On Monday morning we had to go to the hospital for a finger prick and to find out if we could continue with the chemo. So first I dropped Terence off at work, then Caitlyn at daycare and Bianca and I arrived at the hospital at 8:50.
They had to do 2 finger pricks as the first one did not give enough blood. Then we waited for the results. Eventually after a really long wait, the results came and they decided we could continue with the chemo that night. They also realised that Bianca needed a blood transfusion. So then we needed to put Emla Cream (it numbs the skin) on her port. That took an hour an then they managed to draw more blood (they needed more than you get from a finger prick). They then had to cross-match the blood and order it.
In the morning, we waited with Chelsea and her mum Bonnie and Liam and his mum Katrina. Liam is approximately a month ahead of us with treatment and he is a few months older than Bianca. Chelsea was diagnosed the same week as us and she is a few months younger than Bianca. Bianca, Liam and Chelsea have Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Liam had to wait 3 hours after his injection to see if he might develop an infection or not so he was put in a room with 2 beds. They invited Bianca to watch videos with Liam in his room. They watched a movie about Donald Duck and Bianca giggled a lot and that was so funny. Click on this video clip to see and make sure you have sound.
Here is a photo with Bianca and Chelsea.
They had to do 2 finger pricks as the first one did not give enough blood. Then we waited for the results. Eventually after a really long wait, the results came and they decided we could continue with the chemo that night. They also realised that Bianca needed a blood transfusion. So then we needed to put Emla Cream (it numbs the skin) on her port. That took an hour an then they managed to draw more blood (they needed more than you get from a finger prick). They then had to cross-match the blood and order it.
In the morning, we waited with Chelsea and her mum Bonnie and Liam and his mum Katrina. Liam is approximately a month ahead of us with treatment and he is a few months older than Bianca. Chelsea was diagnosed the same week as us and she is a few months younger than Bianca. Bianca, Liam and Chelsea have Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
Liam had to wait 3 hours after his injection to see if he might develop an infection or not so he was put in a room with 2 beds. They invited Bianca to watch videos with Liam in his room. They watched a movie about Donald Duck and Bianca giggled a lot and that was so funny. Click on this video clip to see and make sure you have sound.
Here is a photo with Bianca and Chelsea.
Bianca and Liam watched some video and then played with some toys that Kate left for them.
Eventually at 15:25 Bianca's blood arrived and they started the process. Terence had to meet us at the hospital and then he left to get Caitlyn before daycare closed at 17:45.
Bianca watched The Little Mermaid, Elmo in Grouchland (which she thought was quite funny) and also a video about life at Auckland zoo.
Here is Bianca feeding Caitlyn her supper.
Bianca watched The Little Mermaid, Elmo in Grouchland (which she thought was quite funny) and also a video about life at Auckland zoo.
Here is Bianca feeding Caitlyn her supper.
We eventually left the hospital at 22:00.This morning Terence received Caitlyn's passport. He realised they put her down as "male" (and here she is wearing a bright pink outfit in her photo). So lunch time today he went back to them with a cover letter requesting that they change it from male to female. It was over lunch time and Terence waited only 5 minutes in the queue. The staff member apologised profusely because it was their mistake and then he got the supervisor (who checked it and missed the error) and the supervisor apologised as well. We don't have to supply any more photos, it will cost us nothing to get a new correct one and they will fast track it. The good service in this country continues to amaze me.
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