Seasonal Greetings and Update!! Transplant Day +121

Hi Everyone,

We would like to begin this well overdue blog update with good wishes to everyone for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!!

Now Father Christmas can relax after his very busy work delivering all the gifts, we hope he has brought you everything you wished for! Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful gifts, cards, texts, emails, thoughts and prayers. You are all so very kind xx

It’s been sometime since we updated the blog due to an incredibly busy December beginning with a three week stay at the Tollgate looking after the club whilst Gwen and Geoff took at well earned rest.

We continue on our journey’s up and down the M6 on our weekly visits to The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where it has been decked out with lovely lights and decorations all helping to make it feel extra festive especially for the children who will be staying over Christmas. We have nothing but fond memories of our time in hospital during Christmas when Phoebe received her first transplant. I will always remember Ade popping out and returning back with Tesco’s finest three course Christmas banquet with brandy sauce an all, bless him! We sat at the end of Phoebe’s cot and shared the space on her little table....it really is a case of it’s not where you are but who you are with xxx

Our visits to Manchester continue in a positive direction and Phoebe’s bloods and immune system are recovering as expected. Phoebe’s hair is growing really well and she feels much better now, we remind her each day how beautiful she is with or without hair. Listening to Phoebe talk about how she feels about her hair has been really surprising and she continues to teach me so much about what 3 year old girls really think!!! Phoebe battles along with her GvHD of the skin (Graft versus Host Disease – donor cells that are coming in which see the host as alien rather than familiar) which we are managing with immunosuppressant and steroid creams.

We hope this will be under control very soon and as the bloods cells increase we will also be able to reduce the amount of medicines she so bravely takes throughout the day and get back out into the big wide world...can’t wait!! We are mindful to keep to the rules of semi-isolation and at the moment with all the stories we hear of folks being unwell with coughs, flu and sickness bugs, we remain extra vigilant. Sometimes we forget how vulnerable Phoebe still is with a low immune system and especially having no immunisations to help counteract the general childhood illnesses but she is one little fighter who continues to astonish us each day with her energy and enthusiasm for ...absolutely everything!!!

Phoebe is learning well and progressing with her words and life skills, she is no doubt ready to head to school and join in the fun, we just have to wait a few more months for her immune system to settle and then there will be no stopping her, she is really looking forward to spending time out and about too with her friends Macie, Darcy and Charlotte.

On our recent visit to the hospital, we received a beautiful letter and card from our donor; we are so humbled for what she has done for Phoebe..a most precious gift, I hope that I will be able to do the same for someone else if I happen to be a good match for someone out there. We have spent December doing some important fundraising for the Anthony Nolan Trust and our friends Vicki and Gaz at GUST Swim School decided to start raising funds having spent some time with Phoebe and wanting to help raise funds with some wonderful Charity Calendars, beautifully designed by our friend Laura. Children who attend classes with the swim school have designed some wonderful artwork to be included in the calendar and Vicki kindly asked Phoebe to chose the front picture. Many of our family and friends have brought them, they are lovely and colourful and great for noting down birthdays, so if you would like one, please let me know via e-mail or text/call – lynn@oldfields.net

It’s been a lovely Christmas here in the Oldfield household spending time with family and visiting friends. Phoebe has been incredibly lucky to have had a visit from Santa who popped into the Tollgate with Peppa Pig although she was mildly suspicious and felt it absolutely necessary to ask me if I knew there was someone in the Peppa Pig suit, bless her!! Phoebe kindly reminded us each day through the whole of December that she would like Pumpaloons for Christmas and some sweets....Father Christmas must have agreed she has been very good this year and kindly left a huge parcel for her after munching on his minced pie and tipple of port....Phoebe reminding us not to leave too much port as he was driving the sleigh!! Priceless!!

Thank you to everyone for all the presents you so kindly gave to Father Christmas for us, it has been a superb and we have thoroughly counted our blessings to be home this Christmas. We decided to donate to charity this year for our cards but will be sending a nice photo card out asap.

Since we last updated we would like to share some news with you...

Our friends Sarah, Grant and Charlotte have welcomed a new addition to their family with the wonderful arrival of their son George. Congratulations to you all, especially to Lottie on becoming a BIG Sister!!!

Unfortunately we bring some sad news about our friend Oliver who was on the bone marrow unit at the hospital with Phoebe. Although Oliver’s bone marrow transplant was successful, he developed complications with his lungs and unfortunately lost his brave and courageous battle a couple of weeks ago. We feel incredibly privileged to have spent time with Oliver and his family up at Manchester and our love, thoughts and prayers are with Oliver, Laura, Francis, Finlay and all the family at this time... You can read a little more here..Oliver

Just to let you know that my brother Gary has finally popped the question to his girlfriend Lisa....as she awoke from her dreamy sleep, she found Gary on bended knee with rock in hand, wearing a t-shirt that so happened to be a secret santa gift to Gary saying...’LISA, WILL YOU MARRY ME??’.....and she said YES!!! Congratulations to you both, we are thrilled for you...look forward to your big day in 2012!!

So guys for tonight as its very late, we will bid you all good night on this Boxing Day evening, we hope you all continue to enjoy the festive season and look forward to catching up with you again early in the new year....

Here’s to a Happy and Healthy New Year...with love
Lynn, Ade, Phoebe and Spirit Eleanor xxxx