Just as predicted, Lola needed a few bags of blood yesterday to restore her strength. The chemotherapy has a definite pathway and I can feel my anxieties rise around this time, about a week after treatment. Despite the transfusion, she tires easily and is starting to feel uncomfortable in her throat. Her daily cocktail of drugs at the moment consists of 2 or 3 doses of ondansetron and/or domperidone ( anti-sickness drugs), 2 doses of septrin (a prophylactic antibiotic), 4 doses of nystatin (treatment for oral thrush caused by the chemotherapy), one dose of lanzoprazole (a gastric drug), up to 4 doses of codeine phosphate (to alleviate the pain in her throat) and if necessary, up to 3 doses of oramorph ( morphine is sometimes the only effective pain-killer). She also uses a chlorohexidrine mouthwash twice a day, aqueous cream on her dry legs and peeling feet and hypromellose eyedrops to help keep her eyes moist.

Some of the drugs can be pushed through her nasal gastric tube which helps if she is feeling sick or can't bear the taste of the medicine. Some are too thick though and have to be swallowed for maximum effect. That can involve quite a waiting game and several spoonfuls of sticky gloop have ended up on the bed/ over the sofa/ in my shoe. I spend quite a while trying to look nonchalant and like I have nothing I would rather do than just sit, waiting, with a loaded spoon, for when the moment is right. It's quite amazing when I think back just a few months though, as each dose was a tearful battle and required every persuasion tactic available. In contrast, Lola is now able to recognise if she needs anti-sickness medication and was proactive in suggesting she took some of the preventative drugs more quickly this time to try to stave off infection.

We've had a lovely Saturday together. Nancy managed to get a place again this term in the New Wolsey Youth theatre and is immensely proud, so she skipped off to drama this morning. Greta dressed as "half-cat half-girl" for Edie's birthday party and staunchly refused to come home for hours after it had finished and Lola was my partner in crime all day. Nancy managed to thrash us all at Cleudo tonight, guessing the cards on her FIRST go (and with no cheating!).... bit scary really!

Best Comment Award of the day definitely goes to Eva ..... she hates having her hair brushed and wants to know why she can't have hair like Lola's!