Fintan Had His Central Line Fitted

Fintan had his central line fitted today, the tubes they will be using to administer his chemo drugs and to take blood samples from, over the next months. It was another long day, and Fintan again had to go for most the day without food, and yet he didn't really make a fuss at all. Fiona has stayed with Fintan at the John Radcliffe in Oxford tonight and he will be having his first lot of chemo tomorrow.

This morning Archie and Barnaby had a nice cuddle with their brother before he left for the hospital. They are very worried about him, but are coping extraordinarily well. Barnaby knows something is up, and is asking questions about Fintan's eyes, but doesn't really understand what's happening. Archie is a sensitive boy and is very worried about Fintan, but I think he is also enjoying the attention he is getting from the family, and is also enjoying telling his Nanny how to do everything!



Before Fintan was taken down to the theatre to have his line fitted, he was put in a little gown, and it looked so sweet I had to take a picture...

I have to say, being on the ward today, there were a few other kids there who were in the middle of their treatment. Although these kids had lost their hair, and a couple needed help walking about, so had wheel chairs or crutches, they were very happy, and just got on with it all. It was reassuring to see how well they coped.

There were a couple of things I found hard today; it was hard to have to hold Fintan down while the doctors struggled to find a vein to take blood samples from, it was heart wrenching to see him fight the anaesthetic gas when he was put to sleep, and it was also hard when we were told they prefer to insert a central line, because administering the chemo drugs through a cannula in the hand is unpleasant as the drugs are so toxic, they would burn the skin...what the hell is in these drugs?

As a parent, this whole chemo thing is tough, nowhere near as tough as it will be for Fintan, but to consent to something that you know is going to make him feel really shit, especially when he seems so fit and well, is hard.