3rd August - Harry is definately in remission!!!

Yes, unexpectedly after radiotherapy we got a call to nip over to LGI to see our consultant with regards discussing randomisiation for the trial as they had got the scan results. Well we had just had the quickest turn around in radiotherapy and thoughts had briefly gone to having the rest of the day free,  but it seemed we needed a few more hours in hospital! So we head over to LGI. I phoned Paul to tell him we had a meeting with the consultant and he immediately jumped to as k whether the meeting hadbeen called to tell us that the cancer was back. Telling him it was just about discussing the next step, I have to admit i was trying to ignore my own niggling thoughts, that was it a smoke screen wanting to discuss randomisation trials and actually they wanted to see us quickly to tell me bad news!!!
Well we waited the usual time to see the consultant, but it was worth it as she confirmed that Harry's recent scan results all show that there is no cancer evident in Harry's body! Hip, Hip Horray!
Well we went straight onto discussing the stage of treatment after radiotherapy. Whereby I have to consent to Harry being put forward for the randomised trial for 2 drugs, one is immunotherapy and the other is a randomised drug, which is quite toxic and would cause Harry to be hospitalised more in the last 6 months than if he didn't have it. The side effects can be quite nasty. The immunotherapy drug willl cause a definate period of hospitalisation for the first week given, then it depends thereafter when administered once a month how Harry reacts to the first course if he will be hospitalised on every dose. He automatocally gets rhetonoic acid to take in tablet form for 2 weeks out of every 4 for 6 months. This can cause Harry to have pain, but shouldn't hospitalise him.

Anyway, since Harry has woken twice already tonight and Paul is working tonight, I will keep this short, so I can go to bed!!! I just wanted to share this news!

I will share some photos with you though!

Harry is keeping super still for 17 minutes, whilst he has his MIBG scan which involves using radioactive dye, to make any hotspots of cancerous cells glow!

The above show Harry keeping still for radiotherapy! The first shows the dots on his body being lined up with the green ray of light to get the exact spot! Then nobody can be in the same room as him so the room I go in I can see Harry at different angles on the 3 monitors and get to speak to him on an intercom. Again, no anisthetic needed to keep him still! Week one complete, but he has been the model patient!

This is nurse Kate whom Harry was so excited to see last Thursday when he had his first MIBG, however he was also sad to say farewell to her as she is heading to Sydney to work in the oncology department there!! Sydney's gain and LGI's loss! Harry Lurrrrves Kate!!!!

Harry, proud as punch to have had his arm painted. This lady comes once a month and is paid for by Candlelighters. Harry had all day in hospital last Monday in between radiotherapy at St James', then in LGI for a platelet transfusion and bone marrow aspirate, therefore this brief interlude gave him great pleasure!!!