Today we went back to Addenbrookes, only for the day I'll quickly add!! Today marks a return to Caitlin's chemo & hopefully normality, whatever that is these days.
Before I talk about today, I'll go through yesterday. Caitlin was discharged at about 1.30 & we couldn't get out of Ipswich hospital quick enough! At just under 4 weeks in hospital you'd have thought Caitlin's spirit would be dampened, but our little girl is made of stuff stronger than Wolverine's bones. (I had to get a comic reference in at some point!! It was only a matter of time!) She skipped out of there & virtually jumped into grandads car for the ride home. Jessica was ecstatic to see her sister again, and Caitlin was soon playing with Shea, Skye & Nanny Sally & Steve.
Night times brings the biggest change to our routine now, in that Alisha gives Caitlin overnight feeds to make sure she's getting everything she needs nutrition wise. We have our own stand, pump & feeding pouches that doesn't look very appetizing, but since its going in through her nose it doesn't matter too much! The feed is on a 12 hour cycle to give her the right amount according to her height & weight. This can be adjusted if Caitlin's dietitian isn't happy with her progress.
Today was Caitlin's long chemo day in which she has Cyclophosphamide again (yes, another cannula!) This only takes around 30 minutes to give but she needs over 4 hours of fluids after as it dehydrates her body. She also started her Cytrabines again, which with the amazingly quick needle work of the Addenbrookes nurses, required a cannula-like needle in her leg. It looks like a mini port is probably the best way to describe it. As she hasn't got her Hickman line back in yet this is the easiest way of giving her that type of chemo. This will be administered over the next 3 days by the community nurses at Ipswich who will again come to ours to give it to Caitlin.
We're basically back to week 10 on our flow chart (which I will scan soon, I promise), this means Mercaptopurine again which we can alternate between giving it orally or through her NG tube. It does make things a bit tricky time wise as she has to be nil-by-mouth for 1-2 hours before giving her Mercaptopurine & 2 hours afterwards to give her feeds for the chemo to have the most effect.
She's currently in bed & we have to wait till 10.50pm to give her feed. Luckily we should be able to do this without waking her up, otherwise we will have a grumpy little girl to deal with in the morning!
XxX
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