First post of 2014

            My apologies for the 5 month gap since the last post on Tabby’s blog but it hasn’t all been my fault. Firstly my PC is slowly sinking in the west and can barely raise an e-mail. Secondly,  “No new is good news” - Tabby has been cruising along well with her maintenance therapy – until December that is!

 Since the last post I did indeed manage to climb Kilimanjaro with a wonderful group of people raising funds for “It’s good 2 give”. Thank you to all of you who helped me raise £12,000 for this charity. It was an incredible experience and had everything required for a “mid-life” crisis.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for a challenge and a bit of adventure.

Another plaster coming on

Having broken her  right wrist earlier this year, Tabby made it a matching pair and broke her left wrist – playing tennis -  at the start of December. She had played a rapier-like back hand and fell over landing badly on her left hand. Plaster time! (again).

 

Christmas market with Tabby and Donella

Although Tabby had  been chosen to be Mary in the church nativity play we were aware that on the day of the performance she would be in the middle of her steroid week – never a good time. Steroids tend to make her grumpy, moody and miserable possibly taking method acting to its extremes! The forearm plaster was the last straw and Tabby decided to pull out. We did however get the chance to see our friend , and "It's good 2 give" patron Grant Stott in the pantomime -  Peter Pan at the King's Theatre.

 

The "Lawson" box at the King's

Mischief full of the Christmas spirit

Throughout November and December Tabby had a series of coughs and colds with courses of various antibiotics.

On Christmas Eve, however, she had another temperature – back to the “Sick Kids” for a check up.  No Neutrophils! Tabby was admitted to Wd 2 back to our old room we had stayed in 2 years earlier when Tabby first became ill.

Christmas morning at the "Sick Kids"

At Midnight, Santa and the Christmas Fairy visited us in Tabby’s room and left a stack of presents. On Christmas Morning, the family visited us and Olivia took over and allowed me home for Christmas Dinner with the rest of the family (any excuse to avoid brussel sprouts). Wined and turkeyed, Ewan then us back later in the afternoon. All this time, Tabby remained on 2 hourly observations and 4 hourly  antibiotics. Sleeping on a camp-bed in Tabby’s room was obviously tricky!

Tabby home for Boxing Day

On Boxing Day, Tabby was allowed home for the afternoon (between iv’s) to let her see everyone and open some of her presents. Over the following week, Donella and I continued to take turn about with the overnight shift. Tabby’s temperature and neutrophil count became the subject of  regular texts and e-mails – when wi fi allowed.

Tabby had a CT scan of her chest and on Hogmanay, after a week of antibiotics, Tabby’s temperature was still not coming down. She looked a bit rough! She was reviewed by a respiratory consultant who confirmed that she had a significant Pneumonia and recommended a bronchoscopy under general anaesthetic in order to find out what bugs were causing the pneumonia.

I have spent the last 30 years seeing patients getting anaesthetics – but when its your wee girl... Anyway after her bronchoscopy we took her back to the ward where, after an hour or so, she perked up and we watched the usual Hogmanay television.  I had my can of Carlsberg that I had smuggled in earlier that day and Tabby promised not to tell.

They did say the anti-fungals would have side effects!

 

Tabby’s bronchoscopy confirmed she had a “fungal pneumonia”. She was commenced on and fungal drugs – horrible. Her condition, however, rapidly improved and a week later she was discharged. Although she missed the first week of school, Tabby returned to school 2 days ago. Maybe back to tennis tomorrow?

Recovering from Tabby's bronchoscopy!

If Ewan leaves his lap-top behind, the posts will be regular again.

Once again thanks to everyone for their love and support over the last few weeks especially every one at Kirkliston Parish Church. A special thanks to Maggie McC for her generosity in providing food deliveries for Ewan and I, especially a wonderful lasagne which has converted Ewan into a bona fide lasagne lover  

 

Thanks for reading and all the best for 2014

The Lawsons