Wednesday 19 November 2008

Usual blood tests, according to Dr Frank all going great!! Spleen and liver back in right position. Having 1 unit of blood today, chemotherapy will start on Monday. Central line or porta cath will be done on Thursday by Dr Roy. Drew only wants to have a shower every second day, but told by Nurse Judy he must shower every day. Uncle Phil and Leanne both rang today and Drew's long lost grandparents made an appearance. Drew met Lisa the Music teacher this afternoon and they had a 'jam' session. Miss Cinitis and Miss Kauter from school visited, bringing lots of cards from Drew's classmates. Drew had them in stitches, we won't divulge what Drew was talking about as he'll be quite embarrassed in two years time.

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Drew had the usual bloods taken this morning, the cannula's are getting uncomfortable and he hates the flushes. Dr Liz and Dr Helen visited and his spleen and liver are shrinking and his blood count his down to 29 from 376 000 - very good news. Lumbar puncture results not back yet. The Doctors haven't decided whether they will use a central line or a porta cath. Drew is still attached to the drip and having a shower involves putting both his arms into a plastic bag and taping them, he'd rather not have a shower and be Pepe Lepou instead. Drew had a visit from Mrs Ramsay and Hannah today and also met Ronnie the Play Therapist and Jess from the hospital school. He also discovered he could have bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast - :O). He had a surprise visit from Vannessa, Spud, Ally and "Our Man" Todd - Drew was thrilled.

Monday 17 November

Drew continued on his medication today - he is such a champion swallowing his pills - he takes 5 morning, noon and night. All the nurses are impressed with his capability to swallow them all at once. Drew spent most of the day playing the playstation and Mum spent most of the day on the phone. Auntie Donna, Uncle John and the boys sent a lovely balloon arrangement. Drew was a little moody today and refused to talk about it - he got over it after a while and apologised for being grumpy, it brought tears to my eyes.

Sunday 16 November 2008

Drew had two new canulas inserted in his arms whilst in theatre last night, and is much more comfortable. One is used for the saline being used to help his kidneys and the other canula is used to take blood. Drew has lots of visitors today, the McAdams, Ellerys, Leanne & Christine, Uncle Bones and Lucy, Mum and Dad and all his brothers, 16 in total. We had his birthday cake that we didn't have on Thursday night and he also received lovely balloons from Paula. Drew also gave heaps to Dr Helen and Alex (Nurse) who both follow English Rugby, Alex had made the mistake of saying England never lose at Twickenham.

Saturday 15th November

Today Drew started on Prednisone, a steroid used to break down his white blood cells, he was also put on another drug to protect his kidneys from the cell break down, and yet another to protect his stomach lining from getting ulcers. The treatment is nearly as scary as the disease. Unfortunately for Drew he is unable to eat today as he is scheduled for a lumbar puncture at 1.30pm to see if there are any cancer cells in his central nervous system. Drew needed a platelet transfusion before his lumbar puncture and does not get to the operating theatre until 8.00pm, he is starving and not happy. Back in the room, awake and eating by 10.00pm, Drew watches some Foxtel with Dad and goes to sleep at 12.20am.

Friday 14 November 2008

Today Drew woke up at 12.50am crying that his fingers were hurting, when he was still awake 30 minutes later I gave him a Panadol and he came into our bed. For the rest of the night he would doze off and wake up crying that his fingers were sore and that he couldn't move them properly. He stayed home from school and I managed to get a doctor's appointment that day around lunch time. Drew had had a cold two weeks earlier and the Dr noted that his glands in his neck were slightly swollen, and that his spleen was hard. He ordered an urgent full blood count, and mentioned maybe glandular fever. Later that afternoon the Dr rang back and told me Drew's blood results and that he had spoken to a Doctor at John Hunter Hospital and he wanted Drew admitted that afternoon. It felt like someone had taken ours lives, put them in a jar, shaken them vigorously and hurled the glass against the wall, smashing it into smithereens. At John Hunter they took Drew's blood not long after arriving to be sent away for testing and told me he had Leukaemia. Later that night Drew was given a blood transfusion - I couldn't reconcile that this morning I had a child with aching fingers to having a child that afternoon diagnosed with Leukaemia - it all seemed very surreal.

Thursday 13 November 2008

Today is Drew's 9th birthday, he has anxiously been counting down the days and it has finally arrived. His much awaited goalkeeper outfit from England, socks and skins have been unwrapped and modelled before 7.00am - he is very excited. Drew shared chocolate crackles with his school friends and finished off the day by going to his Football NSW Academy training session. We had a simple dinner and carrot cake for his birthday and would have the big birthday dinner and cake on Friday night.