We are back in Addenbrooks for the third round of chemotherapy today and feeling GOOD! We weren't sure until the last minute whether they had space for Lola and her school uniform went on... just in case. Now we are sitting by an 'invisible' bed hoping one will materialise before bedtime but enjoying the space in the meantime! It feels a bit like visiting family each time we come to Ward C2. You see familiar faces and get a really warm reception... it's truly lovelier than you would expect. Lola has put Mick to work immediately, requesting pie, mash and gravy almost as soon as she walked through the door. The Play Specialist has provided us with piles of colourful and shiny paper, glitter and stickers so the characters in Lola's nativity will be well dressed by Friday evening.
The Doctor assessing Lola today was pleased with her progress. As the therapy protocol she is following is a particularly gruelling one, she explained that they would not have been surprised had Lola developed more serious infections between rounds of chemo. They are also pleased that her blood count has recovered well both times, meaning that chemo is running to time so far and that they don't need to tweak the dosage. If her counts recover as well this time then she will have the next round slightly early and come out of hospital on Christmas Eve. Fingers crossed!
No MRI results yet but, as her tumour has visibly shrunk, they are pleased that the chemotherapy appears to be doing it's job and said they would be very surprised if the scan didn't confirm this.
I spoke to the Specialist at the Royal Orthopaedic in Birmingham about surgery yesterday. She was so helpful and reassured us that 'shoulder and upper arm replacement' means removing the ball from the ball and socket joint and the rest of the humerus to just above the elbow and replacing it with a metal one which will 'grow' with Lola. It still sounds dramatic but I wondered whether 'shoulder' included the socket and beyond... and I am hugely relieved. We are most likely to be in for surgery in March and, if all goes according to plan, would be in Birmingham for 7 to 10 days.
Stop press...Just found out that Lola has a fracture which showed up on the MRI scan taken last Monday! Apparently it's really common at the site of tumours, due to weakness, and is called a pathological fracture. We are waiting for someone from orthopaedics to come and tell us more, but nothing to be alarmed about, we're told.
Back to hospital TV and "Carry on Doctor".....
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Keeping family, friends and those interested updated on my daughter's battle against cancer.
Thanks for the update - you are sounding like such a medical expert! I'm sure Lola will get bored at some point soon..... so if I bring up all my Christmas cards will she write them for me? I've also got hundreds of books to mark.......?
ReplyDeleteAnyone would think you'd been blogging for years.
ReplyDeleteSeems like positive news so far, Lola must be so tough !
Thanks for the update. x
Yes Helen I agree, I think you were born to blog. Must be because you like talking so much - hee hee!! Have you both watched Twilight yet? And if so, do you fancy Edward or Jacob????
ReplyDeleteWill also bring along my christmas cards and also my presents for wrapping.
Lots of Love to you both
Tracey xx
Hi there
ReplyDeleteJudging by the other comments Lola will be making a mint by Christmas writing cards and wrapping presents!!! I'm sure there is a market for this service. Can you do mine while you've got the pens, paper and ribbons out.
Love Carol xx
Lovely to see you today - coffee is always fun when you sneak out!!!! Hope Lola Ok. Hope you manage to get theose toes painted!!! (Who says hosapital is hard - all those little jobs you can get done!!!)
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, now I understand about the fracture! Lola when you watch/read Twilight, go for the teeth not the claws- teeth are very now! xxlotsa love you two
ReplyDeletesara
All is well at Addenbrokes after a night of a thousand wees. Lola decided that The Young Ones is too grown up for her (I mean, who is Cliff Richard anyway?) but that Father Ted was 'quite good'. She snaffled my panettone this morning whilst compiling a crossword for school with some devilish clues which would fox a seasoned puzzler and has just pinched my smoothie too to wash down one of Mick's pizzas. THis mornings task was to cut the letters of her name out of the newspaper so she can add her photo to the rogues gallery on the ward which now resembles a ransome note.
ReplyDeleteWith a bit of luck she wont be too knocked out to enjoy a weekend of fun with the London cousins who are visiting.
She seems to be coping better each time with the toxic stuff. The consultant clarified the reduction in visible swelling today in very simplistic terms i.e. the tumour causes the swelling by growing & the treatment has at least stopped that. We won't know more until surgery when there will be an analysis of what percentage of the tumour cells are still alive. This will then dictate the next round of treatment - radio & chemo or just chemo. The (unconfirmed)plan is to book her next chemo just after Christmas which will mean that she will be on top form & able to enjoy the food & frolics.
I am constantly amazed by her calm resilience in the face of it all & the way she has taken it all in her stride. Go Lola!
Today Lola is suffering from acute skivilitis or perhaps it was three days worth of school in one day (on Tuesday).
ReplyDeleteShe loved exploring the box made by her Brighton cousins - a shoebox filled with individually decorated matchboxes each containing 'treasure' of one kind or another.
Mick the chef had the temerity to have a day off so we were forced to confront 'the trolley of terror'at lunchtime. So terrifying in fact that I was despatched in search of tuna mayo sandwich and smoothie.
Her ability to watch movies back to back is unaffected by chemotherapy and we have seen Ella Enchanted and Bedtime Stories so far.
We are due for release at 8pm but will have to start loading the car a couple of hours before as I have failed as yet to master the art of travelling light.
Must sign off for now as the 'trolley of terror' has returned. Creamy muck muck anyone?
Hi, greetings from a very hot and so far today sunny Brunei. looks like things are going well. Did you get the parcel i sent to you yet? I sent it via school, thought one of her friends could drop it in?
ReplyDeletehope Lola likes the contents, if so....there plenty more to come if she interested.
Just watching across the empty playground at a group of monkeys, better shut the door incase they decide to come on a hat hunt again. and there is is sherbet fountain with my name on it ready to be eaten. xxxx
We want an update !
ReplyDeleteWe want an update !
Lola fairly flounced out of Addenbrokes on Friday thanking the nurses for 'poisoning her'. It seems she has developed a tolerance for the chemo & doesn't get the sickness she has had before.
ReplyDeleteWe had a lovely chilled out weekend with my brother and his two exiled to Ipswich whilst his wife had a girls weekend. We even managed a very short walk. She has decided that all her medicines should go through her line from now on which means she doesn't taste them and who are we to argue?
The hats from Louise are great thank you - I particularly like the folding one. Lola thinks its funny to put this on before unfolding it, mmmm.
She had swine & seasonal flu jabs today as her neutrophil count is still high but will start to dip towards the end of the week. Hopefully it will hold out for the school play & Nancy's birthday outings on Friday & the following Monday. Fingers crossed.