Home Today

Just a quick update. Georgie's methotrexate level (chemo) has come down sufficiently for us to be given the get out of jail card. She is very busy making cards with one of the wonderful volunteers so I have not given her the news as yet. This is the chirpiest that she has been for a few days. The volunteers are so lovely and can make her day. I am not sure if she is going to let Fiona pack up her goodies. I will now pack up all of our belongings ...... I am looking forward to sleeping in a proper bed tonight with no toilet interruptions.

Thank you for all the little messages, emails and facebook comments. We love hearing from all of you. Sxx

Problem solved!

Great photo Sal. Well done. All you needed to do was import it from the computer not the web and click on resize to fit! You were nearly there. mwah

Trying to be clever

I tried to update our opening photo as you can all see but after many attempts I can not work out how to make it smaller. If anyone can explain how to me then please do. You need to scroll across to see Georgie. (Obviously!)

SSxx

hello from Mary

Today I wasn't feeling so good and I had a really big sleep for five hours. When I woke up I felt better. I went for a little walk down the corridor and it was not fun at all. Mum and I played Rummy and I won 100 times then we did some colouring in. I am now waiting to have my pill then I can eat my dinner half an hour later. Mummy just touched my port - naughty mummy. I am in my own room but it is small and hot. I am looking forward to going home hopefully tomorrow. If I do not go home tomorrow Mummy says i will have to take a bath and I am afraid. All my teachers and Cathy the play therapist visited today but I was asleep. Dial-a-Pizza (otherwise known as Dr Luce) called from his car to say he wouldn't make it in to hospital today but I will see him tomorrow. Please write to me. Love Mary, the super model. xx

pl

Georgie and Dr. Luce Dalla-Pozza

This photo was taken last visit. Luce, Georgie's wonderful doctor popped in one evening for a chat and it made her day.

Back in Hospital

I have the best intentions but I am afraid that the days seem to disappear. I am sitting in our room next to a sleeping child. Georgie is not feeling the best today. She has a sore back and is not up to eating or drinking. This is the flattest she has been for a while but it is to be expected. Her chemo which runs for 24 hours finished at 6am this morning. The doctors/nurses told me that each treatment can have different reactions so just take the first round ten days ago as a guide. I also believe that with each of these treatments she could feel worse after each one as she is receiving such a high dose.

So this is my opportunity to bore you all with an update of the Seymour's activities over the last week.....

Georgie did get to school and almost doubled her attendance in one hit. She managed to go on the Friday and then four days last week. They were all full days and she seemed to really enjoy herself. She gave the thumbs up when asked how her day was on Thursday. Georgie and I then came to Clinic on Friday for bloods and to see the doctors for admission on Sunday night.

CCate had a good couple of weeks at school. They had the NAPLAN tests last week for three days so that will be interesting to see how she went. As we have come from a different system it will be handy to see where she is at. The main thing is that she seemed to take it all in her stride and not get too excited about it. We have not yet investigated after school activities or Saturday sport - all in good time but I think it would be good for her to get into something so we shall aim for that for the start of the next term. All in good time!!

Charles has recovered from his fall. He did develop slap cheek which was all new to me. For those of you who like me had no idea what the doctor was talking about it is a viral infection and he came out with a rash over his whole body and as the name suggests his cheeks were rather red. I actually thought that he had some sunburn from being in the car. Silly Sally!! So after I googled it we were all concerned about Georgie but the doctors have told us not to worry. Sure!! Charles is now Jill's supermarket shopping companion. This was a first for Gie(grandma) to take a grandchild shopping but they apparently have their little routine. Charles stands (if you don't mind) in the trolley and waves to people with the one hand. Last week by the time they got to Woolworths he was feeling a little tired so he sat. Jill then told us that this worked well for him because he could wave with both hands! Today is a beautiful wet day in Sydney so grocery shopping will be a great outing for them both. I hope!! (Poor Jill.) Charles just loves having the girls around to play with. As long as he is able to potter around after them he is completely happy.

Michael had another really busy week at work but did finally get to the rugby on Friday night just before the game started so that was good. He mentioned that it brought back memories from a past life when we used to go together. Charles and I had a good week. We caught up with Josie and Ashley for a play one morning at a park which will be close to our new home and we went to a play group at church on the Tuesday. It is a new group so once the numbers grow it will be even better. The children's minister at church is running it so she organises all the activities so there is some structure but at the same time it is very relaxed. It is in the house opposite church so we play in the backyard and it all feels like being in someones home.

Thursday was my birthday and Charles and I had a lovely lunch with Michael. We picked him up from a meeting at Optus and drove to Kirribilli. We had lunch at a little Italian cafe near the bridge and then we had a play in the park. That night I had dinner with some of my girlfriends and Helen, my sister which was such a lovely night. It was a real treat to be able to do that. I can't forget my surprise afternoon tea (chocolate cake) with the children and Jill and Dave as well. However, my real celebration with the family was lunch on Saturday with our family and Helen. The six of us had a yummy lunch in Roseville and run around. I would of loved to stay home that night (ever the party girl) but I agreed to go to the Mother's Night fund raiser at Pymble Public. 160 women in the school hall for dinner, shopping, auctions, dancing and singing. an interesting night - easier if you know people but you have to start somewhere. I met some nice Mums on my table. A couple have children in Georgie's class.

And here we are back in Westmead. I have rambled on long enough. I will really try to do the short sweet thing more often but I do say that and it doesn't happen..... She is still asleep! The best thing for her at the moment. We love to hear from all of you and we would love to hear what you are up to as well, so do send us an email. Lots of love Sx

Home Again!

Thank you to all of you who have sent us little emails/facebook messages/text messages. It is lovely to receive them and it does help to know that we have so much positive thinking and prayers coming our way. We all really appreciate them.

 

George had a positive ph level that was below what she needed it to be to be allowed to come home yesterday so we packed up and finally got home around 2pm. Charles was bumbling about happily with his chin bandaged so no drama there. Cate enjoyed the cross country. Jill and Charles went down to cheer her on and Jill said that she did so well. She ran the whole way (2km) and was quite exhausted at the finish line. It was a shame that I couldn't be there but I will next year.

 

Georgie was dressed for school this morning but as we were leaving she went very pale so back to bed. She had a good sleep and was much chirpier this afternoon. Can't say the same about her mother. Hopefully, Georgie may get a few school days in a row before we go back next Friday to prepare to go into hospital again on the 16th of May for her next lumbar puncture and second round of the high dose chemo.

 

Take care all. Off to bed for me. Sxx

End of Day Two at Westmead

I finally have a wireless connection - THANK YOU Michael!!!  Georgie has now started Protocol II which is the Central Nervous System part of her treatment. It entails a number of things as you would expect but it all revolves around four admissions over the two months for 3 to 5 plus days depending on how her system can deal with the chemo. She is having very high dose chemo over a 24 hour period and then she is on double maintenance fluids until the doctors are happy with the ph levels etc... Everything understand all of that. I am learning (or at least trying to) all sorts of things everyday. Some things that I would prefer not to know but that is the nature of the beast. She is doing very well so far and the doctors are pleased with how she is handling this chemo so far.

 

We are in the Camperdown Ward which is what the oncology ward is called at Westmead. We are sharing a room with Denis, three and a half year old little boy from Korea. They don't have a lot of English but they  do have lots of visitors!! G is plugged in to her DVD player and I think that I should have the IPod in!! Hopefully Michael is able to drag himself away from work and able to visit us this evening. It will be good to bring him up to speed and for him to see where we are and how it all works when you are in the ward.

 

Yesterday Georgie had the chemo hooked up and then luckily there was a 10 minute free slot in the clinic for us to rush around with 5 mins warning so they could give her a GA to give her a lumbar puncture and also intra thcal chemo to the spinal cord. As she has to fast it would of been a really long day if we hadn't run. We had a quiet afternoon in our room doing craft/colouring in/movies/tv. In the morning she had a visit from one of the lovely "pink ladies" (volunteers) and a Yr 10 girl on work experience. G taught her how to play rummy while I took the opportunity to go and have a shower. The play therapist came and dropped off paints and other craft goodies which she used and they are now up on the walls of her room. Margaret, one of the teachers from the Westmead School also came and they did a poster together all about G.

 

I sleep on an arm chair that opens out into a little bed (not big enough for Michael) but fine for me. Typical hospital we are up and down throughout the night. Busy morning again today with visits from Giggles (large puppet on a trike) who is from Camp Quality who visits Camperdown ward each Tuesday, then Cathy, the play therapist who brought a special doll for G to play with. She comes with the whole medical kit and different hair lengths etc so she is busy playing with her now. She has called her Millie. Then we had Margaret, the teacher from the hospital and then later in the day, Valerie from Back on Track which is another support group who specially look after oncology patients. They are teachers who liaise with G's own teacher at Pymble Public. It is busy, busy, busy. She was also able to leave the ward and go to the Starlight Room across the hall for a little while. Georgie helped paint a sign which will be used on the Weather spots on the Today show this Friday in Martin Place in the city. It is Starlight Day on the 7th of May. The highlight of her day was a visit from Dr. Luce who she is very fond of. He has the most wonderful manner with all of us and they had a lovely chat. We may leave tomorrow or the following day depending on her counts and ph levels???

 

News from the home front sounds good. Jill is doing an amazing job. Apparently she and Charles went grocery shopping again today and then Sarah, lovely uni student has spent the last two afternoons helping Jill. Taking Cate and Charles to the park and helping with homework, dinner and baths. Cate is running in her cross country tomorrow so that is a shame that we are not able to be there but Jill and Charles are going to be there to support her. She is rather excited about it. Her very first!! My sister, Helen has gone up to Pymble tonight to see the children which Cate will really enjoy and that way Jill can go to Prayer group and Michael can come and visit us.

 

So that is all from Westmead. Hope you are all well. Look forward to hearing all your news too. Sxxxx