Plodding on

Quent is having dose 8 as I type, so we can expect the reaction in a couple of hours.

He is being as brave as ever, in spite of looking and feeling terrible. It's amazing how the drugs transform him in such a short space of time. He is puffy and blotchy and has aches and pains as well as the diarrhoea. Fortunately, we know that within 2 months, he will be back to normal.

His SATS have not caused us problems to date, although we have yet to get to the critical dose 10. I am rather apprehensive about the next few doses. However, it's lovely to think that tomorrow is the last day of treatment for this week and even lovelier to think that there is an end in sight to all this.

Many thanks for all your good wishes. There is a palpable sense of excitement coming from your comments, which I will pass on to Quentin.

Christie in Christie's

We are into day two of Quent's treatment. He is sleeping off the rigor after his third dose. So far so good - aside all the usual nasty side effects, such as vomiting, back ache, rigors, swelling, itching etc.

The Prof showed us the scan results yesterday and it's amazing to see the reduction in spot size from July to January. They are now pretty small and the Prof is confident that it's a question of when, rather than if, they disappear altogether. It's such great - and amazingly rare - news, it seems almost unreal. I plan to drink huge amounts of champagne as soon as possible.

It has been lovely to see all the staff on the ward again. They are so welcoming and seem genuinely delighted with Quent's scan results. We have one of the larger rooms, with a huge bathroom. Quent seemed very chuffed. Then he discovered my day-nap reclining chair wouldn't recline, so he had it upside down trying to fix it (until he got caught). Next we discovered the DVD was broken, so he was up on a chair poking about, drip akimbo.

The staff have now sorted both out (nothing is too much trouble) and we watched "Don't Look Back" this afternoon. It's a good film, although Quent couldn't understand why Donald Sutherland was wearing a welding mask to do some drilling.

Talking of which, I had better go and check he isn't helping install the new flat screen TVs the ward has acquired.

Solar, so good

It's been a week of anticipation in Ashbourne Grove. First Oakley's birthday party, then Quent's birthday, then Oakley's actual birthday - and of course the scan in Manchester on Tuesday.

All have gone off well. Oakley's party was exhausting but they all seemed to enjoy it. We went out for a lovely meal for Quent's birthday and yesterday we went to the London Transport Museum as a treat for the birthday boys. I am back on the thank you letters and hoping Oakley can write his own by next year.

Prof's secretary has just called to arrange an appointment to go through the scan results (first thing Monday). She said that the results are good, which is fantastic news - by far the best birthday present for both the boys.

But if you happen to talk to Quent about his exciting news, he'll probably think you're talking solar. The plumbers have gone and the solar heating is now... heating.

Even I am excited by it - it's AMAZING how hot the pipes are. The installation has left quite a trail of destruction in its wake, but it's hopefully worth it. We are now among the few who can smile when the 10 o'clock news talks again about rising fuel prices.

So much anticipation. And I haven't even started my tax return yet. What a week!

Happy New Year

Another long silence. Here’s a quick update since I last posted.

We had a great Christmas, visiting relatives on both sides. We managed to see 35 members of our family in 5 days and then we came home and mooched until New Year. New Year’s Eve was spent at a fantastic dinner party for 18. I was both less tearful and less sober than last year and New Year’s Day was spent recovering.

On Friday we went to the funeral of Pono, one of Quent’s Scout and Dragon Boat friends, who very sadly died on Christmas Day. We had to leave the wake early as we had arranged to spend the weekend in a Landmark Trust “castle” (Tixall Gatehouse) with Oakley’s friend James Wiley and his parents.

We had a lovely time, with great weather and some bracing walks. Quent had given Oakley some ropes and pulleys for Christmas (why wouldn’t you?) and the boys enjoyed swinging in the arch of the gatehouse. Photos below show (1) scale and (2) Oakley, complete with swinging mittens.



We had to come back a little early as I went down with some horrid virus. It has completely knocked me out. I will spare you the finer details except the mighty fine detail that I have lost 6 lb in 4 days – a bonus which will no doubt be temporary.

That brings me to today. I am still on hot water and the odd cracker, but I am definitely feeling a bit better. Quent is in his element as two guys arrived this morning to move our boiler. It’s a complicated project, involving solar heating and, it seems, destroying a fair few floors, walls and ceilings in the house. (Quent has just read this and informed me it will also knock holes in the roof!) I am on thank you letters and invitations for Oakley’s party. Far less messy.

Oakley? He's back at school and having fun. When I asked Quent for a cracker with my cup of water this morning, he said he'd like one too, because he likes the toys in them. Fair enough.

As for Quent’s health, he seems to be doing well. He’s still losing his hair but it still doesn’t show and he’s looking great. He has more energy day by day and has brought his dumb-bells back from the Scout HQ in an attempt to build up his arm muscles again. The next scan is on 22nd January and treatment starts on 28th. It all seems ominously close.

I will update later when things calm down a little.

We hope you are having a great – and healthy - start to 2008. May it be a truly great year for everyone!