Sunday 31st May 2009

Apologies for not writing sooner. normal life is busy,and there's not so much time to dwell on past agonies, and no time at all to sit at the computer and type! Since last writing, we have been back to UCH for the next 2 monthly check up and all was well. Chest x-ray was clear and they were really pleased with how Sarah was doing - they said she looked fantastic and healthy which was a relief all round following the worry we had about her sore foot a few weeks before. We have had Sarah's cousin Jo's 30th birthday party too, which was a lovely evening, and a chance for the whole of the Leeson clan (my family!!)to gather together for a night out! First time in ages, and it was lovely to see my 2 uncles again after so long! It was nice for them to catch up with Sarah too, as they had all been worried, and they couldn't believe she looked so well after all she had been through. Sarah had a lovely time boogying the night away, but we had to leave fairly early as Katie had a hockey final on Sunday morning in Surbiton the next day! We made the trip back and it was worth it as they won 4-2 - a lovely way to finish off Katie's Teddington hockey career before she heads off to the States to her University.
This week has been half term, and Sarah has been to the gym! She went on the rowing machine, the running machine (more a walk, but it went quite fast!) and the cross trainer - once she got going she was going great guns, and she is really keen to go again - Katie is taking her on Tuesday! I'm all for it if it means she is exercising that leg!! This hot weekend meant we were pestered by Sarah to get the pool up - we started filling it up yesterday and it took until today to fill it completely! Sarah had some friends over, and it was FREEZING!!! BUT they got in and even managed to swim - they were in there about 4 hours, and she was like ice when she got out. Still, a nice hot bath sorted her out, and she's safely tucked up in bed and ready for school tomorrow. We had her school report last week and it was amazing! Considering how much school she missed, she didn't get less than a 5a, and actually got mostly 6's, which is above average for her year.I am so proud of how well she is doing, both with her school work and her walking/recovery. We are so busy now, we barely have time to sit and brood over what could be/might have been - I suppose that is one way to cope with the post traumatic stress.Our next appointment is next Monday at Stanmore - leg x-ray and a check up, and the next time we go to UCH will be exactly 1 year to the day that Sarah had her operation - 15th July 2008 seems so long ago, but only 1 year has gone by - but how far we have come. All the children going through this are so resiliant and brave, it is a joy to behold - we hear news from all of them and it makes us pleased and proud of every single one of them. All we can do is pray that their recovery is complete.

Wednesday 6th May`

Sarah is MAD - its official!! Just thought I'd add that - prancing about singing and dancing - MAD I tell you, MAD!!!! Wouldn't change it for the world................and she says she's going to try and go to school with no crutches again tomorrow - pain in foot seems to be going away...doesn't stop her dancing anyway!!

Tuesday 5th May

A bit of worry has been going on in the Ardrey household over the last few weeks. Sarah developed pain in her foot, which I put down to her returning to school after Easter without crutches, with soft, ridiculous 'fashionable' shoes, and hence pain. She went to physio, and she filled me with dread. She was waking at night, complaining it hurt, just like the cancer had returned. She and I were petrified it had come back, so straight on the phone to the specialist bone tumour nurse. She said it was highly unlikely, put a tubigrip on, and see how it goes. Over the weekend, I had to massage it twice daily, and give Nurofen. By Monday, it was still hurting, and I was a nervous wreck, so on the phone again to book an appointment for an x-ray. Bolsover Street Thursday, 9 x-rays at various points around her foot, and ankle, and 4 hours of waiting. Eventually, we saw Dr Pong (!!?) who said it all looked OK, leg was straight, and we had to assume it was a stress injury that might not be showing up yet. She was to carry on as normal and go back to crutches until it stopped hurting. Panic over!! Since then, she still gets me to massage the foot, but I think she's winding me up, and just likes it!! If you don't mention it, she doesn't say anything, and even went to a Laserquest party last night and spent an hour and a half running about shooting people! We have an appointment with Maria at UCH next Wednesday, so will hold our breath for a while longer, but fingers crossed all will be well again. Pictures are for Charlotte, who wanted to see the thatch of hair Sarah has grown. So curly its funny!!! I showed Sarah the picture of the back curls,and she said she had no idea what it looked like, and didn't know it was sooooo curly!!.