Transplant Day -8...looking good...

Good Evening Bloggers and a special hello to all our junior Bloggers, we affectionately call...Bloggeroonies!!!

We hope you all have had a great day.

Continuing with positive progress here, Phoebe has coped really well with her chemotherapy along with her huge dose of medicines, which she is managing to take so well, she amazes us!! We have a wonderful array of medicines, along with the steroids and immunosuppressant therapy which you may have heard us mention a few times, we have anti-biotics, anti-viral; anti-sickness; anti-fungal; bladder protector and gastro-acids which all help to protect Phoebe's little body whilst she is immuno compromised.

Phoebe continues to eat and drink well, we are expecting the volume of Phoebe's diet to reduce as we start to decrease her steroids over this week. Throughout her chemotherapy, the observations have been good with no temperatures and her blood pressure is slightly reducing from the higher side of normal.

This morning, we had a lovely visit from one of the hospital chaplains, Fr. Morrough O'Brien and we had a great chat about our visit to Lourdes earlier on this year when Phoebe's playgroup kindly raised funds to send us. Fr. O'Brien also visited at the same time during the HCPT week (Handicapped Children's Pilgrimage Trust) and what a week it was, the atmosphere was something rather extraordinary, an experience we will never forget. There is an abundance of wheelchairs everywhere with children of all ages and differing disabilities and for one week in the year their disability is somewhat forgotten as there are bigger things to focus on...its a truly amazing experience. Thanks to my dear friends, Liz Scott and Theresa who helped to organise the fundraising and trip, we look forward to returning next year and taking a few new pilgrims with us. Theresa and I are putting a website together for 'The People to Lourdes Trust' so I will keep you posted on the progress.

Thank you so much for the great response regarding our favour of plates and cutlery from Ikea...we have received some already, so thank you very much to our friend Mike Sharp who contacted us immediately, bless you and to all our other friends who have offered. If you would like to contact us and we can arrange things with you. We also have received our first piece of fabulous art from his daughter Emily, thank you Emily, Phoebe loved the colours and has asked our play specialist for some gold and silver paint too. We also have some great artwork from our new and dear friends Cheryl and Emma who also visit here for treatment at The Royal Manchester. Cheryl is a great artist and has set about doing more paintings for the children's ward...you have a wonderful gift there hun!! Phoebe has really enjoyed getting into her painting and sticking and we now have a wonderful collection, unfortunately due to hygiene and cross infection reasons we are unable to put the pictures up around Phoebe's room.
However, we are allowed to pop one on her wipeable notice board, so we are choosing one each day and placing it up as our favourite for the day. Special hello and thanks tonight to our neighbours Martin, Jill, Katie and Jacob who have sent Phoebe some lovely chocolates you are very kind. We are very lucky to have such lovely neighbours, thanks for your help. Also just to thank you and mention, Phoebe has read her Wizard of Oz book every single night since her birthday, she loves it and can pretty much recite the whole story now...so thanks guys you are too kind.

We are still working on the birthday thank you cards and will get these out as soon as Phoebe finishes them, its a little slow as we do a couple each day, so please take this as a huge thank you to everyone who sent cards, gifts, prayers and well wishes. We very much appreciate your kindness.

Cheryl and I managed to head out for a coffee today and it was a welcomed break from the ward, so thanks hun I really enjoyed it and look forward to having some time with you again when you return to Manchester..would rather it be in different circumstances but we can plan for that in the future!!!

As its getting late, I will hold it there for tonight but promise to talk tomorrow about our Three Peak Challenge and all the generous donations we have kindly received along with the plans for next year.

Thanks for all your lovely messages on the blog, please be check previous ones as I try to respond to them when i can, also for all your texts and emails received...we really appreciate your support. xxxxx

Rest easy folks...
Much love
Lynn, Ade, Phoebe and Spirit Eleanor xxxx