Platelets

Being at home this week has mainly involved pottering around, shopping and cooking! Holly has been helping with all the various dishes she has been demanding and has made cottage pie, lasagne and even helped with roast chicken and all the trimmings. Her appetite has been good (thankfully) and she has been feeling really well.

We noticed on Friday that she had a few bruises come up on her legs and her nose had been bleeding a little bit. This is a sure sign that her platelets are low. Platelets deal with the clotting of the blood so if they go too low she would be at risk of a serious bleed that wouldn't stop. I called the community nurses and they were great, they were round within the hour to take a full blood count. The results came through about 4.30pm and her platelets were only 11 (Holly usually shows symptoms under 20) so a transfusion was needed. Lister called to let me know that they had a cubicle reserved for her and they would call me later to let me know when to bring her in. To cut a long, boring story short they told us to come in by 8pm, the platelets weren't put up until 10.30pm and she didn't get home until after midnight! Its safe to say that both times she has had to go to Lister they didn't impress! I think that being used to Addenbrookes really spoils you as they are so efficient.

Holly had a lovely lie in this morning and Ben got up with the Little Monsters so I managed a lie in until 7.30am! We have had a word with them today and asked for 8am tomorrow (not holding my breath though).

As it was such a gorgeous day we decided to all go to Van Hages for the afternoon. This was like a well planned military operation as, due to the 2 big car seats in now, we needed to take 2 cars. Apparently I drive much too quickly....
We wandered round the animals, Izzy explored all the houses/sheds and myself, Holly and Izzy had a ride on the minature steam train. It was a great afternoon rounded off with a cup of tea and ice creams all round.

We are due back in Addenbrookes on Tuesday for round 7 of chemo.