A visit to Kettwig!

Today we went to Kettwig by train. It is a little town with cobbled streets lined with tudor buildings. We had an ice cream and a little wander round the town. It is near the River Ruhr. This little town survived WW2!

 

1 year ago today!

One year ago today the pain in my back started and the day after it started I took part in a gymnastics competition in alot of pain! Everyone just thought I was over overegsagerating! I miss going to gymnastics! I used to train 6 hours a week and after not training for around 8 months I am struggling to do the things that I used to be able to do. Although I can no longer do very much gymnastics, I am determind to get back up to the standered that I was at 8 months ago. Nothing will stop me!

No chemo again!

On Wednesday 9th May I had a blood test and my white blood cells were on 1.5. On Friday 11th May I had another blood test and my white blood cells have gone up to 1.8. The Doctor said that they are still too low for Chemo as to have chemo they have to be 2.0. So we are going to try again next weekend.

Instead of chemo we then decided to go to Baldeney Beach again. This time we played crazy golf. It had 18 holes and it took us nearly 2 hours to complete them all. We were a bit rubbish at it but in the end Dad won!

                                                                                                                           

Outdoor swimming!

Today we went to Grugabad (bad is bath in German). It is an outdoor picnic/swimming place with 4 pools! One with slides and an obstacle course, a wave machine pool with a slope so you can just walk into it like at a beach, a 50m training pool and a 5m deep diving pool with really high diving platforms! I can't keep away from the water now!

A day at Baldeney Beach!

Today we went to the beach. It is a man made beach next to the River Ruhr. A small part of the river is roped off for swimming and it has 3 pontoons to jump off. When we got there we had a picnic lunch and played in the sand. Then Mum, Milly and I went swimming in the river. It was really fun but very cold!!!

Life in Germany.....

We are having lots of ice creams as it is very hot! We are going to Grugapark most days. So far I have had no side affects from the Proton, I have had 7/30 protons.

         

Swimming!

Today we decided to be a little bit naughty. As my back isn't sore or itchy we went swimming even though the doctor advised not to.
It was so fun! I wore my drysuit. We played in the pool for 1hr 30mins!!! I was really tired afterwards though! I even managed to do two lengths in the 50m pool!

Day in Grugapark.....

We found a massive park behind the WPE. We spent the whole day there yesterday (Saturday)! It was ace! There are several playground areas and it has many activities for any age group including trampolining, a roller skate park, a gym, tennis courts, volley ball courts, a maze, a model village and lots of ice cream! It also has a little train to take you round the whole park. We had a great day!

First 3 protons done!!!

At the proton centre they check my blood regularly. I have a thumb prick and then they test my blood using a special machine which takes 2 minutes to give the results! In Manchester it takes over an hour!

This is what I look like when I am being protoned........

Outside the WPE........

Germany here we Come!!!!!

Team Sally ready to go to Germany....

We flew out to Germany on Sunday 22nd of April. The NHS pays maximum €80 a night for our accommodation. We got a second floor apartment. We are really happy with it because it is massive! Milly and I get to share a bedroom. Altogether the apartment can accommodate 6 people as there is a sofa bed.

We went to the WPE (West German, Proton Therapy Centre, Essen, Germany) on Monday only to be told that I can't have proton today because it hadn't been 14 days since I had actinomycin (a type of chemo drug) so we have been delayed before we have even started! We were then told to come back on Wednesday.

Today (Tuesday) was just a chill day. No treatment to have. I decided to try my drysuit on and it fits with no leaks!!!!!! There are plenty of pools in Essen so I might be able to go swimming tommorow! It has nearly been 7 months since I last went swimming.

We went to the WPE this morning. First we went to see the doctor to confirm that it will go ahead today. When I went into the room with the Proton machine in I had to lie on a table inside the machine. The doctors lined me up under the lasers and moved the arm around to target different places of my back. I couldn' t see or feel anything. I was in about half an hour.

This is the Proton machine 

This is where the protons are being fired.
The darker the red is more protons....
This cancer doesn't stand a chance!

Before we left to go swimming we thought it would be a good idea to make sure we can definitely go swimming. Unfortunately, the doctor said not to go as the drysuit will press against my skin and cause it to get even more irritated than it already will be due to the radiation. I was so upset because I had got my hopes up and I was REALLY excited.

Chemo round 2......

This morning we decided not to go to the hospital as early as usual because last time we finished at 5am. So this time we aimed to get to the hospital for 10am so that I can finish my chemo at around 9am on Wednesday.

Well that is what was meant to happen........

When we arrived at the hospital at 10.30am, like usual, I had a thumb prick, my obbs done and my height and weight checked. I am now back to 32.8kg after going down to 32.2kg when I had my operation. My mum and I waited in outpatients for 1 hour for my blood results to come back. Eventually, the nurse came and she told us that my chemo cannot go ahead as my white blood cells have not fully recovered! We were both shocked as I felt absolutely fine and that morning I had actually skipped into hospital! We wondered if it was because they didn't tell us to do any GCSF injections in between my last chemo and now. They gave me a GCSF injection to hopefully give me a boost. Dr Brennan came to talk to us and told us to come back 2 days later on Wednesday & try again. Apparently, my blood was at 0.6 but to have chemo it has to be at least 0.75 or preferably 1. We wanted to know what we can do to recover faster but the nurse said it isn't down to not resting enough or not eating well because you don't have any control over your white blood cells.

As I was then free to go home I really wanted to go to school and see my friends. We managed to get to school for 2pm. There was only an 1hr 30mins left of the school day but I still enjoyed myself. After school I managed to go dancing for 3hrs!!!!