Tuesday 3rd August 2010
Katie ended up in the Cornwall Cancer Centre on the afternoon of Monday 5th July and has been diagnosed with M3 leukaemia or APL. She has now been moved to Barts and will start her treatment immediately.
It is anticipated that she will be in Barts for about three weeks.
Nigel spoke to her this morning and Katie said she felt "pretty rough"!
Monday 12th July
Katie started her treatment last Saturday. She is undergoing an arsenic-based course which is the latest alternative to the more usual chemo-therapy treatment. She was 'brighter' when Nigel and Wendy saw her on Sunday.
Cards and emails have arrived from all over the world, Europe, Russia, Japan, Australia and Sweden amongst others, as Katie is known internationally through her connections with the Dragon Class. Several writers have pointed out the need for Katie to concentrate on a quick recovery as "the entire world-wide Dragon Class is likely to grind to a halt!"
Nigel suggests that cards and letters would be better sent to him and Wendy as the Barts PO Service may not be able to cope! She is able to receive text messages.
Wednesday 14th July
Several people have been in conversation with Nigel about Katie's condition before she left Truro for Barts. It took some time to stabilise her condition before she could start on the journey and that involved several transfusions of blood, plasma and platelets. Katie reckoned that she had received more than she had donated since she was eighteen!
Sarah Threlfall pointed out that it isn't until one knows someone greatly in need of donated blood that one appreciates the importance of such donations. She suggests a quick and easy way to help is by getting information from the link in the right hand column.
Friday 16th July
News from Nigel
Katie has now finished the initial blitz with the anti-cancer drug and now goes onto twice weekly doses. She is feeling quite well but is "up and down" and has spells of tiredness.
The good news is that since Monday she has not had to have any more blood or blood products so we can only assume the drugs are doing their stuff.
She (not the hospital) has decided she will leave hospital within a week to ten days. We think that is over optimistic, but good to know she is being positive.
Tuesday 20th July
News from Wendy Cole
Katie showed a reaction to one of the drugs at the end of last week so the treatment was stopped for a couple of days. After a 'rest' the arsenic treatment is due to be re-started again. Wendy thinks Katie will have to re-think her departure date!
She spoke to her this morning and said she sounded very positive.
Tuesday 27th July
News from Nigel
Katie restarted part of her treatment last Friday and half of the other part today which will be increased to full dosage by the end of the week. Her liver function continues to improve, and IF all goes well they may consider discharging her early next week to become an outpatient.
Tuesday 3rd August
News from Nigel
Barts discharged Katie last Saturday so that she could come home for my birthday. I am sure you can imagine what a wonderful surprise that was!
Although she had to return on Sunday for tests, she is now discharged and continues her treatment as an out patient, attending the clinic twice a week.
With the news looking so bright, this will be the last of the updates on the website. Thank you all for reading them and for the very kind thoughts and wishes sent by everyone.
Wendy Eagling
