Rest Day before Transplant tomorrow!!

Brody was a little bit sick last night, he still isn't eating anything and is excited that its only one shower now.
He knows that Luke is going to get a needle and Luke will be brave, he also knows that LUke is giving his bloods to him.

We are not feeling anything as tomorrow is just like any other day, except its Brody's Birthday. Its the next few weeks i am really worried about.

But we would like to say THank you to everyone for their help, support and comments. Its nice to know there is people who care. Thanks again xoxox

Last Day of chemo's.

Brody is still having his 5 showers a day but finishes tonight. He is starting to feel the effects of all his treatments, as he lays around all day, isn't eating much, loosing more and more hair. His head is still quiet red and its sore for him when we have to wash it. He got a headache today but is still begin brave.

The chemo he had yesterday was called Cyclophosphamide.
Effects are - nausea, vomiting, metallic taste in mouth, bladder irritation, fluid retention and confusion, skin colour can darken.
Toady's chemo is called Cyclosporin.
Effects- nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, burning feeling in the hands and feet, risk of infection, damage to kidney and liver function, tremor, weight gain, headaches, and the list goes on.

Tomorrow they check his levels and make sure he can still go through with Wednesday, but at this stage they are happy with him. They told me buy the end of this week or next week he will be getting worse. So transplant i think will go well, its the effects afterwards that i am really worried about.

LUke had his appointment today and he is fit and ready to go for Wednesday.

My thoughts and prayers are with all my family and Melbourne family as my Pop's Twin Sister Aunty Alison past away this morning at the age of 92. She is a remarkable women and will be sadly missed. We love you Aunty Alison xoxoxox

Start another new heavy duty chemo!

Brody is still having his 5 showers a day, so smells very clean. He has started to loose chunks out of the little bit of hair that had grown back. His skin looked normal today but has started to go red again. His temps are slowly going up. Brody isn't eating as much as he use to but is going really well with the nose feeds.

He has started another heavy duty chemo today and we have to also check his wees, every time we change his nappy as this chemo can effect his kidneys. The next couple of weeks will be the biggest struggle of Brody's life, as all these chemo's and radiation will take there toll.

My thoughts go out to a dear friend that i have meet through the hospital, as her daughter lost her fight to cancer today. So its a sad day for me, as we both helped to support each other as we both could understand each other, as if you don't live this you will never know what we go through. I feel her pain and send all my prayers and thoughts to her and her family. Its so sad and unfair. I just wish i could make it better for her.

Day 2 of Thiotepa

We ended up having 5 showers a day, as a nurse come in last night and told us that she had seen many nasty burns from this chemo and to be safe then sorrow we were up at 2.00am to have a shower. Brody didn't like it one bit, and stood there crying, nearly brought tears to my eyes but i have to be strong for him. My brave little man then went straight back to sleep.

His skin is very dry and has red marks on his arms, his skin feels quiet warm. We have started to use a oil wash to wash him down with it

Brody was a bit aggressive today as he bite me, hit me and just been destructive. He sometimes gets like this when he is not feeling well, as he can not tell us, so he lashes out instead.

The doctors came in today and told me that his white blood cells are now at zero, so we can expect high temps and mouth sores the next couple of days. We still have to give him the 5 showers as well for two more days.

Brody starts the new heavy dose chemo tomorrow called Cyclophosphamide. It will run for two days. So we are starting to get closer and closer to the big day. But i am not so much worried about the transplant as its just like a blood transfusion, its the weeks after that everything can happen, as his body is then working over time to heal itself from all the chemo and radiation.

Luke will be down tomorrow as he has a clinic visit on MOnday, he will be staying with Grandma and on the transplant day he will have a bed at the hospital as well. Luke is my other superhero as he is giving the best gift ever and is so brave to do this.

Started the heavy duty chemo

Brody started his heavy duty chemo today. It is called Thiotepa and it only takes hour to give him through his cords.
Side effects- nausea and vomiting, dizziness or headache, pain, high fever, drowsiness, confusion, mouth sores, liver damage, darken areas of the skin, skin rash, infertility and also burn areas of the folds of the skin. Therefore having to have the 4 showers a day and wipe down at night.

He took a bit to get him to have showers but once he is in he loved it, as he shakes his bum and says oh, la, la....!!!. Thanks again to ABI for the tools to get him to comply with things.

He has slowed down alot today but still is happy and wants everything. He is so amazing to watch him go through all this heavy duty stuff and still battle on. He is so brave and i love our little story's together we tell each other before we go to sleep.

Our family also got some sad news as my Pop's twin sister is in hospital as she had a stroke, our prayers and thoughts are with Aunty Alison and all our family members in Melbourne.

Also Pop's special friend Daphne past on at the age of 95, so our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family. She will be sadly missed as Daphne and i shared the same birthday and as she was a inspiration to me. xoxox

Last day of full body radiation!!

Today was Brody's last day of full body radiation and again he went really well. His head is red, which makes his hair look blonder and his body is a bit pink. The ladies and men at the radiation clinic all loved him and gave him some balloons and a care flight bear for his birthday and last day of radiation. Thank you to the staff at Westmead Radiation hospital for your support and understanding of Brody's needs.

Our lovely nurses again stocked Brody up with anti sick meds and he wasn't sick at all. He was more active today as we painted and played with bubbles and played hide-n-seek in his room. Its wired how first day was bad then as the days pass he gets better, thought it would have been the other way around.

He is still having feeds during the night and also his fluids and meds through a drip so there is cords every where, which makes it hard for shower time. I am so proud of him as he is so good in the shower now. Thank you to ABI for showing me the tools i needed to get Brody use to things and to do things, as he is coping so much better now then before. Thanks again.

Tomorrow we start the new chemo, where Brody has to have the 4 showers a day. Its going to be a wet and busy couple of days.

Better Day!

We had the same busy day as yesterday but this time Brody had sickness meds all in his system and ready to go. This made a big difference as he wasn't sick at all today. His skin is a bit pink and he looks really flushed in the face still.

All radiation went well and they have started more new meds, but no other new news. Brody is coping really well, with everything. One more day of radiation to go.....

Today my thoughts were with my family and of my sister Sonya as today was 2 years since she past. We miss her dearly and the pain is still strong. We loved her with all our hearts. My poor mum and dad have had so much to deal with these past years. They are my inspiration and i love them. xoxoxox