Easter Bonnets and Bar-b-ques

Since the start of the year, Tabby has been going to ward 2 at the "Sick Kids" between 2 and 5 times a week for chemotherapy, blood and marrow tests. Last week, she and Donella returned for a consultant update. Our consultant, Dr Thomas, told the medical students in attendence that Tabby was the model patient and despite all that was going on was still going to school and playing tennis and going swimming. Tabby is amazing!

At the end of last week Tabby had a blood transfusion as she was getting a bit anaemic. We cannot decide if the donor was Usain Bolt or Rhianna. She has not stopped running around, dancing or singing since. We can barely keep up!

Without doubt the chemo does take its toll - unexpected tummy or back pains, sickness and lots of early nights. Tabby may feel really hungry but as soon as food appears she has a sore tummy and cannot eat. At other times all her old favourites taste horrible or just yeuch. So far, however, chicken fajitas remain a winner. It can be very hard and we just have to go with the flow.

There are so many things that Tabby wants to do and although she feels well enough, with only a handful of white blood cells she is really susceptible to any infection or bug going round - she has just finished a course of antibiotics for a chesty cough. She really wanted to go to Sunday school today, but for all these reasons, we thought it best for her to stay ay home. Tabby cannot wait to go back to Sunday School and see all her friends again.

We have had a good weekend. Tabby made an Easter Bonnet at school and proudly wore it when I picked her up on Friday.

Today Donella, Tabby, Olivia and I went for a cycle around Dundas estate. In the warm sunshine we saw pheasants, swans, rabbits and llamas (yes there is a field of them at Dundas).

When we got home we cleaned all our garden furniture and had the first Bar-b-que of the year - until the gas cannister ran out! Hey, who cares? It was just nice to sit out in the warm evening sun. Here's hoping for a long warm lazy summer.

Next week for the first time since December, Tabby has a Chemo-free week. The week after, however, the gloves are off!

We start on the "Escalating Capizzi Regimen". This is an intensive period of high dosage of chemotherapy. Although all is scheduled on an 0ut-patient basis, we have been warned that most children on this protocol need to be admitted as an in-patient at some stage. We will wait and see. Rest assured we will keep you posted.

As ever, thankyou for reading this blog, your support and your prayers,

The Lawsons

A busy 2 weeks for Tabby

Lunch with Tabby and Miss Piggy

Firstly my apologies for the delay in posting this blog. It has been a busy fortnight - but a good one. Obviously by reading this, you have all accessed the blog page. To add things to the blog, my understanding is that you have to set up a "Google" account which then allows you to actually post things on the blog. I openly admit that Olivia did the clever stuff for me and I can just about keep things ticking over. If any of the Tabbynews bloggers can give some tips and tricks as to how to contribute to the blog, I would be delighted for you to post some instruction to those who do not have ready access to a teenager.

Two big things happened last week-end. Donella had a significant birthday and we enjoyed a long, lazy, extended family lunch on Saturday 3rd at a restaurant in town. Tabby and I had been at the "Sick Kids" that morning for her chemo and she was in fine fettle for Donella's lunch - though ate very little.

The same day, our good friend Felicity Keating hosted a girls' fund raising day in aid of "Its Good to Give". They raised £2000 which is phenomenal. From all of us , very many thanks for contributing to this local charity which makes our journey through the "Sick Kids" all the more bearable.

Tabby has attended the "Sick Kids" on 10 mornings over the last 2 weeks for her chemo therapy. Throughout this time, she has continued to go to school where possible. Last Monday admittedly, she only lasted 40 minutes before she had to go home feeling unwell. Having perked up by lunchtime, she was eager as ever to go back! The rest of the time she has her early morning chemo then goes off to school for the rest of the day. She obviously has not grasped the concept of "Throwing a sickie".

Tabby loves school. She is involved in the P2 Show "Humpty Dumpty - was he pushed or did he fall?" She is so animated about the event and we really hope she is well enough to take part when the time comes. Tabby also enjoyed Mr Luxford-Moore's blue sky thinking about the Hamish character in Moira Munro's books.

After her chemo today, we recieved Tabby's blood results. The chemo is obviously having an effect. It appears that Edinburgh indeed has more pandas than Tabby has white cells! She is also pretty anaemic. On the telephone, the "Sick Kids" nurse was was reading out Tabby's results and because of Tabby's low haemoglobin was asking if she was tired and listless. At that very moment, Tabby was hunting through the cupboard for her tennis raquet, delighted that with her "Wiggly" removed she could run around a bit! We went ot the David Lloyd, played 20 minutes of tennis then swam for half an hour. Afterwards, over a beer and "Fruit shoot", I asked Tabby how she was feeling with all that has happened. The first thing she said was that everyone was being so nice and kind. The chemo can make her feel sick and gives her back and tummy pains but otherwise she felt ok.

Hopefully we have a quiet week ahead - fewer visits to hospital. Tabby is due to get a blood transfusion on Thursday to pink her up a little followed by another dreaded Aspariginase intra-muscular injection. Understandably, she still hates these. She sits on my lap with her leg ready for the injection and has become infamous for using every delaying tactic in the book. "I'm going to sneeze", "I neeed a hankie" or just "Wait a minute". If she had been in charge of the space shuttle it would never have got off the ground. My main concern is that in the melee the nurse misses her and gets my leg instead!

Lastly I would like to thank everyone in Lochcarron for their continued thoughts and prayers and wish the Strome Ferry good fortune. I would also like to thank Joy Harry and Louise for rekindling our family's love of Pippi Longstocking and her adventures.

Keep in touch,

The Lawsons

Blue Badges and Muppets

At the start of last week, Tabby received a very important package - something we had all been waiting for. Yes - her blue disabled parking badge arrived. Although it will be another 11 years before Tabby even gets her provisional driver's licence, I am sure it will be well used before it expires in 2 years time. So when I arrived home from work last Monday, Tabby waved this permit around in front of my face exclaiming "Look Daddy, it's official, I'm disabled!" Before everyone gasps in horror I should point out she was grinning from ear to ear as she said this. I'm not sure who she gets this sense of humour from.

Anyway, even after one week, the blue parking permit has been really useful - no more raking around for change or looking for empty parking bays around the "Sick Kids" (or "Harvey Nicks").

On Wednesday morning, Tabby had more chemotherapy iv injection then we drove up to St.Andrews to meet Olivia who appeared to have no lectures or tutorials at all that day. We wandered around the town that afternoon, had ice-creams then booked into the St.Andrews Fairmont at St.Andrews Bay. Lovely Hotel, but completely deserted. Tabby and I went to the spa and for the first time since her diagnosis, Tabby went for a swim. She was a bit anxious at first but after a few minutes was back in her element. So good to see!

The next morning, after a full "Scottish Breakfast" we headed back to Edinburgh and watched the "Muppet Movie" at the cinema. The cinema made Fairmont look overcrowded. For 90% of the film there was only Tabby, Donella and myself in the theatre. It was a bit surreal. Tabby's doctors at the "Sick Kids" did warn us to avoid large crowds of children and people who may pass on colds and flu. I didn't know it would be this easy. Tabby loved the film and already wants to see it again. It was actually very funny with a show-stopping ballad entitled "Am I a man or a Muppet?". Have any other Dad's felt a link with this song or is it just me?

On Friday, Tabby and I went swimming again at the David Lloyd. We met her old swimming teacher who had heard about her illness and was really encouraging having seen other children with leukaemia making a complete recovery. These are stories we will never tire of hearing.

On Saturday, Olivia's friend Annie brought Tabby a present of a mobile glow dome. You can see it's pretty cool. What's more it appears that I was the only one in the family who could figure out how to set it up and get it working. As some-one who still struggles to switch on the i-pad I took this to be a small but significant victory.

Given that a larger crowd than at the Muppet Movie was anticipated, I didn't take Tabby to Murrayfield to watch the Scotland - France game. You will note that I have now stopped trying to make predictions. A great effort, but still not enough to win - yet. It will come, keep the faith. As part of the medical team for the day you witness how these guys commit everything to their game. They deserve a win so much.

Tabby was back at school today. She took my Murrayfield Stadium Pass to "Show and Tell". I am not sure how exciting that would be - "That's Dad and we lost". Tabby even took part in P.E. today. As her hair continues to thin, she now wears a little "bandana"(I am sure there is a more accurate term). I picked her up from school today and as she ran across the playground wearing her little red and white bandana, she looked great. Not a dry eye in the house!

We didn't go skiing in Canada for the half term break as planned but these few days off have been such a boost and so welcome.

Thanks again for reading,

Best wishes,

The Lawsons

Mulan and Muffin

Tabby and "Muffin" the cat

I suspect a long interval between blogs is a good sign. "No news is good news". This has probably been our most normal week yet. Tabby went to school for the first 3 mornings of the week (Chemo again on Thursday) and then stayed the whole day on Friday. Donella had gone to pick her up at lunchtime as usual but was sent away as Tabby was simply having too much fun to go home early.

This was a special "Book Week" at the school, where Tabby and her class-mates heard stories and readings from lots of different authors. On Friday they were asked to come to school as a character from a book.

At this point I should like to thank Margaret and Gordon who recently returned from a holiday to the far East. They brought back an outfit from Singapore for Tabby. Their present and their timing were perfect. Tabby went as "Mulan" - the little chinese girl who became a soldier to save her Father. No wonder Tabby didn't want to come home early on Friday.

Thursday's Chemo at the "Sick Kids" was the i.v. injection and the Intra-muscular injection of asparaginase into her left thigh. This injection is a sore one and tends to hang over her whole week. It's the only thing Tabby is not getting used to. She even asked this week if she could have a general anaesthetic for it. Once it's over, she is pretty chirpy again.

Without becoming too emmotional about things, what made my week complete was that today, when I got home from work, Tabby came running up the hall to greet me with a hug. Until now she has just been too tired and washed-out and I usually come home and find her asleep or dozing on the sofa. This may seem a minor event but given what has happened over the last few weeks it means a great deal. I admit there have been times when I wondered would she be able to do it again? We know that Tabby's chemo really cranks up a few gears towards the end of March so until then we will have a bit of fun!

As ever, thank you all for reading this blog.

We have so many, many people to thank for their generosity and support.

Keep in touch,

The Lawsons

Calcutta Cup and Primary 2K

Those of you who read last week's blog will remember my two parting wishes. Sadly, Scotland did not beat England at Murrayfield but I am pleased to say that Tabby managed a couple of days back at school. In front of a crowd of 67,000 supporters, preceded by massed pipes and drums and fireworks - Scotland still failed to beat the "Auld Enemy".







On Monday morning, however, Tabby returned to class p2K to an equally overwhelming welcome. She was so pleased to be back for the day but none the less was absolutely exhausted by the afternoon. The following morning she was a little reluctant to return having felt that she had been the centre of attention all the previous day. Fortunately by Tuesday much of the novelty factor had worn off and Tabby reported a near normal day back at school. For the rest of the week it was back to the "Sick Kids" on a daily basis for more chemo - so no more school.




This week, for the first time since Tabby was diagnosed with leukaemia, she has had problems with nausea and sickness. I am sure this is the effect of her new chemo regime. Tabby is now on daily anti-nausea medicine which does appear to be working. After the recent excesses of her steroid-driven appetite, however, she really is eating very little at the moment. She needs constant encouragement. Paninis no longer seem to be the attraction they once were! We'll see how things go.





I think we are all so amazed how mature and phlegmatic Tabby has been over the last few weeks. She obviously remains scared and anxious of each new development in her treatment but so far has been so level headed - for a six year old. Today is another example. Olivia has just returned for a ski trip to Val Thorens and Ewan is off next week to Utah skiing with the school. Donella, Tabby and I were due to go to Canada skiing with friends next week as well. Tabby had been so excited but now appreciates that it will be some time before we could manage such a trip again. We talked about it in "Build-a-Bear" today. No tears or tantrums - just accepting and keen to go skiing again when she can. Then we bought more clothes for her bears.


Tomorrow its my turn to take Tabby to "Sick Kids" for more iv Chemotherapy - the 5th consecutive day. She will then have her "wiggly" removed until her next chemo on Thursday. After that we will go home and watch Scotland beat Wales 24-15 at Cardiff Arms Park.

We can but dream,



Thanks to all of you for reading this blog,



The Lawsons

Pandas and Red Noses

After the gloom of Tabby's recent bone marrow result, we took Monday afternoon off and went to the Zoo! It was great. We took the precaution of borrowing a wheelchair for Tabby. Quite a work out pushing it up hill all afternoon. When we got to the highest point, Tabby got out and walked for the rest of the day! Any resemblance to the wee chap in "Little Britain" is purely coincidental.

We saw the girl panda who did everything a cute and cuddley panda should do. Tabby was really happy. The male, I think, was still digesting bamboo shoots. No sign of "Kung-Fu Panda" there. More like "Can't Pooh Panda".

Thanks to the help of colleagues at the Royal Infirmary, I was able to join Donella and Tabby at the "Sick Kids" yesterday for the start of Tabby's new chemo regime. Tabby had her usual general anaesthetic and spinal chemo in the morning and in the afternoon started her intravenous infusion of cyclophosphamide through her "Wiggly". While we sat with her infusion, we were visited again by the "Clown Doctors" who gave Tabby a big red nose - to match her Dad's.

A previously unreported side effect of cyclophosphamide

Tabby's menu of chemotherapy over the next few months does read like an astronomer's star chart with names such as: 6-Mercaptopurine, Doxorubicin, PegAsparaginase, Cytarabine and Vincristine and many more. All names I remember from medical school but had no idea what they did. With all this, Tabby is now on other medicines to counter-act their side effects - mainly nausea and tummy pains.

It will take a couple of weeks before Tabby's new chemo regime takes effect so we have a window of opportunity over the next few days for Tabby to go to school for the odd visit or perhaps Sunday School. This largely depends on how she feels and whether her white cell remains high enough to resist any other child's sniffles and coughs she may come into contact with. By the end of the month we have been warned that school visits may not be possible for a while. "Hagan-Mail" continues to supply us with home work from Mrs Krumins for which we are all very grateful. Unlike Ewan's Higher Prelim revision, I can just about help Tabby with her work.

As ever we are always so grateful for everyone's goodwishes and help. Tabby was delighted to receive letters and get well cards recently from all her friends and teachers at Sunday Club and we would like to thank Maggie Lane and everyone at Kirkliston Parish Church for their continued prayers and support.


I hope the next blog will report that Tabby visited her classmates and that Scotland won the Calcutta Cup on Saturday.


Thanks for reading the Blog,

Keep in touch,

The Lawsons

MRD +VE

Yes we got Tabby's recent bone marrow biopsy test back. MRD stands for "minimal residual disease" and is a very, very sensitive way of determining the proportion of leukaemic cells still viable. My understanding is that a positive result (MRD +ve) means that there is still a significant number of viable leukaemic cells. Around 1/3 of patients have this result and as a consequence progress onto a much more aggressive chemotherapy protocol. Not really the news we wanted. We have gone from "Diet Chemo" (protocol A) to "Cask Strength Chemo" (protocol C)

Over the next 10 weeks Tabby's chemo will be a full time occupation. Although largely as a day case, she will, at times, be attending hospital up to 5 times a week for injections, infusions, boluses and the rest. I don't want Donella to have to do all the hospital runs - and the waiting and waiting. I plan on reducing my workload as much as possible. Quite frankly it is difficult to remain empathetic when faced with a patient complaining of a bit of a niggle when I think of what is happening to Tabby up at "Sick Kids"! The phrases "Man up!" or "Get over it" are often only seconds away.

Tabby and her Kiwi from New Zealand

Despite all this MeRDe news, one of Tabby's nurses is due to go to her class soon to discuss with her classmates what has been happening over the last month or so. We hope that Tabby will be able to attend p2K soon for the odd afternoon or morning. We may have to upsize her uniform a bit! I am not sure her school blouse will fit her at the moment. We now have Tabby's wig. When she tried it on last week Ewan and I both thought she looked a bit like the Vicar of Dibley (neither of us dared to say so at the time). Tabby does not need her wig yet and I think in the meantime we will ask Ruby's Mum to lighten it with a few highlights ready for when the time comes.

Meanwhile, Tabby has been pretty good this "steroid-free" week. Certainly a bit more like her old self. She was particularly delighted to receive a Kiwi from Ali in New Zealand - the power of the internet! In fact we would all like to thank all of you have taken the time to look at this blog - old friends and friends from all corners of the globe. Your messages of support mean so much.

Best wishes,

The Lawsons