Woo hoo - it's 2010 and we're all still here!
We had a lovely family Christmas and saw lots of friends and extended family over the past two weeks. Some we didn't quite manage to get to see as we've also had a few serious issues with Leo's behaviour. It almost seems that since he's started asking questions about why he's at the hospital what feels like every week, his anger just tips the scales and it then becomes all out war.
PJ and I are thankfully seeing Gail, the therapist we met when Leo was under active treatment at the Bristol Children's Hospital this Thursday. We've also invested in the 1-2-3-Magic book for kids which Leo enjoyed me reading to him - it's a technique normally used for children with ADD / ADHD but we're having some joy.
On a fabulous note, Leo has been awarded the Little Stars Award from Cancer Research UK, not just for his bravery during treatment but for all the time he spends at different hospitals and the on-going treatment he is facing. He is so proud of himself and actually it's given PJ and I the chance to actually say the word 'cancer' to him without it scaring us all to death - sorry, bad choice of words but it really is that scary a word for me personally! The sooner I get over that and treat Leo's tumour as 'cancer' and as part of normality, the better it is for Leo as we do not want him to be frightened of the word either.
So Leo won a silver star, t-shirt which tells all he is a Little Star, a teddy bear with Little Star on it plus £50 to spend! How lucky is he? Well actually, luck has nothing to do with it as to be awarded the Little Star Award, one has to have had cancer!!! Anyway, we're all extremely proud of him indeed and he will be in the newspaper soon to show off his award.
So he's been through alot already and recognised for his bravery; funnily enough Leo has an MRI with a general anaesthetic scheduled again for tomorrow, he had his blood taken (with no tears at all...seriously not one tear) yesterday for the nutritionist to tell us what we can do to ensure Leo is as healthy as possible; he then has yet another chest x-ray, another appointment with the neuro-endocrinology consultant about starting daily growth hormone injections in his stomach, an appointment with the homeopathy consultant and also seeing his oncology consultant for the bi-monthly review - and that's all before the end of January. So when you see it all like that, I'd be a bit peeved and angry if all that was happening to me too!! I dare not look at the diary for February!!
Plus thinking of January's diary entries, Leo is 5 on January 27th and as with all other big events such as Christmas and the turning over of another year from 2009 to 2010, we are forever thankful he is still with us as he approaches his fifth birthday. I know of a brave and wonderful family who lost their precious son over Christmas to cancer and so this really brings home how harsh life can be for our special children. May the Angels look after him and them now and forever.
It's times like this we're thankful to have been able to spend time with my brother, his wife and their simply beautiful daughter Sophie. They were home from Dubai and we were lucky enough to see them twice. The pics say it all.
Thanks for all the cards and best wishes over the Christmas period and warmest best wishes to you for this New Year.
