Dear Friends,

After being "poorly" for a week or two, our youngest, six year old Tabitha, was diagnosed with Leukaemia. That evening (16th December) she was admitted to the "Sick Kids" Hospital in Edinburgh and the following day had a transfusion for anaemia. On Monday she had a lumbar puncture and intrathecal chemotherapy, a bone marrow biopsy and an indwelling central line. On Tuesday she started steroids and chemotherapy followed by fish and chips for tea. Yesterday (Wednesday) she had the ward Christmas party, with Santa, Face Painting, a Magician and Clown Doctors (in some places I have worked, they would have gone un-noticed!).

You will see, an awful lot has happened in a very short space of time. An express train on a roller coaster is the best way to describe it.

Tabby had been feeling generally tired, sore and lethargic but the diagnosis was a horrible thing to consider. Almost immediately after her transfusion, however, she perked up and was much brighter. The ward and staff at "Sick Kids" have been wonderful - compassionate and professional - generating complete faith and trust in their abilities. For Tabby there is, however, fear of her situation, the pain of IV lines, injections, sore bones and the dragging malaise of leukaemia which we can only imagine. She is, as you know, a determined wee thing - and stoical. I have still to beat her at "Monopoly"

Lastly, I would like to sign off by thanking all of you who have contacted us to offer help, support and good wishes. For everyone who has asked us to keep them informed of Tabby's progress, I hope to continue this blog on a regular basis - until she is better.

Best wishes to all, and a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The Lawsons