Mini-trazzle and his candles vs. neuroblastoma

[Trazzletoes]

Hi, continuity thread for my little DS (3) who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma last week. Much gratitude for all the support the Trazzles have received. You nasty nest of vipers, you

I hope Joseph's temperature has come down again and the next round of chemo goes ok so you can all get home to sleep in your own beds again soon

Splodging light from a very dark, wet and dismal Amsterdam.

How has your day been? How's his temp now?
Sending you lots of love x

Hi - how has today been? How is his temp? Have they done/are they going to be able to do the chemo?

How's the crochet coming along?

Hope today has been okay and that the fever has gone.

Thinking of you
x

I left Joe with DH after lunch. Joseph has had some good naps, chemo has started, he's a bit glum and lethargic and not eating but he'll do ok. It's just the combination of feeling poorly and then being in hospital and having the chemo on top of that.

DD is super-gorgeous. Although I just had to wake her up for her antibiotics and I'm not joking when I say she went mental... 20 minutes of screaming like an actual banshee, poor lamb. She's getting up on her hands and knees and is so close to crawling! I really hope I don't miss it. It's so lovely to have someone in the house who has no understanding of what is happening and so can be beautifully chirpy.

Incidentally, does anyone watch Grimm? I'm just catching up on the second series... What on earth have they done to the titles???!!!

Glad you had some time with dd even if you needed ear plugs. Good that DH got time with Joe, even if he was down .

Hope the night goes well.

Poor little Joe, it's just so miserable isn't it and so hard when they're so young.

Poor little DD too - feeling rubbish then being woke :( Have you got a video recorder that you can leave with whoever is looking after her, to try to capture her crawling if you aren't there? Sods law she'll do it when you're not - they seem to sense it I'm sure! es, nice to have the company of someone not looking at you with sadness x Does she look much like Joe?

Sorry, I don't watch Grimm - haven't even heard of it?!

I hope you are getting a decent nights sleep!

When should Joe be able to come home?

I don't think she looks like Joe, but some people do...

Joseph is absolutely the spitting image of DF, even down to a bit of hair that sticks up at the back of his head! Whereas we've been told that DD looks a lot like DMil when she was a baby, although we have no photos so we don't know ourselves. She has DH's colouring though - dark hair and born with very dark eyes. I don't think they were ever blue! I'll see if I can put a picture up later.

I may be a bit biased I don't think i am but she is super-gorgeous too.

DH has just texted to say that Joseph has c. Diff. As in, he's infected with it. Am too scared to google it. Can anyone reassure me?

Have googled quickly, it's a bacteria in the gut that causes diarrhoea when competing bacteria in the gut have been decimated by ABs.
It can be treated, but obv I don't know if J's meds would all be compatible.
Explains why his tummy is so poorly. I can't find much about how serious it is in your instance. I think you can google without it freaking you out.

Love and splodges from Provence.

Have read more on another site.
There are v virulent strains, apparently.
Perhaps best not to google. You need info from the RL doctors treating J about this.
Sorry for conflicting posts...

Hi Trazzle hope you are holding up ok. The hospital will routinely test for C.diff and MRSA. I am not medically trained but I believe most of us are carriers of C.diff but I think it is if it is active or more of it. I know Willwas routinely checked when we returned to hospital (not often as he only went home once in 5 half months). You are in the best place for them to treat Joe, they are on the look out for this all the time and obviously know what meds he is on so if he needs treatment for it they will know what to do.

Keep strong, let your DD be a wonderful distraction and enjoy her moments of normality. I have another son and it is very difficult trying not to let one son's illness affect the other one's life - obviously it does but he is entitled to a life as well without too much guilt.

Sorry I know nothing about C.diff but wise words I think from minmooch I hope Joe's feeling better soon.

Your DD does sound gorgeous and I hope her ear infection is better soon so no more early awakenings for antibiotics

Never heard of Grimm. Is it good? Am I missing out on something here?

Oh poor Joe.

I have been away from MN for a few days, but have been thinking of you often. Sorry to hear Joseph has an infection. Poor boy . But it's good that it's been discovered so that treatment can start for it. Is this why he keeps having a high temperature, maybe?

I hadn't heard of Grimm, but I googled it and it looks like the sort of thing we'd get hooked on too. I'd give it a go, but we don't get Sky. I'll bet it's a good distraction for you when you're watching it.

Hope Joseph has a good day today and that the infection is soon under control.

No idea about c diff but hope he is ok xx

Am thinking of you all.

No idea what c diff is but please do not google!

Hi Trazzle,

Sorry to hear that Joseph has Clostridium difficile. Two thirds of all children are believed to carry this bacteria in their gut. Normally this doesn't matter but some antibiotics interfere with the balance of 'good' bacteria in the gut, this is when C difficile can multiply causing diarrhoea and fever and when it needs treating.

It is quite contagious so I expect they may keep him in isolation. He is in the best place right now.

I hope he will recover soon and manages to keep his spirits up.

Your DD sounds very spirited, putting up such a fight with the antibiotics. I hope you will be there when she starts crawling.

Look after yourself.
Hugs.

As another poster already mentioned, C diff is not killed using hand gels, it is therefore really important to wash hands really well with water and soap and to dry them well to avoid infecting yourself/others.

Does the hospital give him probiotics or are you allowed to give him probiotics? Usually it comes in a powder which can be mixed with any food/drink, it contains large amounts of 'good' bacteria and is thought to help with creating the right balance in the gut during and after antibiotics use. My DD was several times given probiotics after we had enquired about them (whereas that hospital automatically gave them to adult patients, but just not standard to children).

If you want a can send you a link to a pharmacy who sells them online, but it is best to check with his doctors if and if so, which ones are best to use.

Thank you all for your helpful information. Am breathing a bit more easily now!!!

DS isn't allowed to have probiotics because of the chemo - he can't even have natural yoghurt! I assume this is because his immune system is not able to keep the bacteria in check - the biggest risk of infection is from inside himself, not from other people's germs, apparently. If the hospital can give him probiotics, I'm sure they will. They know what they're doing, anyway, don't they.

Report from DM this morning, who is on hospital duty, is that he has watched the Lion King and is currently involved in Peppa Pig's Party Time - rather her than me!

I have 90 minutes to get on with things now before I'm off to the hospital so see ya! Looking forward to this evening though - even though I'm sleeping in tonight, DH is coming to the hospital after work and bringing a Thai takeaway. Yum! Today would have been DFil's birthday. DH was very close to him and it's always a sombre time of year. I would hate for him to have been at home, most likely lying in bed all evening, mulling things over too much and getting even more upset. He'll be fine, he always is, but it's nice to be able to spend a little bit of time with him.

The crochet is coming on ok, actually, my square is a little bit wobbly and there is the odd dropped stitch or 5 but it stretches to 6" which is, I think, the important bit... Now I just need to make it 6" tall as well... This may take some time... but the wool is absolutely lush. So easy to work with!! I fear this may become an addiction...

DD's photo now features. I'm off to feed the hungry cats...

Joseph and his sister are absolutely gorgeous :)
Hope you all have a peaceful day x

Oh, she is gorgeous!