So last week could have been worse, although could not have got any worse from the very long first day last Monday. Having said that, we did have a scare on Friday but the doctors and anaesthetists were on top of things to prevent serious issues arising. Whilst Leo was under the general anaesthetic on Friday afternoon, his Sats dropped severely and very suddenly (oxygen levels in blood) and when the anaesthetist put his hands on Leo's chest, he could feel crackles on both sides. He could only hear breath sounds on the right sides which indicated a mucus plug in the left lung.
The docs moved Leo slightly and increased the oxygen through his mask and the mucus plug must have loosened itself whilst they did this (which is all standard treatment for this type of problem). Luckily, they were able to give him the radiotherapy treatment this time around and when he'd finally come to, we took him for a chest x-ray to see what was up. The x-ray did not show anything un-toward although the doctors said two things; firstly, x-rays tend to lag behind any symptoms such as a cough (which Leo does now have) and also they do not have any x-rays to benchmark against so they're kind of playing this one blind, as it were.
We still have to take Leo to the hospital tomorrow but this weekend, he's had a slight runny nose, a few sneezes and a bit of a cough so I feel they may be cautious and decide against the radiotherapy treatment tomorrow, and maybe even for a couple of days. So fingers crossed for this week and also, that he is well enough for the next cycle of chemotherapy at the weekend. If they decide to postpone treatment, it just gets tagged on to the end which means he'll get the full thirty sessions of treatment but that it will prolong our stay in Surrey.
Despite all this drama on Friday, Leo has still had plenty of energy and is certainly giving PJ and I a run for our money! 'Show me what you've got!', Leo has been shouting at us this weekend, to urge us to bounce as high as possible on the trampoline outside the back. So we've had lots of smiles and laughs even though Friday was quite scary.
Thank goodness Leo is only 3 and a half. He is taking everything in his stride and able to enjoy the weekend in-between treatments like that of any other child his age who isn't battling with cancer. He is such a positive boy and a privilege to be with, and helps PJ and I relax when really, all we want to do is wrap him up in cotton wool and protect him as much as possible.
An interesting observation today with 'Doctor Leo' giving Winnie the Pooh medicine through a 'tube' in Pooh Bear's nose. He kept asking me to hold Pooh Bear's hand because he was a little scared but Leo also kept reassuring the Bear that 'this does not hurt'. PJ and I took the opportunity to talk to Leo calmly about the tube in the teddy bear's nose and he said it was for medicines. We also said it was for food if his mouth becomes too sore or if he doesn't want to eat.
Leo must have been listening each time we've discussed this with the team at the Marsden and the Bristol Children's Hospital, and he's seen plenty of children with a naso-gastric tube so we hope this is a sign that once he does have one, as it's unlikely he'll get through this without, he'll tolerate it and understand what it's all about. Such a mature head on such young shoulders, but then we've always thought that about Leo (yes, very slightly biased, I know!!)
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