How's Maddy doing ?

Third Year

2011-09-14T16:58:00.003+01:00

It's been over a year - loads has happened and Maddy's still thriving in Birmingham.
The big news is that she had a very successful second year with NO RESITS (hurrah!) and is now starting her clinical years where she is increasingly hospital-based.

Here's a taster of the how they started 3rd year - in fancy dress, no less.

First Year exams.....

2010-06-20T14:43:00.004+01:00

....done and dusted.
A predictable nervy few days before the results were announced, anticipating the worst....
Then on Friday (18 June), M learned she had passed everything 1st time, without any resits.
Sure this may be normal for most undergrads, but bear in mind that more than one-third of last year's first year at B'ham Medicine had to undertake one or more resists, and the confidence wobbles become understandable.
Better still, all next year's flatmates will also progress with no resists too !
Here's a pic of M with 2 of them, taken whilst out clubbing earlier this year.

Big day

2010-04-30T20:29:00.003+01:00

Maddy went to Jimmy's Children's day hospital today, for her 6 month check-up. It's almost 5 years since her diagnosis.
The consultation itself was very predictable and uneventful.
More interestingly, the slip the doctor passed her at the end of the consultation to take to reception - normally to book the next appointment - read:

"Discharged - LTFU"

That translates as Long-term Follow-up.

It means M's next trip to Jimmy's will only be annual, to the adult unit in the Bexley Wing.
This was her last time in the Children's Day Hospital.
A big day, worthy of note on the blog, M thought.

And in the rest of her life.....?

Maddy is 'coping' with Med School, - "some days it feels harder than chemo", she confessed.
Exams start in 10 days and the pressure is on.
But she is happy about her situation, works really hard and loves it, most of the time.

Why does she love it?

New friends;
Social life;
Big city;
Independence.

Who'd have dared to think it, 5 years ago ?

Take care now.

A level results day...

2009-08-20T17:22:00.003+01:00

4 A's.....wey hey !!!

beckons.

Here's how Maddy feels about it !

UCAS 2009 - Done and dusted

2009-04-01T23:00:00.003+01:00

OK, almost 8 months have passed since the last post and you're all very deserving of an update.
All is well as Maddy continues to thrive at Greenhead with a very promising outcome from the A2 module exams in January. Top grades throughout in the summer are not to be taken for granted. There's no complacency, but it's looking a very realistic prospect now.
That's probably just as well as, after the trauma of this year's intensively competitive UCAS round, Mads is basking in the glory of 3 medicine offers,...including, most valuably, her first choice.
So, the University of Birmingham Medical School beckons for late September. Time now to address the vexed issue of finance, sort vaccinations, accommodation etc.
A fabulously weird combination of elation and relief from family and friends (and Mads herself) at this very poignant achievement.
More later.....

AS Results

2008-08-15T19:36:00.003+01:00

Maddy's just received her AS results and secured the only grade she knows in all 4 subjects, that's A grade in Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics....not just scraped A's either but all very very comfortable A grades - modesty forbids any more detail, but take it as read she doesn't need to waste time on any resits !
One significant step nearer Med School !

Still here - 9 months later !

2008-06-03T20:33:00.002+01:00

Maddy is fit, well and incredibly busy. Jimmy's/NHL and all that, increasingly seems like a distant memory.
She's currently deeply immersed in AS level exams at Greenhead College, Huddersfield - Biology and Physics are over, Chemistry tomorrow, Maths on Friday - party on Friday night !
You've all been very patient, so we'll get some photos up here over the next few weeks.
Take care y'all !

Summer '07 update

2007-09-05T23:40:00.000+01:00

OK, it's been a while so there's quite a bit of news to catch up with.
Firstly, as you might expect from this time of year, Madeleine has enjoyed a couple of holidays this summer.
Early in the summer, she spent a week with Helen, Alex & Nicola, camping in Newquay. The rather average weather didn't dampen spirits and they had a great time, of course. A few weeks later, the family spent just 3 weeks in total, with 2 weeks in the Italian Lakes (L. Lugano) wih some fairly leisurely travelling via France and Switzerland each way. There are plenty of pics of both trips and these will be uploaded on the next update.
Meanwhile, GCSE's have been and gone. M has excelled herself beyond everyone's hopes and expectations (including her own) with very impressive results (5 A* and 6 A grades).
Everyone is more than pleased....;-)
HB Times article

She's now starting her A level programme in 3 sciences plus maths at Greenhead College in Huddersfield. First impressions are very positive.
More later....
P.S. Almost without noticing,....we're now past the second anniversary of the end of chemo. Time flies when you're busy.

Farewell to GCSE's, Year 11 and Calder High.....The Prom

2007-07-10T19:56:00.000+01:00

Maddy's done what she needs to do and ultimately, worked rather hard for her exams - the results in August will show the fruits of her efforts.
Meanwhile end of term/exams/school/era festivities continue with THE PROM.
The photos are all pretty self-explanatory.

Photos

2007-05-16T21:17:00.000+01:00

As promised, here's a couple of pics of Maddy taken over the last few weeks or so.....looking cool, or what.....???!!!

Second year anniversaries....

2007-05-11T15:27:00.000+01:00

We’re into the second anniversary season, although to be honest, school exams are more of a concern for Maddy and family right now. Everything’s going fine so far, but M’s working really hard to ensure she does herself justice with the results. (She’s passed her Music Theory Grade 5 since the last blog, BTW – hurrah !).

Next Sunday, Maddy, Bertie, Julie & Chris are running the Candlelighters fundraiser at Bramham Park (Bob’s playing football in Blackpool). Long-standing blog viewers may recall last year’s event ? We’re all looking forward to it, anyway.

The Crown Court finals in Cardiff went well, although Calder were up against some serious opposition (eventual winners ?), and so lost out in the preliminary round, but the whole team acquitted themselves very honourably, regardless.

There’s no news on the health front…….and that’s just fine, as from this point on, no news just feels like good news.

Pics have been absent from the blog recently, so that will be addressed within a day or so (promise !) acknowledging M’s 16th birthday (hurrah again !)

Take care dear blog-readers and bye for now.

Sorry it's been so long....

2007-02-14T16:31:00.000Z

...but everything's just fine with Maddy.
Since the last blog entry, Maddy has had a routine heart scan and a 3-monthly check up at Jimmy's and all is well. She feels fine and is in very good health.
Apart from that, she is really busy at school, working as hard as ever in the run-up to GCSE's. She did really well in the mock exams just before Christmas and (this is really excellent !) despite everything, still managed to sit her GCSE Maths six months early, in November, and come out with an A grade.
Apart from that, she's also been very involved in the Bar Mock Trials run by the Citizenship Foundation. Calder High entered the Yorkshire regional heats in Leeds....and won ! Maddy was a defence lawyer and now goes on to the the national final in Cardiff in March.

Here's a link to the site

And this is the entry on the school's own website.

Ok, that's caught up for now - more later, hopefully without such a long pause between postings .... ;->

Hospital update

2006-11-28T20:16:00.000Z

Regular check-ups are still really important for Maddy, although they're becoming less frequent now.
She still visits the clinic at Jimmy's every 3 months, just to make sure everything seems normal with her health - and so far that's just how it's happened.
Her last visit was earlier this month (November) and all checked out OK.
the next visit (in February '07) will include a heart scan, just to see how that's functioning approx 18 months post-chemo - no specific concerns - it's all part of the excellent service.

EuroDisney - (courtesy of Make A Dream)

2006-11-28T20:05:00.000Z

The whole family enjoyed a 3 day break to EuroDisney, Paris, courtesy of the Yorkshire-based charity, Make A Dream.
It was a fabulous trip with a lot packed in, especially on the second day, when the family evem managed a few hours break from the parks with a visit to the city, including a museum and an evening meal. The highlights (all somehow involving M !) can be seen on this gallery (click the thumbnails for the bigger picture).

Much appreciation to the charity for their very kind sponsorship of the trip.

Bugsy Malone....

2006-09-22T15:35:00.000+01:00

...is the next big event in Maddy's life.
With the show scheduled for 3 evening performances plus a Saturday matinee from 12-14 October, the cast have all been very busy with rehearsals and the pace really hots up now.
Here's the Tod News write-up from a few months ago

Tickets/advanced bookings: Telephone 01422 846433

We'll update this, with pictures as they become available

365 days....

2006-09-02T00:30:00.000+01:00

...that's what the clock on the right says today (2 September).
One year since Maddy's all clear following her chemo - time flies when you're busy eh ?!
Here's a little celebratory movie - click this link !

Long overdue update

2006-07-31T20:51:00.000+01:00

Yes, it's been about 6 weeks since the last entry - sorry about that folks, but things haven't really quitened down much.....whatever....
The pics from Greece are still in the pipeline I'm afraid (a traditional camera !), so you'll have to wait a while for those, but there's still plenty of other news.
School was busy right up to the end, mostly with exams in June (RS short course, science modules and mock maths), then with trips and activities. The trips included Malham, the Lakes, Lightwater Valley, ten pin bowling in Halifax and a day at Oxford (univ taster ?!)
The highlight of the activities was the Young Brilliance event at Square Chapel for the Arts in Halifax - a music, dance and drama extravaganza involving around 150 students. (Maddy was dancing .... quelle surprise !)
Outside school, it's not been exactly quiet, with relentless rehearsals for Bugsy Malone (performance in October), and a small-scale murder-mystery party for the theatre crowd....here they are assembled on the patio, with aperitifs (just before the rain set in !)

She also managed to squeeze in a trip to visit Hazel & Mark in Kent, as a stopover for a fabulous day at Wimbledon. At first attempt, Maddy & her mum got centre court tickets for the Friday of the second week - that's men's semi-final's day.

Here's a few pics.....As if that

wasn't enough, Maddy's now away for 10 days at the Woodcraft Folk International Camp in Kent (feeling tired yet.....?......more later.....

Greece

2006-06-20T16:07:00.000+01:00

Hot on the heels of the dance show, just a few hours after it finished in fact, Maddy was setting off with Georgina (schoolmate and neighbour) and her family for a week in Captain Corelli country - Cephallonia, Greece.
Pics will follow very shortly.

Dance

2006-05-28T12:01:00.000+01:00

Once a year, the major youth dance organisation in Calderdale, Dance 4 All, put on a show at the Victoria Theatre in Halifax (two shows, in fact - matinee and evening performance), usually in May. Last year, it was a bit earlier, on 7 May, and Maddy danced a couple of numbers in both shows. She got very tired as she was quite thin by then - but most importantly, for her and for the show, she kept dancing. It was the last significant thing she did before the awareness of her cancer emerged. Everyone was getting very concerned as it was obvious she was quite ill...but we still didn't know why.
One year later - the show's on at the end of May this time - and it feels very different. Maddy looks quite different - essentially she looks a lot stronger and healthier, but she has looked forward to the performance with just the same enthusiaism and enjoyment as she does every year.
Here she is with brother Bertie and friend Helen in the rehearsal studio on the day of the show: (click the pics for an enlarged view)
The show itself was fabulous (as always) with Hebden Bridge Seniors being allocated the prestigous last slot on the billing before the final curtain call. More than that, there are just two awards made for contribution and committment to the dance company and for achievement. Maddy was awarded the Megan Briggs Trophy (contribution etc), partly because she has been dancing with the company for 11 years now, but also, no doubt, because of the last year and bouncing back so strongly to dance again this year.

More pics as promised

2006-05-21T20:14:00.000+01:00

One more photo from Bramham Park last weekend, Maddy upside down in a gyroscope-type 'thing'. The other three are from her 'Big Kids' birthday party on Saturday (20 May), playing daft party games and enjoying the company of her m8s.

Big weekend

2006-05-15T08:29:00.000+01:00

This weekend just past has been massive in so many ways. The second weeked of May is memorable for the Yates family as it typically provides a chance for a combined birthday celebration meal for Maddy (10th) and her dad (12th). Last year though was also very memorable but for very different reasons - as Maddy and her mum learnt from the fabulous Dr Kumar of the general diagnosis of "tumour" on 12th, mum & dad met with Dr Kumar at Calderdale hopsital on 13th and Maddy had MRI & CT scans on 16th and was then admitted to St James's on that same day. Not a weekend to forget - ever.
One year on and things feel so very different. On Fiday 12th, Chris (dad) watched Maddy and brother Bob singing and dancing with Calder Valley Youth Theatre on the stage of Hebden Bridge Little theatre - Mum saw it twice - on Thursday and Saturday. Saturday also saw visits from Grandad, Eileeen & Wendy - to watch the FA Cup Final. Despite the late night on Saturday (after-show party for Maddy & Bob) and a gig for Chris, the whole family were up very bright and early on Sunday to drive to Bramham Park near Wetherby, Leeds for the Greggs bakery Fun Run in aid of Candlelighters, the chidren's cancer charity based at Jimmy's. The whole family took part, all getting the medals and the T-shirts (brother Bob came 11th out of 400). Then around lunchtime, the family sped to Liverpool to watch the open-top bus tour of Liverpool FC returning with the FA Cup.
Over an hour's hanging around Queens Drive (nr the Rocket) for about one minute's madness and jumping about before the relative calm returned. Somehow it was worth it.
On the return home, a stop at Frankie & Benny's in Bury for a dual birthday celebration tea.
Here's a couple of pics before and after the Fun Run:

...more will be added to the post very shortly - come back soon.

Not just busy....mad busy

2006-04-11T19:32:00.000+01:00

It's been quite a while since the last update - life has been quite a whirlwind for the Yates family, especially Maddy and everyone's just catching their breath, so there's a brief opportunity to make amends for the lack of news.
Maddy is fit and well and has been enjoying a very active social life.

Since returning from holiday, she has:
- hosted a French exchange student, Manon, for 8 days;
- performed with the Hebden Bridge Light Opera and Dramatic Society ni their production of 'Songs from the Shows' at HB Little Theatre;
- auditioned for the Youth Theatre's production of Bugsy Malone in October and secured the part of Tallulah;
- been to weekly rehearsals to dance with the RJC dance company alongside various staff and patients from Ward 10T at Jimmy's in preparation for....
- the launch of the Jimmyteens DVD at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, complete with red carpet and all the thrills of the Oscar's - here's a clip of the dance and a clip of Maddy's presentation;
- 5 days later, she's off to London, with staff and patients from Jimmy's to meet up with other TCU folk at the Albert Hall in London for the Teenage Cancer Trust gig that night, starring Goldfrapp, going backstage after the gig and generally living it up with an overnight stay....top stuff !!!
- in and amongst all this activity, managed to fit in the occassional visit to school, submit the odd piece of GCSE science coursework and so on .... ;->
- oh, and she's had a couple of visits to the clinic as part of her routine monitoring, plus an ultrasound scan last Friday (7/4)....and everything's fine.
Well over 7 months post-chemo now, and it's still looking good.

Tenerife

2006-03-09T21:00:00.000Z

Maddy and her family spent a great fortnight in Tenerife during February.
The weather was fine, generally warm and dry, and everyone enjoyed the volcanic lansdscapes, whale watching, meals out etc.
Here's a selection of pics that pretty well speak for themselves:

Manchester

2006-01-27T21:35:00.000Z

In an attempt to beat the post-Christmas blues, the family spent a day in Manchester in mid-January. The afternoon saw everyone preoccupied at the excellent City Art Gallery. The first pic shows Maddy and Bertie recreating the scene from "Manfred on the Jungfrau" by Ford Madox Brown.
The second pic is (sort of) self-explanatory.

Then it was off to the Hard Rock cafe for tea - a significant venue for sentimental reasons - conveniently sited near Victoria station for the journey home.

En Francais:

Afin d'essayer de battre les bleus de poteau-Noël, la famille a passé un jour à Manchester en mi-Janvier. La scie d'après-midi chacun préoccupé à l'excellente galerie d'art de ville. Les premières expositions pic Maddy et Bertie recréant la scène de "Manfred sur le Jungfrau" par Ford Madox Brown. Le deuxième pic est (sorte de) art de l'auto-portrait-explanatory. Alors il était éteint au Hard Rock café (dur de roche ?) pour le repas - un rendez-vous significatif pour des raisons sentimentales - commodément situé près de la station de Victoria pour la maison de voyage.

New Year - the really good news

2006-01-11T17:13:00.000Z

Quite apart from the symbolism of a new year, 2006 does look to be offering a much more positive outlook for Maddy and family compared with the year just finished.
Maddy and her mum were in Leeds for a routine ultrasound scan, followed by a consultation, last week. The outcome is that the scan looks absolutely clear, just like any normally healthy 14 year old girls's scan should look - "..as if nothing has ever happened...". At this point, 5 months since the end of chemotherapy, this is really excellent news so, of course, we're all very pleased with such a positive prognosis.

En Francais...

Tout à fait indépendamment du symbolisme d'une nouvelle année, 2006 regarde offrir des perspectives beaucoup plus positives pour Maddy et la famille comparée à l'année juste finie. Maddy et sa maman étaient à Leeds pour un balayage courant d'ultrasons, suivi d'une consultation, la semaine dernière. Les résultats sont que le balayage regarde absolument clair, juste comme le balayage de toutes les 14 filles normalement en bonne santé d'an vieilles devraient regarder - "..as si rien ne s'est jamais produit...". En ce moment, pendant 5 mois depuis la fin du chemotherapie, c'est des nouvelles vraiment excellentes ainsi, naturellement, nous sommes tout le très heureux avec un pronostic si positif.

Christmas - the better news

2006-01-08T11:00:00.000Z

We did have some good moments over the holiday.
Here's Maddy and her brothers at a Christngle service:

This pic was taken over Christmas Day lunch - Maddy looks happy (as usual) enough....

One of the presents for Maddy, brother Bob and Dad was tickets to Anfield on Boxing Day to watch Liverpool v Newcastle, Michael Owen's return etc...great day out.....

Oh, and another present was a decent digital camera - hence the better quality of photos - hope you noticed !

Christmas: the not-so-good news

2006-01-02T17:51:00.001Z

Christmas was rather muted this year as Maddy's grandpa (Chris's dad) died just a week earlier. He lived a very full and active life to 77 and died without even waking up.
A blessing for him, but a bit of a shock for everyone else. The funeral was on 23rd.
Consequently, the holiday was a bit difficult, but there were some brighter moments - more on those shortly.

JimmyTeensTV

2005-12-30T15:43:00.000Z

The video clips for the teenage cancer information site have been produced and went live just before Christmas.
This link takes you to the front of the site - you'll need to clink on the All Videos link and browse through them to find Maddy's - entitled port-a-cath removal.
Alternatively, you can follow the link on the pic below that will load the clip directly (you need QuickTime - and Broadband, really - to view it).

Let us know what you think....her family think she's film star material.....

Milestones

2005-12-13T13:33:00.000Z

Just recently, there have been a couple of milestones that you may (may not !) have noticed:
1. Maddy has now passed 100 days since the Ultrasound all clear following her chemotherapy. You can see the count for yourself in the text above the links section near the top RH corner.
That's well over half way to the point where her diet can return to normal (mid Feb '06).
2. This blog has passed its 5000th visit - thanks to all of you out there in Blogviewland.

Meanwhile, Maddy's social life continues unabated. She enjoyed a top weekend in London in early December, seeing 2 shows - (Edward Scissorhands and Billy Elliot), the Rousseau exhibition at the Tate Modern, meals out and a trip on the London Eye - thanks to Tricia for her hospitality (and stamina no doubt...)

Goodbye portacath ! ( and bandanas! )

2005-11-26T16:03:00.000Z

Maddy was back at the Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) on Friday, but for a rather positive purpose this time. Exactly one month before Christmas and just over 6 months since her last vist to the LGI as an inpatient, Maddy was back for to have her portacath removed. The appointment was an early start in Leeds, at 07.30, but this was because she was scheduled to be first on the surgeon's list. It also increased the likelihood that she could return home the same day, so Dad and Maddy were happy to be getting up in the early hours to ensure a timely arrival - (you can't imagine how much traffic there is on the M62 at 06.30, unless you've seen it for yourself !)
The portacath was fitted during surgery at the LGI at the same time as the biopsy for specific diagnosis, back in the third week of May, when everyone was still rather shaken by what was happening. In contrast, this time it was almost fun...and as a neat touch, both the surgeon and the nurse who looked after her last time, were assigned to her case this time. Everyone was very attentive and charming - Dad got quite emotional at the significance of it all. Between them, Maddy and her Dad operated a DV camera to give an insight to the whole procedure, how Maddy felt about it, the administration of the anaesthetic, Maddy's speedy recovery and leaving LGI the same day etc.....to produce some video clips to inform a website for teens with cancer. This is being professionally produced by a team based at Jimmy's - various patients are contributing clips to show the range of procedures involved in chemo etc.... There will be a link from this blog, as soon as the new site goes live, so you should be able to see some of it for yourself !
Meanwhile, Maddy's life continues to revert back to normality...her hair looks really stylish now and she quit using bandanas about a month ago.
After all that's happened, it now feels almost too good to be true, but M's living life as intensely as ever - later this week she's appearing in a big dance show at school and then off to London with Julie for the weekend to see Billy Elliot, go the ballet and out for a meal, with J's fiend Trisha, based down there.
Next hospital encounter: Jimmy's on 30/12 for a routine check-up.

Halloween

2005-11-03T22:00:00.000Z

Helen, Maddy & George before their trip around the neighbourhood.

Flamborough

2005-10-26T11:35:00.000+01:00

The family have spent a fabulous few days at a cottage at Flamborough Head, enjoying quite a mix of wild and woolly weather. The days were spent walking on the cliff tops - bird watching at Bempton cliffs was a particular highlight - eating fish and chips in Bridlington - and visiting loal attractions such as the beach at Flamborough South Landing and Danes Dyke. The evenings were spent in the pub (very impressed with The Seabirds) or playing cards in front of the stove in the cottage.
All in all, a great break for everyone - made possible by the generosity of one of Chris's work colleagues - many thanks, Penny.
Here's a few pics to enjoy:

Oops, almost forgot...As part of her ongoing monitoring, Maddy's had a few MRI scans over the last two weeks or so and the very encouraging news from her consultant, eleven weeks since the end of chemo, is that they look absolutely clear.

Candlelighters Ball at the Royal Armouries

2005-10-01T14:56:00.000+01:00

Saturday 24 September was the night of the charity ball at the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds. The whole family went, all dressed up, together with friends Natalie and Georgina from along the terrace. Each year, Pronuptia offers a number of children, of different ages, a free ballgown for the night - that they get to keep.
Maddy was identified by the hospital staff as the teenage representative - one of the pictures below shows the three lucky girls, including Maddy.
It was a pretty posh affair as evidenced by the stretch-limo traffic jam, as guests arrived around 7pm. The Yates entourage didn't indulge to that extent, but it did prompt the question for next year.
It was a great night with good food, company, music, dancing and games, but the highlight, by consensus was the chocoalate fountain (as seen recently on the Vicar of Dibley - although nobody stuck their head in this one...!).
Here are some pics of the night....:

Sorry for the delay in getting these out to you - been meaning to for a while, but life gets in the way sometimes...

Hebden Bridge Times

2005-09-16T20:05:00.000+01:00

Many blog readers in the Calder Valley may have already spotted this, but for those further afield, here's a chance to catch up with a story in this weeks's HB Times.
Compared with many folk, Maddy's enjoyed good coverage in the local rag................and despite her lymphoma experience it seems things haven't changed too much.....

Back to school

2005-09-13T22:26:00.000+01:00

Some time's elapsed since the last entry, so this entry is somewhat overdue.
Maddy continues to look great and is getting her life back to normal as far and as fast as she can. This has meant a return to Calder High. She does get tired, and this has meant that she's missed a few sessions, but her attandance over the first few days has been pretty substantial, at around 75%, a lot better than anyone anticipated. Friends, teachers and the school in general have been very welcoming and supportive - it's all looking just about as good as could be hoped for.

Top marks

2005-09-03T17:35:00.000+01:00

Maddy and her parents were at Jimmy's again for a consultation on Friday, following M's ultrasound scan on Wednesday. On the 'return to school' theme, the memorable feedback was "Top Marks"...it really was as positive as it could be. As far as they can tell, the radiologist and consultant oncologists all believe that Maddy's body has repaired any damage caused by the lymphoma and all her internal organs look just as they should do. It's as if the tumour has just 'melted away' or never even been there.
There may be some issues, but if so, they're not evident from the scan results and they may not become apparent for a decade or two.
Everyone's very pleased and looking forward to the ongoing return to normality.
This is supposed to include a return to school around this time of year.
Ironically though, electrical contractors have been working at Calder High over the summer and are running late, so that the return has been postponed by a few days (and counting).
Bizarrely, for this one occassion only, Maddy is actually upset about having to endure an enfored extension to the summer holiday. It's suspected that she may be in a rather small minority.
There's nothing now until 30 Sept, when Maddy has another routine check-up.

Scarborough

2005-08-27T21:19:00.000+01:00

As hoped, Maddy and family made it to Scarborough for a couple of days and enjoyed the usual mixed weather of the British seaside in August.

Here's a few pics of Maddy on North Bay beach,

with Mum, overlooking the bay

and eating lunch with Mum and brothers in Peasholme Park.

It was great to get away as a family, even if only for a short while, as it all seemed rather doubtful earlier in the summer.

The next significant event is a return to Jimmy's on Wednesday for an ultrasound scan, with a consultation on the Friday

Farewell to the NG tube......and good riddance

2005-08-22T21:29:00.000+01:00

Maddy was more than happy to take a big step back toward normality as she removed her nasal feeding tube on Saturday. Her mum was finally persuaded to go along with it, as M's weight is now back within the normal BMI (body mass index) range, so she looks far less like a hospital patient now.
It was good timing as Maddy had quite a busy social calendar over the weekend, visiting the Bell family in their new abode in Halifax on Saturday. On Sunday she went to the Youth Theatre rehearsal in the early afternoon and then on to Phil's for a very enjoyable BBQ.

Amazingly she agreed to be photographed alongside brother Bob, normally persona non grata....but only after wrapping him in tape first....

Enjoying the weather

2005-08-18T15:48:00.000+01:00

Just a very brief entry this, to keep you all in touch.
Maddy's been out and about a lot over the last few days, taking advantage of the decent weather. She's went to Hardcastle Craggs on Monday where she walked about half a mile, Hollingworth Lake on Tuesday where she walked about a mile, Skipton Market on Wednesday and Hebden Market on Thursday.
The family hope to get away to the Yorkshire Coast for a night or two next week, once the hated NG (naso-gastric) tube has been dispensed with.........

Dazzling stuff

2005-08-12T21:53:00.000+01:00

Maddy had both her tests (kidney & heart at Jimmy's and LGI on Thursday & Friday respectively) without any drama. She has nothing to do now, except concentrate on getting better, until her next (ultrasound) scan at the end of August.
She was home again today (Friday) by lunchtime and enjoyed a great afternoon with a whole gang of friends who came visiting.....

Later she went out to the Calder Valley Youth Theatre rehearsal for their next show, Dazzle, (Thursday 6th - Saturday 8th October) to catch up with some of the other friends she hasn't seen for some time. Still going strong 'til the end of the day, she even managed to stay up to watch the (disturbingly sad) end of Big Brother.

Now that's all over, perhaps it's also time to consider the future of this blog, as it approaches its 4000th page impression.
Primarily for the benefit of those people further afield, it will continue to report Maddy's progress, but with less frequency - perhaps two or three times a month.
Maybe Maddy will get more involved and make more posts of her own, as she increasingly gets her life back to some sort of normality?

Meanwhile, thanks to the many dozens of people who've supported M through the blog - it has been a really encouraging boost for her to read all the messages.
Thanks and 'bye for now.

End of chemo.....?

2005-08-09T22:35:00.000+01:00

Maddy left hospital today (Tuesday) after what may be her last extended stay in hospital. She is only scheduled for routine tests and monitoring now.......she has a kidney function test at Jimmy's on Thursday and a heart function test at LGI on Friday.
It could well be that she has now finished her chemo for good and obviously Maddy hopes that this is the case.
It's best to be a bit guarded about this as there is a (very small) risk that Maddy's cancer may relapse, but for now, everything's looking as good as it could be. The pic was taken in the lift on the way down from the ward - parents making an unexpected appearance via the mirrored back of the lift - it's been a while since Mum's smile has matched Maddy's, but it's close here.....

Nearly there

2005-08-06T23:46:00.000+01:00

Maddy's finding this chemo cycle a bit tougher than the previous round, but still not as bad as the earlier cycles. She's sleeping quite a lot, but manages to get up for a bit at some point in the day. She's starting to appreciate the idea that she's nearly there now as she should be home within the next 3 to 5 days. Now that Derek's been evicted from BB, Maddy's less interested in the outcome, although the whole family agrees that they now want Eugene to win. Some of the smarter and more wholesome amongst you won't know of or care anything about the blessed reality show, Big Brother, but it's been somehow unavoidable for Maddy and her family as the show's duration has mirrored her treatment period to within a day or so......and there are enough interested teenagers, staff and TV sets on the ward to 'draw in' even the most recalcitrant.
Whatever, (as the yoof of today say) Maddy will finish her last bag of Cytarabine sometime on Monday and that will signal the end of the wretched, bleeping, drip trolley.

Ward 10T

2005-08-03T23:09:00.000+01:00

Maddy's pleased to be back in the teenage unit for what is, hopefully, her last significant stay at Jimmy's, having spent much of July in the adjacent Ward 10 (mainly caring for younger children).
She's put her last bag of Methotrexate behind her now and has just 5 days of Cytarabine, one more IT and a couple of organ function tests ahead of her and then she's finished her treatment.
Maddy had her penultimate IT today without any problems other than a bit of backache afterwards. Her appetite has damped a bit, but her weight is far less a concern now, compared with three or four weeks ago. She's still getting up and around into the lounge, but it's rather quiet as most other patients are confined to bed for various reasons.
All in all, Maddy's coping really well.

Last cycle....

2005-08-01T14:02:00.000+01:00

...starts tonight (Monday).
Maddy's had her blood test at home this morning and by lunchtime learnt that she'd 'passed', so to speak.
She'll be at Jimmy's for around 19.00 and will start with hydration overnight and then the chemo drugs on Tuesday.
It's not easy to say how long she'll be in hospital for this time, but it will probably be for at least one week

Quiet

2005-07-31T12:20:00.000+01:00

It's been a quiet weekend in Hebden for Maddy and her parents. The boys are away until Sunday night, staying with family friends in the Peak District and many friends and neighbours are also away on holiday. Maddy was visited by Alex, Katy & Natasha though, along with Mandy & Katie (Alex's mum - aka "The Chauffeur" and sister).
Unusually, the Yates family are well up to speed with the latest film releases - Tim Burton's production of the Roald Dahl story, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" being the most recent title to join the list. A truly sumptuous visual feast of entertainment and rather dark humour, in the Dahl tradition.
On Sunday, Maddy's having a day out in Derbyshire to watch her brothers sailing.
Then there's the possibility (incredibly slim chance of course), that Monday's blood test at home may herald a return to Jimmy's that same evening to prepare for the final cycle. (It's good to be able to say final, instead of fifth - although both are accurate descriptions).
More later...........

Good remission

2005-07-29T16:50:00.000+01:00

"Good remission". These were the very welcome words Maddy and her parents heard from the consultant, Sue Picton, describing Maddys' scan results on Friday lunchtime. There's still a way to go and everyone needs to be vigilant, but this is about as good as it gets at this stage. As it stands, there are no plans for any surgery and no plans for any further chemo beyond that already scheduled. Her body will continue the reparation process itself over the next few months, especially when the chemo's finished. Maddy will continue to be closely monitored for the next year or so, with slightly less intense monitoring during the second year of remission.
As with all cancers, there is a risk of relapse (recurring tumour), but that is not common for M's type of lymphoma - if it does happen, it's likely to do so sooner rather than later. So this next, fifth cycle could well be Maddy's last cycle when she's well enough to cope with it.
Yep, that's right, although she had a blood test as well today, she's still just a bit short of the target level for neutrophils, so she's home again for the weekend and it'll all happen again on Monday.
After 3 incorrect predictions about the start of the next cycle, this blog entry is saying that there's a snowball in hell's chance that she'll be ready for Monday........(get it ?) ......... ;->

Waiting

2005-07-28T23:08:00.000+01:00

That's what today's been about. That was a lot of rain wasn't it ? Not much point in even thinking about going out, so M stayed at home and made popcorn from a recipe she found on the web. She's still eating well ( forgot to inform you yesterday that she was weighed again at Jimmy's and - apologies to Maddy, it's not etiquette to discuss a lady's weight - but it was great to see that she was nearly 4kgs heavier).
Early night tonight - supposed to be at Jimmy's for 09.30......scan consultation and another blood test.......

The best laid plans..........

2005-07-27T22:13:00.000+01:00

Well, at least Madeleine made progress against one of today's objectives. Her CT scan happened in around 15 minutes, without any drama, although unlike the diagnostic scan at Halifax back in May, there was no same-day feedback. That will come on Friday, when Maddy and her parents will meet the consultant, Sue Picton. The second objective was to get a result from a blood test that would allow Maddy to start her next (final?) cycle. This didn't happen because the result showed a reverse of last Thursday's blood test - i.e. whilst her haemoglobin and platelet levels were fine, her neutrophil count is now too low for chemo.
But as the fabulous Dr Bob (the 'poo doctor' as he calls himself...........well everyone's got to have their own special interest area...) noted, there's nothing unusual about this pattern - blood level recovery times usually increase in later chemo cycles. So the next test has also been scheduled for Friday, which is now going to feel like Wednesday Redux.
Stay tuned for more.....

A walk in the park

2005-07-26T22:42:00.000+01:00

It might not have been exactly sunny, but at least it was dry and reasonably warm for Maddy's last full day at home, before returning to Jimmy's on Wednesday. She's probably not going to reflect on her experience of lymphoma as 'a walk in the park', but she might well remember her walk today around, (OK not quite a park - literary license), but the grounds of Cliffe Castle,near Keighley. Maddy walked about 1/2 mile unassisted, a feat that would have seemed highly unlikely, just a week ago and quite inconceivable two weeks ago.
Tomorrow lunchtime, she'll walk back on to Ward 10/10T for her CT scan and (probably) her 5th chemo cycle.

10 weeks

2005-07-26T00:23:00.000+01:00

It's exactly 10 weeks since Maddy had the CT and MRI scans at Halifax hospital, that both confirmed the tumour, but showed her clear of any secondaries. She's scheduled for another, obviously significant CT scan this week, now confirmed for Wednesday. It's very probable that M will prepare for her 5th cycle that same evening.
She's not particularly looking forward to going back, but after all the problems she's had getting home at all - over the last 6 weeks or so - it now looks as though she'll manage a whole week at home with much enjoyment and normality.

Form an orderly queue....

2005-07-24T23:14:00.000+01:00

....might have been the message of the day for all the visitors who arrived this afternoon. Taking adavantage of the last few days before returning to Jimmy's, Maddy was visited by her Uncle Glynn from South Wales, her grandparents from Liverpool and Mary & Emily from Halifax. Here's a couple of pics...:

Maddy's still eating well and seems remarkably healthy, considering all that she's been through - the few days spent at home have certainlly helped to lift her spirits.

Shopping

2005-07-22T23:23:00.000+01:00

Now that school has finished for the summer, Julie, Maddy and her brothers had time to go shopping in Hebden. Maddy bought various adornments and accoutrements for her bedroom from Innovation, then enjoyed lunch at Coffee Cali. May and Annie visited later, before they went away on holiday.
It's been great to see Madeleine so bright and cheerful. Although she may have been slightly anaemic yesterday, she certainly didn't seem particularly fatigued today as she kept going until nearly 23.00, before she felt she wanted to go to bed.

Biscuits and blood

2005-07-21T17:16:00.000+01:00

Biscuits and blood were the two themes for today. Maddy has been feted with visits from Beth P, Nicola, Daisy, Natalie and Alex. They spent much of the afternoon baking biscuits and cakes and, most impressively, some of them were not burnt.
Earlier in the day, a community nurse visited to take a blood sample from M. This was used to determine Maddy's fitness to face her 5th chemo cycle.
The results came back late afternoon, confirming that she'll be at home for a few more days yet. Unlike in previous cycles, her neutrophil count is OK, but her haemoglobin and platelet levels are both below par (aka anaemia and thrombocytopenia respectively).
Maddy's still eating well - looking forward to chicken salad for tea, seeing more friends visiting tomorrow and the probability of a whole weekend at home.

Busy

2005-07-20T23:55:00.000+01:00

A lot of activity today - including visits from Daisy, Helen, Georgina and Erin, followed by Beth F and Racel G.
Beth brought the flowers - see pics below.
It was good to see Eileen and Michael Burnip when they also showed up a bit later.
(Forgot to mention Diane & Silvia from along the terrace, who came last night.)
Maddy quite enjoys all the attention, if not the reason for it.

Later that evening, in quite a rush, the whole family went to the cinema in Burnley to watch Madagascar (great film, lots of fun, but too fast-moving and frantic to pick up all the jokes in one sitting - needs to be seen at least twice...)
M had control of the large bucket of popcorn and certainly got her fair share, at least - don't misunderstand ......nobody's complaining !)
Amazingly, even though she was very tired on her return home, quite late, Maddy went straight up two flights of stairs without resting, to get to bed. Last night she had to stop for a breather half way up.

Chris & Julie would like to thank all the friends and family who remembered their wedding anniversary, amidst all these unfamiliar distractions.

Settled

2005-07-20T11:52:00.000+01:00

After all the trials and tribulations of getting Maddy back from hospital, she seems really settled at home now - Wednesday morning. She had an uneventful, but restful night's sleep and is looking forward to Karen visiting later today. Karen's keeping M company while her parents go to brother Bob's leavers' assembly at Old Town Primary. Maddy would have liked to be there herself and she might well have coped OK, but in a crowded room with lots of young children for an hour or more, she could put herself at considerable risk of infection, particularly from chickenpox - highly undesirable.
Meanwhile - here's another pic - with Dad this time.

Home.......is where the patient is

2005-07-19T23:16:00.000+01:00

Possibly an ambiguous title,....(with apologies to the Battlefield Band)....but M is back in Hebden, in high spirits and looking good for the night, - she's set up for an overnight feed, managed via a drip pump (Julie has yet another vocation within her grasp).
Maddy got home just after 16.00 where she was greeted by Eve, Laura and Ella from school. Mary and Emily Bell also visited a bit later, as did Georgina (see pic below) from along the terrace.

The next scheduled visit to Jimmy's is not until Wednesday 27 July - for another scan. In theory that could herald a whole week at home...but for now, one day at a time seems prudent.

Ward 11.....

2005-07-18T23:34:00.000+01:00

.......is Maddy's temporary 'home' for another (Monday) night. Maddy and her mum are appreciating the private space of the room and whilst she still feels "yucky", Jimmy's seems the safer bet. It's a bit of a ghost ward is 11 (...hope there aren't any NHS bean counters lurking...), so Maddy gets plenty of care and attention from the ward staff - although she's still seen by the doctors from Ward 10 - which seems to be permanently packed out just now.....obviously cancer's in vogue this season, whilst liver problems are dropping down the charts.
There was a slim chance that Maddy could have been home on Monday night, but hey ho...tomorrow perhaps.

Home and away

2005-07-18T01:00:00.000+01:00

After a rather uneventful Saturday, Maddy did get home on Sunday afternoon, saw the Hudson sisters for a bit, alternated between sipping water and being sick, before all agreed (incl staff on the ward, via teleconsultation) that hospital might be a better venue for the night.
Maddy did last 5.5. hours in all, longer than last time...........
Back at Jimmy's for around 21.00, Maddy had lost her bed on 10T and Ward 10 was also full. Ever keen to seek out new experiences, Madeleine and Julie were smuggled into the adjacent Ward 11 (you're really supposed to have something wrong with your liver to be on there) and into a good-sized side room complete with sofabed for Julie/visitors - the best accommodation yet - neat manoeuvre Maddy!
Tomorrow is another day - but to all those planning to visit Maddy at home - apologies, but those plans will have to go on hold for a while.....more later.....

Fish 'n' chips...

2005-07-15T21:55:00.000+01:00

...was on the menu for Friday teatime as the whole family met up at Jimmy's plus Natasha and Nicola, M's friends from Calder High. Everyone ate well, including Maddy - not bad considering she'd had a general anaesthetic ealrier in the day. She's kept up the eating far more easily on this cycle and that, combined with the NG tube used for night-time nutrition, means there is less immediate concern about her weight. Maddy hates the tube because it's quite uncomfortable - so she ends up stuffing bits of tissue around it to soften the tension on her nostril. This doesn't look too smart though - so she declined to be in a photo tonight - unlike Natasha and Nicola....

Meanwhile this blog has been running for just over a month and it has turned out to be a great success. We've had over 2500 page views in that time (the counter's right at the bottom of this page - click on the little bar graph icon for more detailed stats), and we're currently averaging over 40 unique visitors per day.
On good days it has been as high as 65 unique visitors - tending to coincide with ICT classes at Calder High.
Thanks to everyone for making this happen - keep reading and keep posting those comments.

More drama

2005-07-14T23:47:00.000+01:00

Drama featured again in Maddy's life, but not in the medical sense this time.
On Thursday evening, the Calder High Junior Presentation evening took place at the HB Picture House. Maddy was in the programme to receive an award for drama, but in her absence, Alex accepted it on her behalf.
Meanwhile, at Jimmy's, Maddy was visited by friends from Year 10 and Calder Valley Youth Theatre. Her blood pressure's been more stable today, but is still under par.
She spent much of the day sleeping, to work off a headache resulting from Tuesday's IT procedure. She has another IT scheduled for Friday.

One small milestone today though, has been the last of the fourth cycle's chemo drugs, cytarabine.
She now has to ride the side effects before recovering to face, hopefully, her last cycle. She's unlikely to feel very well over the next few days, but will certainly brighten up for visitors.

OK, but tired

2005-07-13T18:29:00.000+01:00

Maddy's done really well on this cycle compared with the previous two, but she's starting to feel the downside a bit now. Just as at the same point in the last cycle, Maddy's holding everyone's attention with some blood pressure tricks - but everyone's trying to get used to this as part of the natural rhythm of the chemo cycle. She's sleeping through a lot of it, although she did get into the dayroom for an hour or so to view this blog and email messages.
She's kept up with her eating far better in this cycle, mainly becasue her mouth is less affected this time round - although it's hit her hands instead.
She's being rather canny on the food front - as she latches on to all the sort of stuff her parents would normally resist, knowing that she'll get a green light to eat just about anything - 'Dairylea lunchables' being the latest example.
Most impressively though, she's still very spirited and looking forward to a whole load of visitors tomorrow and Friday.

Hydration

2005-07-13T08:35:00.000+01:00

Hydration involves giving lots of fluids to a patient.
In chemotherapy it is used to flush out some of the toxic drugs used, such as methotrexate.
One of the benefits for Maddy in hitting her methotrexate target level yesterday is that she no longer has to recieve high levels of hydration. Whilst not uncomfortable in itself, it did mean that she had to get up every two hours - day and night - to visit the bathroom. (Getting out of bed and moving around when you're attached to a drip trolley is quite a logisitical operation).
She's sleeping better now, as a consequence.
In fact she slept quite a lot yesterday - in the morning becasue she was on no food or fluids as she waited for her IT (intrathecal) procedure . In the afternoon she was still drowsy as she recovered from the general anaesthetic.
Karen looked after Maddy for a few hours later in the day so that Julie could watch Bob (Maddys' brother) in his school play - well worth the effort all round.

Ahead of schedule

2005-07-11T22:29:00.000+01:00

Maddy's continued to make great strides in dealing with her chemo, relative to the default protocol schedule.
She gained 5 days over the the 2nd cycle and a further 6 days on the 3rd cycle - that's 11 days ahead overall - can't be bad. Another encouraging sign emerged today with the result from her first blood test on this cycle to measure her Methotrexate level - she hit the target at this first attempt, as last time - just 4 days into the cycle.

Hands

2005-07-10T22:10:00.000+01:00

Maddy has experienced her last 'new' drug on this cycle. It's called Cytarabine and it's administered very slowly over a continuous period of about 5 days. So far, there has not been much evidence of side effects...except for a couple of relatively minor things. Minor today perhaps, but they could become more significant over time perhaps. Her hands have become a bit sore and rather hot, especially at night. - she thought it might be to do with opening all those Coke bottles, but the Cytarabine is a far more likely candidate. It's treatable with creams however. The other effect is quite weird. A couple of times over the last 2 days she's asked for her fleece, complaining of feeling cold. Now just think about the weather we're (well most of us) enjoying....?!?!? The hospital aircon isn't that efficient.
Meanwhile she's enjoyed seeing plenty of visitors over the weekend - Julie & the boys both days, Wendy on Saturday, and three lots of schoolfriends plus a mum (Mary).
Alex visited on her own on Sunday morning - here's a pic, taken in the day room.

Julie's back on duty tonight (Sunday)) after a couple of nights off.

Professionals

2005-07-10T18:20:00.000+01:00

As has already been said, it's really tough to have to deal with cancer, especially as a teenager when it's just not expected.
But, the sort of care received can make a big difference to the way the whole experience feels.
Maddy has come across an extensive range of health care staff over the last couple of months, including nurses, oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, social workers, education liaison workers, dieticians, psychologists, catering staff, porters and many more besides. Pretty well without exception, they are all exceptional people and all valued players in Maddy's 'team'.
Perhaps those on the front line are the ones who may be remembered most readily though, particularly when this episode is only a distant, but perhaps still vivid, memory in history.
It seemed really appropriate then, that as this idea occurred, the two people below happened to be on duty in the Teenage Cancer Unit at 07.40 on Sunday morning (when most readers were probably still tucked up in bed).

Judith and Gill (L & R respectively) have both looked after Maddy on numerous occasions and they epitomise the professionalism of Wards 10 & 10T at St James's.
They always take time to reassure and explain what's happening without wasting time (they're incredibly busy) and they are at the 'top of their game' in knowing just what they're doing. These are the sort of professionals that really do make a difference, for the better.

Maddy!!!!!

2005-07-09T15:12:00.000+01:00

Hey guys, just to let everyone know that i'm ok......... for the time being..............
Aunty Wendy's visiting today and tomorrow two sets of mates and a family friend. Dad stayed over last night, giving mum a chance to stay at home and go to Mytholmroyd Gala with the boys. We had fish and chips for lunch again (ummmmmmm) and Mum should be bringing something for tea.
My4th cycle of chemo is going ok so far, no signs of nasty side effects yet but i'm sure they're on their way. I can't wait..........
Anyhoo, got to go and have my port accessed, byeeeeeeeeeee!!

Baton change for 4th cycle

2005-07-08T14:35:00.000+01:00

Julie has been looking after Maddy in hospital without a break for 8 days now....so time for a change.
Chris will be 'on duty' for the next day or two, so that J can recuperate and spend some time with the boys.
Maddy's 4th cycle started at 11.30 this morning.

Frankie & Benny's...

2005-07-08T00:39:00.000+01:00

.....in Kirkstall, is where all the family enjoyed a few hours out of Jimmy's, with everyone eating really well from the New York Italian menu.
Fresh from Wednesday's demo in Hebden, the Make Poverty History tape, was unfurled for the camera.

Here's a couple more pics:

Then it was back to hospital to prepare for the 4th cycle,
due to start later this morning.

Walks

2005-07-06T21:47:00.000+01:00

Maddy continued her progress today and seems in fine form. Those avid comment-readers amongst you may have noticed that she made her own comment on Wednesday.
She might even start posting her own blog entries soon - who knows?!?

The other achievement today was a couple of unassisted walks down the ward corridor. Considering her relative frailty and the fact that she's been bed-ridden for the last 5 days or so - that is no mean feat.
She has continued to eat as well as could be hoped - weetabix this morning - some fish & chips later in the day - very pleasingly her weight is up by 2kgs.

The more experienced blog readers among you might well have sussed out what all this means. With her very best interests at heart, the medics at Jimmy's won't allow Maddy to enjoy feeling well for too long - her next chemo cycle is looming.....

"Going Up"

2005-07-05T22:37:00.000+01:00

"Going Up". These were the words Chris first heard when he rang Julie on Tuesday afternoon. They weren't spoken by Julie however, but came from an unfamiliar voice in the backround. Maddy & her mum were returning to the ward in the lift, having visited the shop for various snacky foods,....flapjack, coke, chocolate etc... Maddy had a few hours free from her drip trolley today and, compared with the last few days, she got about a bit, also managing a visit to the day room to watch TV and chat with other patients and families. Despite having eaten next to nothing over the last week, she has maintained her weight, albiet a little on the 'slim' side. The TPN has helped her, combined, with a rather sedentary lifestyle. Today, she's been 'snacking' for England and is looking and sounding much livelier - perhaps she might even put on a few pounds now. Her neutrophil count has rebounded fabulously - she is no longer neutropaenic. When she starts to get better, she gets better quickly.
The anonymous voice in the lift could have been talking about Maddy as easily as describing the lift's direction.
The best line though, came from the girl herself when, describing the experience of dealing with the dreaded COPADM cycles of her chemo protocol, now falling behind her, she said, "That wasn't too bad,....I was expecting something much worse.....".
Perhaps her memory is failing - unlike Julie's; she just dropped her head into her hands at the shock of what she'd just heard.
You've got to admire the spirit though.
Anyone remember the Black Knight sketch from Monty Python & the Holy Grail ?

Visitors

2005-07-04T21:58:00.000+01:00

.....seem to make a significant difference to how our patient feels.
Ever present mum, Julie, is starting to feel that no-body else ever sees Maddy in one of her dips. Julie notes that, around the time of a visit, Maddy invariably perks up and her demeanour brightens noticeably.
Maddy started a new course of antibiotics today that will result in her staying at Jimmy's until Friday, at least, and possibly quiet a bit longer than that. As she comes through the nadir of the current cycle over the rest of this week, she should start to feel better.
This suggests that the next few days or so are probably a good time to visit.

If you'd like to visit Maddy at Jimmy's, why not give Julie a call on 0773 0921720 to plan a suitable time/date ?

One note of caution though.
Please, if you have any sort of cough, cold or sneezing or (and this is particularly important) - if you have come into contact with chickenpox in any way - please wait until you are entirely confident that you are fit and well. Even though Maddy should be out of her neutropaenia (high susceptibility to infection) very shortly, we need to be vigilant on behalf of other patients on the ward.

Thanks for your understanding on this issue.

Connections

2005-07-03T17:19:00.000+01:00

It seems important not to lose perspective here.
Recognising what's going on in the big wide world outside Ward 10 of St James's Hospital, Leeds can be quite therapeutic and the events of Saturday were certainly signifiacnt for the big wide world.
Is there a connection between Maddy's situation and all the Live8 / G8 issues ?
Absolutely.
Nobody who gets cancer can consider themselves lucky.
Whoever you are, whatever type of cancer it is, whenever it hits you - it's a rough deal and a really tough experience.
However, if you have cancer, then it's certainly fortunate if it can be treated somewhere like Jimmy's with the fabulous NHS machine behind it.
It's very reassuring and it means that Maddy has the best possible chance of pulling through.

It's a miserable reality however, that the picture is very different in other parts of the world, particularly in much of Africa, where people in Maddy's situation aren't getting the best possible chance with their treatments. Some forms of lymphoma are much more common across Africa, but survival rates are significantly lower.
".....the majority of children with malignancies in Africa can be cured with current standard treatment protocols, though survival rates are consistently below those in the West." (The Provision and outcome of Paediatric Oncology Care in Sub-Saharan Africa, Abby White)
"Equitable distribution of resources is an important ethical concern in cancer treatment. It is clear that, in Zimbabwe at least, and probably in much of the continent, there is plenty of scope for improvement in this respect." (Cancer survival in Africa, David Greenberg)

To paraphrase Bono from the Hyde park gig on Saturday - it's not about charity, it's about justice.

Meanwhile, back on Ward 10, Maddy is dealing with her own connections.
She has had to deal with a record number of connections to her drip machine over the last few days - for: blood, electrolytes, nutrition (TPN), anti-sickness drugs, painkillers, antibiotics and hydration (saline)....just about everything except chemotherapy

. As of today, she has been freed from two of that list, blood and electrolytes, but she is still very well 'connected'.

The boys of the family visited for the early (11.45 !) Sunday lunch today and stayed until mid-afternoon. Most of that time, Maddy was OK, but she does dip quite suddenly and unexpectedly - her BP still seems volatile and sudden changes for the worse can make her very drowsy.
Beth, Martha, May & Nigel are visiting around tea-time today.
Karen is scheduled for tomorrow teatime.

Today's flowers are courtesy of Gemma, Jamie and the Watts family of Formby, Nr Liverpool.

Rollercoaster

2005-07-01T21:33:00.000+01:00

The last 24 hours have been something of a rollercoaster.
Maddy appeared settled when she fell asleep late yesterday evening (Thursday). Julie was reassured to see that she was being hydrated, albeit just above maintenance levels.
However, in the morning Maddy was very weak and tired with low blood pressure causing some concern. Hydration was increased, but this didn't appear to have much impact as her BP remained stubbornly low. There was some consideration of ICU (Intensive Care), but around the time her dad arrived in hospital, in mid afternoon, this prospect receded as her BP recovered to near normal.
You, the reader, can decide if there is a connection between the arrival of dad with his quick wit and repartee, and Maddy's recovery, although Maddy and her mum are (curiously) adamant that it is entirely coincidental.
Maddy's BP is still being monitored regularly - it's possible that this may be a symptom of infection - she is neutropaenic (again !) and is receiving a prophylactic course of antibiotics and electrolytes (Magnesium, calcium & phosphates). This does mean that she will remain in hospital now until, at least Tuesday - quite possibly a lot longer.

Maddy had a bath this evening and will be fed by TPN (see earlier posts) again, starting tonight (Friday).
Beth P (one of the blog's top commenters) will try to visit along with one or two others on Sunday.

...and back to Jimmy's......again

2005-07-01T09:19:00.000+01:00

The previous post was almost subtitiled.....(But for how long?)....but there's no point in tempting fate, is there?
Whatever...(as the teeenage generation say)....Maddy lasted just 4 hours at home.
It did gave Julie just a bit of time to spend with the boys, as she watched Robert & Bertie play cricket for an hour, at Old Town.
Maddy really enjoyed seeing some of her friends again, but she also found it very tiring. Just before going to bed at around 20.30, she was ill and 'lost' (threw up) her feeding tube. After the Monday night/Tuesday morning experience, there seemeed no option other than to return to hospital, for safety's sake.
Maddy finally got to sleep around midnight, back in the same bed she vacated earlier that day. As she slept, she was receiving fluids to stave off hydration and some of her medication.
Maddy's approaching the nadir of her third cycle, so it seems quite likely that she may stay in Jimmmy's for a while now, maybe 2 weeks or so, until she's received the drugs for her 4th chemo cycle.
However....as you're probably weary of hearing by now....it is really tricky to predict.
More later.....

Home.............again

2005-06-30T19:32:00.000+01:00

Looking a lot better than on her last return home on Monday, Maddy came home at around 16.30 this afternoon. Now, over 3 hours later she still hasn't gone to bed or even had much of a doze. Instead she's sat in the living room watching the Wimbledon's Women's Semi-Final (Williams v Sharapova) with her friends Helen, Tom, Emma and Georgina.

Here's a pic of Maddy & Helen...

Loads of people have sent flowers, cards, cakes and gifts of various kinds.

So for all of you, here's today's flowers, courtesy of Calder High School, delivered to the hospital this morning....

Many thanks to all of you - far too many to mention.

One day at a time

2005-06-29T18:54:00.000+01:00

Another day in hospital, as Maddy's still not well enough to come home.
She had her IT today, but is still receiving fluids to help her recover from yesterday's drama.
She's also starting to get a bit of a sore mouth - might sound familiar to those of you following this blog since near the beginning (see June 18).

A number of people are asking how / when they can next visit.
It's really hard to tell what's going to happen next - it's just got to happen one day at a time - we can't plan, even one day, in advance.
So for all of you, especially those who haven't seen Maddy recently - here's a picture of St James's hospital in Leeds:

Maddy's room is marked with the purple flower !

Dramatic stuff

2005-06-28T21:03:00.000+01:00

Wow - what a day. Maddy was really quite unwell this morning.
This was due to a combination of her already weakened condition from the chemotherapy, not eating or even drinking for about 18 hours, a two hour drive into Leeds first thing this morning and the heat of the weather.
As she arrived at St James's just after 09.30, there was a bit of a drama as she collapsed on her way to the ward. Presumably hospital grounds are relatively safe places to have 'a bit of a turn', as there are usually plenty of medically trained staff around to assist. This was the case this morning although Julie was, understandably, very worried regardless. Fortunately, a passing ambulance whisked her round to the front of the hospital campus where she was admitted to A&E. She was attended to very promptly with oxygen and to stabilise her heartbeat and blood pressure before being taken on to the ward. Once there she was hydrated with subtantial quantities of saline solution to deal with the underlying problem......Maddy had become seriously dehydrated. By mid-afternoon her BP was rising toward normal again and she looked alert and much more animated than earlier.
The IT procedure has been postponed until (at least) tomorrow, but it's amazing how quickly someone can seem very seriously ill and then recover so impressively in just a few hours. By tea time, Maddy had eaten some jelly and a packet of McDonald's fries brought in at the request of some of the other teenagers in the room.
This last item would normally not be condoned by her parents, but in the current circumstances - 'anything goes' on the food front and so the disappearing French Fries were, in fact, a most welcome site. Maddy should also receive about 400 calories through her NG (nasal-gastro) tube overnight.
High drama then, but importantly, a much better end to the day compared to the start.
As Gill, one of the ward nurses said to Madeleine, "That was an impressive entrance - you certainly got our attention....".
Everyone's still hopeful that Maddy will get home (again !) later this week, but for now it's a case of one day at a time.
Watch this space for updates.

Back to Jimmy's - to stay for a bit

2005-06-28T12:51:00.000+01:00

Maddy went back to Jimmy's at 7.30 this morning - not feeling too good.
Notionally,this was as a day patient for her IT (intrathecal), but she's been admitted back to the ward and will stay in for at least one or two nights to recover. Although she was really pleased to get home, Maddy was finding it difficult to feed and drink and so there was no real choice but for her to stay at the hospital.
Her IT has been postponed until tomorrow.
She may not be well enough for visitors for the next day or so.
If you were thinking of visiting, it's probably best to call or text her mum (Julie) on her mobile, first, on 0773 0921720.
Thanks to all those of you who have posted comments on the blog, mostly friends from school. Thanks folks, it's very encouraging for Maddy. Although she's not up to using the laptop at the moment, we can read the messages out to her and she's really chuffed that so many people are 'looking after'.

Home !

2005-06-27T18:23:00.000+01:00

Maddy came home this afternoon with Julie and her grandparents, geting back to Hebden Bridge around 5pm.
She's very tired and went straight to bed, but she's also really pleased to be out of hospital.
Do get in touch with the family at home, if you're interested in visiting Maddy over the next few days.

Tomorrow, (Tuesday) she's back at Jimmy's as a day patient.

Methotrexate

2005-06-26T17:27:00.000+01:00

This is another chemo drug included in Maddy's protocol that has to be carefully monitored to assess just how well the body is processing it. The methotrexate levels are measured through daily blood tests. Too high a result requires a patient to remain in hospital. On her last cycle, Maddy took 6 days to hit the target, but on this current cycle, she's got there in just 4 days.
Obviously, she's very pleased as this opens up the potential for her to get home, and it now seems probable that could happen on Monday or Tuesday (a bit earlier than expected). She's scheduled for an IT (intrathecal) on Tuesday at St J's, but only as a day patient.
Wendy visited today and entertained us - thanks for coming Wendy, you were a right laugh !

Sunday morning

2005-06-26T11:47:00.000+01:00

This is the first blog written from hospital - so now you can work out where Chris is. Julie spent Saturday night at home with the boys and is coming into Leeds to watch Bob run at Carnegie, before coming on to St J's. Maddy says "Hi to everyone - I'm really looking forward to getting home (thanks Wendy!) some time later this week". Fair comment as she's been here almost a month now, with just a 2 day break in Hebden, so hardly surprising that she's fed up.
Daisy visited yesterday, not today as reported in yesterday's blog ! (if you can follow that). Wendy's due shortly. Karen & Maddy's grandparents (Chris's) are scheduled for Monday.
Sunday lunch is served so Maddy & Dad are off down the corridor for our nosebag now -yum!

Photo and visitors

2005-06-25T12:16:00.000+01:00

The original pictures have now dropped off the current blog display, so here's a new one with Maddy showing off her hairpiece.

You might think she looks a bit disenchanted in this picture perhaps (she's surprisingly camera shy), but moments later she was giggling at the Simpsons and woofing chocolate cake (thanks Jo).
If you look carefully, you can see the doxorubicin (it's red) on the drip trolley.
For newer visitors, the post with the older pictures are still available in the Archive or in Previous Posts-Infection (see RH side) or at this link.

Alex, Natasha & Nicola (from school) visited this morning, really lifting Maddy's spirits - thanks girls. Daisy and Auntie Wendy are scheduled for tomorrow.

Doxorubicin

2005-06-24T22:00:00.000+01:00

Doxorubicin is one of the chemo drugs that Maddy was coping with today. The drugs probably don't warrant much of a billing in their own right, but this one looks a bit more interesting because it's a bright red liquid, administered by infusion. "Is it blood ?" asked Bertie (Maddy's 6 yr old brother) - not such a daft question, especially as she did have a transfusion just over a week ago.
Like almost all the chemo drugs, there are plenty of unpleasant side effects, although these can usually be mitigated by (even more) drugs. Maddy's also taking another chemo drug, in tablet form called prednisolone. It also has plenty of unpleasant side-effects, except it also has just one positive side effect in that it enhances appetite. Sure enough, this was evident this evening, as Maddy demolished a chocolate eclair (provided courtesy of one of the nurses - thanks Judith), in world record speed. Compared with the last few days, Maddy has eaten really well today.
She may even have a chance of putting on a bit of weight now after having a gastro-nasal tube fitted that will feed her whilst she sleeps at night. This was done under general anaesthetic this morning, administered primarily for an intrathecal procedure (similar to a lumbar puncture).
This along with other treatments for NHL are outlined in more detail on part of the CancerHelpUK site here.
The Yates family made a very tame (if not lame) contribution to the completion of the mega-jigsaw (1000 pieces) in progress in the lounge.
This is a whole-ward effort that patients and families dip into for a few minutes at a time, but it's proving to be as challenging as some of the treatments.
At the current rate of progress, Maddy will have completed her treatment before we've even got all the straight-edged border pieces in place.
Some of Maddy's school friends are in Leeds to go shopping tomorrow, so will call into St J's for a visit.

Third cycle

2005-06-23T14:18:00.000+01:00

Maddy's third cycle of chemo started today. This is really quite tough for her as she had been looking forward to spending a short time at home around now - but she also knows that it's all for the best.
Allison & Katy are scheduled to visit this evening.
Maddy's protocol (treatment regime), is in its updated form, here.

Many thanks to all those people who have given encouraging support, either to Maddy directly when visiting or via Chris or Julie or through posting comments to the blog. Remember that anyone can leave a public comment that Maddy and Julie can (and do) read in hospital. As Maddy starts her third cycle, this blog is just starting its second week and already it's been seen by over 80 different people. Thanks for all the feedback.

Five days ahead.....

2005-06-22T20:04:00.000+01:00

The title for this entry could have been "Brighter and breezier", as that's just how she was this afternoon, even compared to yesterday.
But why "five days....."?
Maddy's neutrophil count has recovered really well, to some sort of normality. Her reward for this achievement is that she will now not be let home on Thursday, but can start her next cycle of chmotherapy 5 days early, instead. This sounds a bit tough perhaps, but is is, in fact, good news, and is recognised as such by Maddy herself.
When I've got a chance, I'll update the protocol (linked from the previous blog entry) to reflect this development.
She's had her last dose of morpheine and was released from the blessed drip trolley for just a few hours this evening. After some chips brought in from the local chippy by another parent, Julie & M enjoyed a brief stroll outside (!), before being reconnected for her hydration as a preliminary to her chemo tomorrow.
Now the schedule's been rejigged, Maddy's quite keen for visitors, especially over this coming weekend.
If you think you might like to see her (and/or Julie), give them a call or text them on one of their mobiles: Maddy - 07742277982 or Julie - 07730921720.

Bright and breezy....

2005-06-21T22:04:00.001+01:00

...are the best words to describe Maddy today.
She was decidedly lively and chatty - only breaking off from an extended call with her schoolfriend Helen because her tea arrived. She's eating quite a bit now, in addition to the TPN 'feed'. Her morpheine is now at the smallest possible dose (no IV, oral only). She does look absolutely stunning with her head shaved - very eye-catching.
She had a 'spike' (a one-off) with an above-normal temperature late yesterday, so that confirms Thursday as the earliest possible return home, but we're all really heartened by her attitude and general demeanour.
A number of people are interested in her treatment regime (known as a protocol).
I've put a summary here, for those who would like to know a bit more.
This should open in a new window that you can close to return here when you've finished with it. Please note that dates are approximate.

On the up

2005-06-20T20:40:00.000+01:00

Maddy's had a better day today. Her temperature is back to normal and her neutrophil count is rising. These two indicators suggest that she's 'turned the corner' with the infection. She got up today for the first time since Wednesday and spent much of the day in the lounge/day room. Her morpheine is gradually being reduced and one of her anti-sickness tablets has discontinued.
Maddy had her head shaved late yesterday, so she's really part of the club now. Julie says she looks really beautiful. Chris will confirm, no doubt, when he visits tomorrow......

Ice Cream !

2005-06-19T19:16:00.000+01:00

So there is such a thing as a Free Lunch...........and it happens on Sundays at St James's, where all the Yates family (excl Maddy!) enjoyed a trad Sunday lunch plus pudding on the NHS today.
It's a once-a-week treat for all visitors. The good news is that Maddy did enjoy her first food for several days - ice cream. Quite topical given the weather. Cool foods are probably all that she can tolerate at the moment, so she might try frozen lollies and yoghurt, as well as more ice cream, over the next few days.
She's looking and sounding a bit better today (yes we heard real words), but she enjoys alphabet signing, not least because relatively dim parents can't keep up with her blurred fingers and she thinks that's funny....
Her hair is starting to drop out, but again, given the weather that seems almost like good timing. Still seeing the positives, as she has done from the outset, Maddy appreciates the benefit of not having to concern herself about shaving her armpits.
She changed her course of antibiotics last night (Saturday) as she is still running a high temperature and her neutrophil count is effectively zero. This means that the 5 day clock is reset- so earliest return home will now be Thursday. There's a small chance she might not get home at all before starting her third cycle.

Sore Mouth

2005-06-18T15:07:00.000+01:00

Apologies for the near 2 day delay in news, but it has been rather frantic trying to keep up with the normal routine on top of everything else - Saturday morning is dance, football and swimming - all before lunch.
We (Bob, Bertie, Chris, Nigel & Gem) visited last night. Maddy was quiet (said nothing in fact - how unusual I can hear you thinking !). She is really fed up with the state of her mouth.
We did manage some 'chat' though, using hand signals and some acerbic scribblings from Maddy in her notebook - mostly aimed at Bob. Some things never change.
She is being fed by Hyperalimentation (aka TPN) for the duration of her stay this instance - probably 5 or 6 days. This takes some pressure off Julie trying to coax Maddy to eat all the time.
Karen's visiting this afternoon and Chris and the boys will be at St J's for Sunday lunch. When she gets home around the middle of next week, she should be feeling better and may well be interested in visitors at home, say Thursday/Friday.
Call or text Maddy, Julie or Chris to discuss over the next few days.

Infection

2005-06-16T20:01:00.000+01:00

I think we're all relieved that Maddy's in the right place for treatment for her infection and that it has been dealt with promptly. She will probably stay in St J's for about 5 days or so - she may get home again on Tuesday or perhaps Wednesday of next week.
She's also getting better pain relief for her sore mouth that she can control directly, so she had a more comfortable day today.

You might also notice that I'm getting the hang of this blogging thing as I include more links and.....hey.....

...............pictures too.

This first one's of Maddy as most of you'll recall her...laughing and smiling....
The second one's a hospital shot (during her first stay in mid-May..)

Not fabulous quality as they were taken on a camera 'phone - we'll get some better ones later...
One further change to the blog - you now don't have to be registered to post comments on the blog - please feel free to do so.
Bob, Bertie & Chris plus possible neighbours, will visit tomorrow early evening.

Back to hospital....eventually.

2005-06-15T23:02:00.000+01:00

Well, quite an eventful day in all. We were initially half right with our predictions and ultimately 100% right.
Maddy had her IT OK, but as anticipated she didn't have the feed tube replaced due to her very sore mouth and throat. She did come home though, albeit just for 7 hours, when a temperature combined with the knowledge that she is neutropenic prompted a return to St James's as she is very prone to infection in this condition. She will probably stay in Leeds for about 5 days for a course of antibiotics.
She is very sick now, unsurprisingly as she is well into the nadir of the side effects of her second cycle of chemo. Her mouth and throat is worst hit, depressing her appetite, but she is still drinking.
Talk has almost disappeared, but her sign language is becoming quite sophisticated. This all sounds a bit tough perhaps, but these symptoms should diminish next week as she recovers.

2005-06-15T09:31:00.000+01:00

Weds 15 June.
Bit stressful this morning as Maddy had a very sore mouth and throat - she couldn't talk very easily and eating and drinking also seemed very difficult. She's returning to St J's for another (her third) IT (intrathecal). This is a chemo injection directly into the spinal column fluid, done under general anaesthtic. She was also expected to have her feeding tube replaced, although in light of the state of her mouth and throat, we suspect this may not happen now.
In theory, she should be able to come home again as she's only in St J's as a day patient, but we reckon there's a fair chance she may be admitted tonight because of these other problems.

2005-06-14T23:27:00.000+01:00

Maddy's been home for 24 hours now.
Everyone (well almost everyone !) seems to want to know how long she'll be at home for.

In short, we just don't know.
This is because she may have to return to St James's for unplanned visits if/when she gets an infection.
Also, her consultant is not sticking to a rigid application of the treatment protocol, but will seek to readmit her as soon as she's fit enough to cope with the next cycle.
This means that the treatment will be even tougher for Maddy as she'll have less respite between cycles. However, the whole treatment period should be shorter and, according to results from clinical trials, should help secure a better outcome.