Day 330. 19/10/10 The Beaded Journey continues.

The Beaded Journey.


Sitting in a wheel chair, 5 hours after the Big Operation
 in Day Oncology waiting for some Chemo.
Having an ice cream as a reward.....

 For those that do not know, when a child is diagnosed with cancer at Royal Childrens, a psychologist becomes Owen's friend and counselor. She constantly catches up with Owen and just chats about everything. She also starts a string of beads. This becomes the child's beaded journey which they hang from their pump poles and carry around with them. Each bead represents a medical procedure or a significant event and the counselor hands them to Owen and he puts them on his string. They talk about what happened and it is a reminder of how much he has endured and how far he has come. An ongoing bravery award and something that touches people. It is only used on the Cancer Ward, as it is funded by a Charity called the Koala Foundation.
I had Owen count his beads and procedures for me.
In the last 11 months he has had the following:
81 Finger pricks
33 Units of blood or platelets (Unbelievable....)
72 Chemo medications put into his central line
21 Operations
41 Bloods taken from his central line or with needles for testing

Progress......
He is doing well. Last week was a full week at School...... I cannot remember the last time that happened.. His temps seem to be normalising. No winter pyjamas and doonas with quilts on top on warm nights. We have been told that that his neurophils are dropping with the oral medication, so to keep up hand hygiene and watch his temps. But... All is good....!