Now the Work Starts

Leo finished his final chemo yesterday and has been doing well today, albeit no appetite and too much of a low grade fever for our liking. It hit 38 degrees but then came back down to 37.6 within 30 minutes, with the rule being if it's 38 degrees twice over the course of half an hour, he'd have to be admitted to hospital immediately. And so whilst many may be breathing a sigh of relief at the end of treatment, this sigh will happen for PJ and I a) once we've got through the next 3 weeks as it's during this time his immune system drops to zero, and b) once we've finally had the proper official meeting with Leo's paed oncologist in this next two weeks.

When I say we'll have a sigh of relief, it'll only be short-lived as then the cycle of either maintenance chemo (we're still undecided), or scheduled checks on his cancer via MRI scans every 3 months and checks of his growth, hormones, heart, bones, sight etc etc etc starts and continues for the next 5 years. So perhaps it's best to say we'll be doing alot of holding out breath over the next 5 years.

We're also now looking to the future in a big way in more than one way. My cousins Donna and Nicola are doing some major fundraising by putting themselves through the major pain of the GRIM (8 mile army assault course in the middle of winter..madness? Yes, but all in the name of a good cause). If you'd like to sponsor them, let me know and I can pass along your details or better still, email Nicola on nkdale@hotmail.com). It'd be nice to know they're not going to putting themselves through a grim experience for nothing!

I'm also now going to reach out to you for more than just cash as there's plenty of time for that...over the next 2 years, we'd like do as much fundraising as possible. So my plea at this time is for this; if you or anyone you know have any knowledge of fundraising, event organisation or online and offline marketing or any of these types of things, then please, please get in touch (email: helen@wingroveclarke.com)

Isn't it strange that only about a week before Leo was diagnosed I was chatting with my friends in Spain before my short trip home to say that as soon as I'd recovered from my operation, I'd love to 'do' something for a good cause. Raise money by doing a half marathon or organising a music night or ball or something similar.

Well now, I plan to do all of the above and then some, and I'd really like your help to do this and raise as much cash as we can. Funny how things happen, isn't it? As a direct result of Leo having cancer, we now have the opportunity to raise money to make sure he's able to chill with Mickey for a day or two, and ensure other families and children in the same boat can benefit from our experiences in more ways than one.