Prevention Mode

My 2 year old daughter woke up with a streaming nose this morning. Quite unexpectedly, but we have come to learn this is normal for infants. Otherwise she has been her normal, cheeky self - playing in the sunshine and paddling pool, making imaginary cups of tea with her plastic tea set on the lawn. A lovely day.



However, the slime trail from her nasal passages kept coming and so we started to take note. We took her temperature around lunch time and it was a little elevated, but not too much. Then we took it again after tea time and it had climbed further - she was ill!

The medical professionals have been very good with me. They have explained that one of the biggest threats to me whilst having chemotherapy is the risk of infection. Not only does the chemo kill the cancer cells, it also kills other cells including the bone marrow which is responsible for creating new blood and anti-bodies. My immune system is virtually going off-line during the course of the treatment over the next 6 months. So great is the risk I have been issued with a state of the art thermometer to take regular temperature readings of myself; I have a special 'red card' that I am to present to the Emergency Room if I have to go in which bumps me straight to the front of the queue and triggers various protocols; I have a 24 hour hotline number to the hospital and the cancer ward in case I think I am infected; if my temperature goes above 37.5°C I have to phone; if it gets to 38°C I need to go straight in to A&E. Basically even a normal infection that one could usually 'shake off' is potentially life threatening.

So a snotty nose is serious.

My wife and I had given thought to this potential 'what if' scenario earlier and so we swung into prevention mode. Basically this means either my wife and daughter leaving home for the duration of the illness, or me doing likewise. We both have sets of parents living near by which makes this possible, which is a massive blessing! This time, my wife and daughter packed a bag and headed off the her parent's house.

Meanwhile I sanitised the remote controls and after putting possibly contaminated toys away, washed hands and alcohol gelled them. Something I have been repeating on a regular basis since my first chemotherapy session.

It has been rather quiet in the house tonight. No 'In The Night Garden' on telly, although I did get to watch a few episodes of the new 'Colony'. But it's rather lonely without my family around. The bed feels emptier too.

Temperature monitoring of myself has been good so far tonight. I am still in a position where my treatment is not very advanced yet, so my immune system should still be functioning somewhat. I have been told that between day 7 and day 14 of the chemo treatment cycle is the time when I am most vulnerable. Today is only day 5, so God willing I should be alright.

My wife phoned half an hour ago and said that our daughter is indeed ill and they had to give her Calpol to help her sleep and to bring down her temperature tonight. So I guess we have done the right thing and I do hope she will get better soon so that I can be with them again.

It's funny, when I magined living a life with cancer or going through the turmoil of chemotherapy this was not something that entered my mind as something I would have to deal with. It is a steep learning curve! Nevertheless, God is in control. I am safe in His arms. All I can do is trust and wait.

#2miraclesinthemaking