Day 1 Friday 13th

I hope that your husband's first chemo session went as well as it can, MrsM! It's a daunting milestone to contend with, but it seems as though he has a wonderful and supportive wife by his side. You must have a lot going on in your mind, so please be gentle and patient with yourself - it's a lot to deal with x

I hope all went well with your husbands first chemo session. I can really relate and I will always hate the date Friday 13th. My daughter was diagnosed with ALL ( Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia ) on Friday 13th May and began her induction block of Chemo yesterday ( May 18th ) so I know how you are feeling right now.

Her diagnosis came as a complete shock to us so we have spent the past 6 days just trying to wrap our head around what is happening. So much has happened in the 6 days from being told she had ALL to bone marrow extraction, blood tests, scans, being moved from Barts to our hospital in Yorkshire so she could be treated on a Teenage Cancer Trust unit, steroids and chemo yesterday. She is having her PICC line put in today and a lumbar puncture to have chemo directly into the spinal fluid and to check if it has spread to her brain and it is probably a good thing that so much is happening as when I do stop it catches up with me mentally and I don't know quite how to process this yet.

I am so sorry for your own situation and I wish you and your husband well and I am sending love and positive vibes your way.

Sending you best wishes for your daughters treatment. We all go about our lives and then something like this happens. I’m still stunned. 

Hi

My husband is 48 - I just can't imagine going through this with / as a teenager or child. So I am in awe of you being (or even just appearing) strong for your daughter. All this is so new to us all - the words ' PICC line' 'biopsy' etc were all just words from a TV medical series script - such a luxury (now I know) not to have use for them in my daily life until now!

I said to my husband yesterday that all those 20p cakes at bake sales and 1 pound sponsored walk contributions - now we can see where this has all gone towards.

I am trying to keep upbeat and see humour where possible - yesterday they wheeled an exercise bike into his room (walking 4 foot to the loo leaves him needing a lie down) so I assume it was to hang his dressing gown on (like the one we have at home)

I am keeping busy with the practical things - making sure he has enough pjs / drinks / is his ipad charged - otherwise the emotional side will take over and that will be useless.

We also have to learn how to be long stay hospital patients / visitors as neither of us have been in hospital before (only to have babies - but that is in & out !) He didn't want to unpack his bag at first (didn't want to make a mess) but he will be in for 3-4 months so it is long haul and he is quite happy to have the door shut but I am trying to encourage him to keep it open a bit as I don't want him 'cut off'.

Positivity back at you in bucket loads x

Thanks so much for you kind words and best wishes Clare. I know what you mean, I think cancer hits us out of nowhere and it leaves us feeling very vulnerable and stunned. I am still in shock and know it will take time for it to become my new normal but I will get there with it and talking on here and finding people like you who truly understand really helps. Best wishes and love to you as well. 

Thanks so much for your lovely message Mrs M.

Also thanks for the much needed laugh as well. I have an exercise bike in my bedroom atm and it is resembling a clothes horse.

It is a shock to everybody going through cancer to have to become use to medical terms and I know more than I ever wanted to know about Leukaemia and that is in a week so by the end of the month I think I will be ready to graduate and become a doctor

I am so sorry for your own situation with your husband and I wish both him and yourself all the very best for your own journey and I am always here if you want to talk and I understand exactly what you mean about basically moving into the hospital. We have had to do the same for our daughter she is in for a minimum 6 weeks but it could be as long as 3 months depending on how well the induction block of chemo goes. I am trying to use the time to be proactive and get her room painted for her and so far I have gone as far as looking through a paint chart and have narrowed it down to 9 colours so I am guessing it won't actually get painted but the good intention was there.

All the best to you and love and a hug being sent. x x