Homeward bound

Yesterday Caitlin had a clinic appointment, where we were told, WE CAN GO HOME!! I waited until this morning to say something because we haven't told Logan, it's a surprise. We will just turn up after school to pick him up.

Tuesday next week she has a blood test and check up at Hastings Hospital, then the following week it is back to Starship for a check up. 

If anyone knows how to pack 4 suitcases into 3 you have until 10 to let me know. We have accumulated so much stuff (or should I say, Caitlin has accumulated so much stuff!) 

We look forward to catching up with everyone soon!  ;-)

Roll on tomorrow

Our week at RMH has been quite eventful. We got to see the filming of my kitchen rules NZ, this was at the main RMH. Caitlin got interviewed and may end up on TV. We met 2 of the judges and a few of the contestants. She also had her photo taken with some of them. (I can't post them sorry). Then we got to eat what they cooked. It was a really good afternoon!!

We have been on a couple of shopping excursions, -  shoes may have been bought!

Caitlin has had appointments at the hospital, bloods etc. she needed another NG tube, this one made 10 in total.

Tomorrow she has another appointment and I'm confident we will be allowed to go home! Roll on tomorrow!!

Christopher came to visit for a couple of days, this was a surprise!

Today's the day!

Today's the day!! Yesterday we were told if Caitlin had a good night we were allowed to go to RMH today! Well she had a good night. Now we are waiting for the doctor to do rounds so she can be discharged. The last couple of days have had a couple of little dramas. On Tuesday her NG tube blocked, the nurse tried everything to unblock it, she even used coke but it wouldn't budge so it had to come out and another one was put in. Then yesterday she did her party trick where she vomits it up!!, and another one had to go back in!

Also yesterday Caitlin got a visit from the Hat Ladies, this is an organisation that supplies hats, beanies, buffs and wigs to people who have lost their hair to chemo. You get a certain amount to spend over 3 years. She is looking pretty good in her beanies and buffs!!

Over the last couple of days word has gotten around that it's close to Caitlin getting out of hospital, she has had a lot of nurses come in for a chat, a hug and to tell her the only time they want to see her is at clinic or on the street!! They will have to find someone else to fight over now. (They all liked nursing her).

It has been a long hard month but finally the light is at the end of the tunnel.

On the brighter side

Today we shifted room again, we are back in the transplant unit. It's a bigger room, not the one she was in originally though, we no longer see the helicopters land but she is happy in here. Caitlin was more interested in who got out of the helicopters than watching them land.

It has been a nice weekend a few of her friends have been up to visit, bringing the latest gossip!! and lots of smiles.

Logan named Caitlin's catheter bag

One of the many uses for a glove!

Guess who?

Guess who?

The saga continues.........

And so the saga continues.  For about a week and a half Caitlin has had these strange looking things on her legs. No one has been sure what they are. A dermatologist came for a look and she seemed to think they were chicken pox. Swabs were taken to check. Another lady came to have a look, she deals with infectious diseases ( sounds ominous), she seemed to think they could be chicken pox also. Because of this we were kicked off this ward and sent to level 5 (the dungeon) because of the risk to the other kids. Turns out they weren't chicken pox and we came back up to level 7 (which we now call the penthouse suite). We call it out sleepover on level 5.

Caitlin seems to have turned a corner and feels much better. Monday the catheter is coming out!!

From good to not so good

Things haven't gone as we had hoped. As I said Caitlin has haemorrhagic cystitis which has been caused by the BK virus. There's not a lot you can do to get rid of it, it's just a matter of making her comfortable and riding it out. On wednesday 2nd the decision was made to give her a catheter, this was so she could get some rest and to help with the pain. It wasn't the most pleasant experience but it was necessary. This one kept blocking so on saturday it was removed. They gave her a few hours rest before a new one had to go back in. This one kept blocking also, then her pain became unbearable. So at 8.45 pm on saturday night Caitlin went into theatre to have another one put in, this one has its own flush etc. while in theatre they removed a lot of clots that were causing the blockages. Before she went into theatre she had to have an ultra sound, they called to say they were ready for her to go down and have it done, but we couldn't leave, the ward had been put on lockdown. The fire alarm was set off and no one knew why. It turns out someone doing some work on the ward accidentally set it off. That was a bit of excitement to break the day up!

She has had a few blood and platelet transfusions also another ultra sound.

So it's just a waiting game...........

Still in hospital

 Well, this is taking longer than we had hoped. It is now day 9 back in hospital and we still aren't sure how much longer we will be in here. Over the past two weeks Caitlin has had to put up with a lot of pain and discomfort, she is back on a PCA pump so she can give herself pain medication. She has had two ultra sounds an x-ray and another blood transfusion. She also doesn't get much sleep. All through this she has shown a lot of strength, tolerance and bravery. I am very proud of her. Today she has been given a bravery bead which is well deserved! Fingers crossed everything is resolved shortly.

Caitlin has been doing French knitting, the plan is to make a beanie. So far it's about half I meter long, lots to go! Watch out for the photo when it's finished.