Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Still Clear












Another chest x-ray clear so another booked for 2 months' time. Dr. Steve was pleased with Leo this morning, who once again was quite hyper, as he always is when he sees his oncologist. He giggles when the doc tries to examine his tummy and glands, and then proceeds to try to look at his chest x-ray and play with the doctor's stethoscope! At least he's comfortable in the hospital, I guess!! Leo was so god having his x-ray too - so much so that we when we came out of the x-ray room, PJ thought something was wrong because we'd been so quick.

We've decided to start the MRI scans on his head again as the doc asked us what we thought - confused? Me? Yes - because we had decided against having them last time around as there was no clinical worth as such because the cancer he had was so rapidly growing that it would not wait for a scan to show itself again. Having said that, and having had a lengthier discussion with Leo's doc, it appears that if it recurs in his head again, then it may not necessarily grow in the same place or in the same direction and make his eye do what it did. This means it could grow backwards into the brain or elsewhere and so asymptomatic for a while. Albeit if it recurs, there will be little chance of a cure but if they do catch it earlier than later, then maybe more can be done or the teatment could be more bearable.

All this being said, we've had a few weeks of nice family time and relaxation and almost a 'normal' life as it could be called. And then it's back down to earth with a bump with chest x-rays and seeing all the other children and adults on the oncology day beds ward at the hospital.
It feels like yesterday we were there practically on a weekly basis and actually it was a year ago we were preparing to head to the Royal Marsden for six weeks of radiotherapy under a general anaesthetic each day. Seems so long ago but actually, he's not yet a year out of treatment and so we are still so grateful for every day as there were times when we secretly, individually and privately wondered if we'd still have Leo with us.

On a more positive note, Leo is thriving in pre-school although only going once or twice a week and he did us proud when he played Bugsy Malone at his Stagecoach end of term presentation. He had the most lines and is the youngest in his class!
We also saw lots of out family recently as Uncle Andrew was home from Dubai so we were lucky to spend time with Sophie, and Leo just adores his cousin. He wanted me to take lots of pictures of them together and not being shy around the camera, the two of them duly complied with some lovely shots.
We also spent a fabulous day with my cousin's children who Leo also loves seeing. We're lucky to have fabulous families on both sides and I do think one of the great things to come out of Leo having cancer is appreciating family much more plus we're living in the UK so able to see them more than we would do pre-cancer.
Life works in mysterious ways but maybe this is the plan for us...