Loving Lazytown Live!

Francesca was ready for half term this week. She has been tired and needed to have a break. Ages ago we booked for Fran and her friend Albie to go off to the Hammersmith Apollo and see Lazytown Live as a reward for being so brave over the past year. I didn't tell her until Monday as we were never 100% sure that she'd be well enough but she was and she had an absolute ball. Both Albie and Fran had a great time, they laughed at the characters and became completely consumed by the fun of the show - I think us mums enjoyed it just as much!!!

On Tuesday afternoon we were in Lewisham hospital for bloods to be taken and for Francesca's chemotherapy. Vincristine (the chemo drug) makes poor Fran feel rotten and she suffers with joint pain, it is compounded by the steroid that she then takes.

She currently has hardly any immune system which was a surprise to us - we have been assuming that it wouldn't drop like this again but it is apparently to be expected and will recover over the next few weeks - fingers crossed she won't pick up an infection as so far, we have stayed out of Lewisham Hospital for a while now.

Life is otherwise good, Charlie is saying much more and uses 'no' quite frequently! He has taken to helping himself to food from the larder so we only now leave rice cakes in easy reach - I think he may have gone off packaged oxo cubes! He is waking up really early at the moment (4.50am today) so the challenge for the weekend is to break that habit before it becomes too established.

The pictures shown are of Francesca and Albie at the wonderful Lazytown on Tuesday and then of Fran with her Nanny and Grandad Corp at the weekend.

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Settling into October and Maintenance

Sorry that I haven't posted for a couple of weeks - life has been hectic. Francesca recovered from her operation very quickly and no longer mentions the fact that her port is now on the other side of her chest. The cuts the surgeons made have also healed really well and they don't bother her at all. Fran has been back to nursery as normal and she has had a good term there. In fact it is the most she has been to school all year so we are really glad.

We were at GOS last Wednesday for Fran's lumbar which all went well although it was a little bit sad as we said goodbye to a very special doctor who will be leaving at the end of this month. Marina (pictured) was the first doctor I saw when we arrived in the dead of night at GOS on the day Francesca was diagnosed. She was so very kind to both me and Francesca. She has since then seen Fran regularly when we have been up at the hospital and she holds a very special place in our hearts for being so wonderful - she will be missed by us.

Francesca's hair is continuing to grow and it won't be long until we will be busy buying hair clips again. She still complains that her legs hurt and she'll be having Vincristine next week which is a chemo that seems to make them quite sore. It will be half term though so shouldn't stop her from going back to nursery the week following.

Stuart and I have been feeling really tired recently, I think that the weight of the last 9 months has started to take its toll. As is typical of these things, it is only when life begins to slow down that the stress seems to catch up. We will look forward to having a break over the festive period and relaxing as a family.

Anyway, the photo's here are of Francesca bouncing on a trampoline in our friends back garden - we went for lunch a couple of weeks ago and Fran had a whale of a time bouncing. Also a picture of young miss F with her cat outfit on - we are having a small Halloween party and this is what she'll be wearing!

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Central Line Replaced

Fran went to GOS for a scheduled operation on Friday to replace her central line. We were expecting her to need two ops for this, one to remove and then another to replace but the wonderful Rochelle at GOS orchestrated it so that it could all be done in one procedure.

Simply, they took the central line from Fran then relocated it to the other side of her body. The operation took about 2 hours and it was very stressful for Stuart and I as we waited for her. Francesca has had lots of GA's before but they only usually last for 20 mins. When she woke up she was in a really bad way and just sobbed for ages, her throat was hurting along with her neck and her sides - it was very sad to see her like that. Once we got back up onto the ward she slept and then after a few hours she was chatting away and, although very sore she was on quite good form.

Since Friday Francesca has been feeling quite under the weather, she started again on the steroids which disrupt her sleep so means she is tired during the day and really needs a good rest. Stuart and I have also accidentally knocked her sides when picking her up which has been painful for her.

All that said, she went back to nursery this morning and had a good time. Interestingly she has mentioned that she thought she sometimes looks strange with no hair. We can only assume that another child has made a comment (understandably because, that's what children do) and that she has taken it on board - it was sad to hear though as we never want her to feel like that. The reality is that Francesca looks absolutely stunning with no hair and it is almost hard for us to imagine what it will look like when it comes back! Her eyelashes have already returned to beautifully and her hair is coming back :-)

The photo's above is of Fran and Charlie last night before bed, below are of Francesca post operation at GOS and her at home the following day.