Calm before the storm

Another night in Portlaoise. Ciara has another lot of antibiotics due in an hour or so, this completes the treatment for the blip on the temperature scale Friday evening. Ciara and I had a nice evening here in the ward. She's in her own room and it's lovely and spacious, with it's own loo. The paediatric ward at Portlaoise is pretty new so everything is shiny and working. It's actually quite nice!

Ciara and I spent the evening playing games on the computer and downloading Lego adverts from YouTube. God I love the Internet! Yvonne was at home this evening packing for our trip to Our Lady's first thing and she did a video call to us with Skype to say goodnight to Ciara. Very cool. Nice for Ciara to see her mummy even though she was a few miles away. Ciara wasn't that impressed though as she was busy with a game, I don't think she realised what an amazing thing had just happened. Earlier in the day a nurse took a photo of Ciara with a disposable camera and Ciara asked to have a look a the back of it to see the picture she'd just taken. That's my 21st Century girl. Thinks video calls are normal and doesn't know about film cameras.

As I say, Ciara will be out of here this morning and straight up to Dublin without a break. Busy week this week as it's a staging week, meaning there are number of tests to be carried out to see how the therapy is doing. For those interested here's a link to Ciara's therapy protocol flow chart.

Tomorrow will be day 30 of the treatment and her fourth Chemo session, how time flies. According to the protocol this week will include a local ultrasound and bone marrow aspirates (drawing liquid). However I did hear mention last week that there may be more, maybe a CT. Will need to check tomorrow. Only a single night of Chemo but it's Cisplatin and and Vincristine - big sick makers. Still it's quiet here, no snoring, she's happy enough and is having a nice rest.