

Thankyou for your continued prayers for Catherine

A 'new normality'

We had our appointment with the Consultant today and she is very pleased with Catherine's progress. Catherine's neutrophils were still too low to begin the next phase of treatment, so this has been delayed until Monday. The Consultant was really pleased that Catherine has had no infections during this intensive treatment and did not seem concerned by the number of blood transfusions and platelet transfusions Catherine has had over the past two weeks.

The Consultant also said that we should be able to travel on trains etc again soon, as the next stage of treatment should be managed so that she doesn't get too susceptible to infection. This has opened the horizon to us again, as we have been very restricted the last few months. It means that we now will need to get used to a 'new normality'; one that will involve fewer hospital visits, more freedom and more fun!

At the moment, Catherine always wants to be carried everywhere, and the Consultant explained that the chemotherapy will have weakened her and it will take time for her to build up stamina and muscle power again. She really wants ballet lessons, so we are using that as an incentive to inspire her to walk a little bit more every day. Even the fact that she is talking about wanting to do physical activities again is a big change! For ages, she has had no interest in any of the adventurous things she used to enjoy (she used to be a very competent climber and loved any physical activity). It means she is turning the corner.

We are so pleased that this phase has come to an end. Whilst she will remain on treatment until she is five, we feel such relief that she no longer has to deal with this intensive treatment. I will explain more about the next level of treatment soon.

Tonight, Catherine is sitting up in bed talking to her teddies and singing. In fact, she hasn't stopped talking all day! THIS is the Catherine I remember...