Testing Times

We were back in PMH today. Oliver had a full blood count done, requiring another finger prick and small vial of blood to be taken. Then we had an echo-cardiogram - a heart ultrasound. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the technicians didn't know Oliver was so young, and as he was required to lay still, he did the small baby thing and cried and squirmed. As a consequence, we will have another done on Tuesday before he starts his new cycle of chemo.

Oliver requires regular tests not only to see how the cancer is responding to his chemotherapy, but also to see how the rest of his body is responding to it as well. The doxorubicin that causes his mucusitis can also affect his heart muscle, with infants being especially at risk. As I am wont to do, I recently raided amazon.com and brought a few books. One of them is "Supportive Care of Children with Cancer" - Current Therapy and Guidelines from the Children's Oncology Group. This is the group who are controlling the study Oliver is involved in. The book is about all of the supportive care measures that must go hand in hand with children's therapy in order to "sustain patients through their therapeutic ordeal and allow each patient to achieve maximum quality of life". It has given me an insight into why Oliver is having certain tests done, or why he has certain observations taken, and why we are asked certain questions. It has also alerted me to be ing more aware of his behaviours and how these may be an indicator of something else. It is at once empowering and overwhelming. it seems that the doxorubicin can be toxic both at certain dosage levels, that Oliver shouldn't need, but also cumulatively, which may become more of a problem as Oliver nears the end of his treatment and the levels of drugs he has received begin to add up. There may be other long term side effects that we will have to deal with further down the track.

Karli had some blood tests done today as well. They weren't exactly painless, and it was a stark reminder of what our little boy has been through during his stay in hospital, and will continue to go through as he continues his winning fight against cancer.

I meant to say something on Wednesday, but thankyou to all those who choose to avoid us when they have colds and other illnesses. A number of my clients who are a little under the weather have put their training sessions to the side in order to avoid taking the chance of passing anything on to me, and then possibly on to my little boy. This may not seem like much, but Oliver's immunity is such that it doesn't take much for him to catch something. Unfortunately, that can start a serious downward spiral.

On a similar and much sadder note, I was told today that one of the children in the ward passed away recently. It's hard to consider that this is happening in the rooms around you, especially as your own child only seems to get healthier. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family.