Chemo 7 takes its toll...

I know there has been a gap in the blog updates, but we are trying to keep a lot of plates spinning right now, and most importantly Oscar really needs us!  He got through chemo session 7 with no fuss as usual, but he has really been feeling the cumulative effect of all these sessions over this past few days. 

Oscar & Isobella after Chemo 7

Poor little Oscar, he was up and down over the weekend when we had his auntie Martina visiting from Manchester, but when we went to the clinic on Monday for routine blood checks we ended up getting admitted to hospital.  He is very run down, and has a very sore mouth which is a common side effect from chemo.  It looks extremely painful, and he can barely eat or drink anything, but he still hasn't complained once.  I am honestly in awe of my 3 year old son and his strength and bravery, a very humbling experience for any parent.  He also had a temperature, which always means hospital admission and IV antibiotics when a child is on chemotherapy.

As well as IV antibiotics Oscar is on powerful anti fungal medicines for his sore mouth, and is now receiving TPN (nutritional support administered directly into his veins rather than through a feeding tube into his stomach).  He had the NG feeding tube through his nose to his stomach for a few days at Christmas, and although this got him back on his feet he hated it so much we really want it to be a last resort again.  He didn't eat anything while this was in place, refused to talk, and held his hand over his mouth most of the time.  It definitely seemed to affect him quite badly, he became such a nervous and introverted little boy, and we would hate to see that happen again!

27th December 2011

Today was a reasonably good day, Oscar managed to sit up to make a robot with Sophie (the amazing play specialist) and ate 2 fish fingers for lunch!  Hopefully we will begin to see an improvement in his overall well being once all these new treatments take effect.  He is having a boys night tonight in hospital with his Daddy, while I am at home trying to spend some time with Izzie, clean the house, wash and iron clothes, do some food shopping, and get some sleep before heading back into hospital for 8am tomorrow...  Special *thanks a million* to the grannies, grandas, aunties and uncles helping us to spin those plates...