Friday, January 2, 2009

Last day of chemo for this cycle

Well, we're on day 5 of chemo so are nearly at the end of Meg's first cycle. She's done so well with it, but has become incresingly sick. The only way we can alleviate that is by giving her strong medication to make her sleep. She resists taking medication but constatntly straining to vomit is exhausting for her and sleep is a much better option. She was well enough for about 10 minutes this morning to read her "Meg's Rib Ticklers". That brought many smiles to her face. And Tracey - what else could we expect from you!!!!

We had an OK night. Meg slept well apart from the regular trips to the loo. A little boy was admitted yesterday into the room next to us and he woke in the night alone - his Dad was asleep in the parent's accommodation. That poor little chap (only about 5 yrs old) cried and cried until the nurses woke his Dad and he came to soothe his son. I felt so bad for them...the little boy, the dad.... you can just tell the new parents on the ward. They just wander around looking dumbfounded - just like we did when we were admitted to oncology. You can see the disbelief in their faces. "What are we doing here?" "This can't be happening". I just want to put my arms round them. Their whole lives have turned upside down in a moment. I'm often woken in the night by a child screaming; not with pain, but fear. They might be having a "push" of some drug or other into their central line and the child is so scared. It doesn't hurt but it's just so alien to them and they expect it to hurt. Plus they feel terrible from the chemo and that makes everything seem worse. I think you have to be someone very special to work in pediatric oncology. The nurse I was speaking with yesterday said she often goes home after work and gives her boys an extra hug. Just because....

So....we should be able to go home in the next couple of days as long as Meg's nausea and vomiting can be controlled. She's determined to keep fluids down herself and her determination has paid off in the past - she just wants to get home so badly. We'll just have to play it by ear, and if we have to stay in longer than expected, then so be it. We've been told that when she goes home, she'll have another canula put into her leg so that she can have a medication called GCSF injected every day (by me). This is because her chemo is much more intensive than her last lot and destroys the bone marrow and white cells. Her body would be able to recuperate on it's own from this but it would take a long time, and while she's trying to recuperate, she'll be very prone to infection as she'll have no immunity. The GCSF boosts the replacement of the bone marrow so that she won't be at risk for as long and will be well enough to receive her second cycle of chemo in a couple of weeks.

Just a couple of pics below. First one is Meggie and her amazing friend Evie having a home-made ice lolly (before her chemo kicked in) and the second is last night with a lovely illuminated glass angel that Phil brought in for her.




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