Update

A week last Wednesday, we were back at the Royal London for Fintan's second application of cryotherapy. It was another long day, but Fintan, as always, was fantastic. The suspicious areas in his left eye are responding well to treatment and his right eye remains stable. Mr Hungerford commented that, as Fintan is getting older and bigger, he is now able to get to good photographs of the retinas and is more able to see round the peripheral of the eyes to see what is going on.

We are going to try again for an 8 week gap before the next examination - hopefully this time we will not have any cause for concern and have to return to London early!

After what had been quite a stressful Summer Holidays, we have just returned from a blissful week in Devon. We stayed on a remote farm in the middle of Devon - the boys were able to wander off on their own to explore the farm and they thoroughly enjoyed the chance to help out with the sheep and pigs and to collect eggs for breakfast! Archie now wants to be a farmer (Barnaby thinks it would be too much like hard work!) and shed a few tears when it was time to come home. We had such a lovely break that we are trying to work out when we can go back again!

Fintan and the boys at Wembworthy Down Farm, Devon

Raising Awareness

Whilst we were away it was a very good week for raising awareness of Retinoblastoma - there was an article in several of the national newspapers which resulted in an item on BBC Breakfast with a representative from CHECT (The Childhood Eye Cancer Trust). The white eye reflex and how treatable the cancer is was very much the focus of the article and hopefully this message will have reached a wide audience.

Link to BBC Article and video clip

Back to the Royal London!

So much for our break from the Royal London over the Summer holidays! Shortly after our last visit, Fintan's right eye gave us cause for concern as it appeared to be turning inwards more than usual. We spoke to the hospital last week before setting off to Lincolnshire for a few days, with the arrangement that the Royal London would contact us on our return to arrange a date to visit them. However, a change of plan brought our hospital visit forward with our return from Lincolnshire on Tuesday being followed by a trip to London yesterday!

Fintan's initial eye examination (involving measurements) indicated that his right eye was not turning in any more than last time, but the only way to be sure what was going on was to have an EUA (examination under anaesthetic). Fintan did not have his examination until 5 pm so it was a very long day.

As Fintan is getting older, he is much more aware of what is going on and has made associations with various treatment rooms. On entering the room to have his anaesthetic administered, Fintan immediately starts crying and clinging to you as he hates the mask used to give him the gas. It was particularly distressing this time, as I felt he was having this unplanned EUA because of our concerns and if there were not any problems he would have gone through the trauma for nothing.

By about 6pm we had the results of Fintan's examination - no problems with the right eye, but in fact there were 2 or 3 suspicious areas in the peripheral of his left eye which Mr Hungerford treated with cryotherapy. These are not new tumours, but probably settling debris similar to the problems in his right eye (vitreous basing). Although not quite accurate, we had been right to be concerned and are glad we contacted the hospital before his planned visit in September. Fintan has to return in 2 weeks time (due to holidays) for a second application of cryotherapy.

As always, Fintan was fantastic and actually seemed to enjoy himself exploring the play area and climbing on, over and in anything he could find! We also had a blissful hour before treatment started when all the patients were alseep - unfortunately, the nursing staff couldn't give us anything to knock out Archie and Barnaby! At such short notice we had brought the boys with us, but they were very well behaved (with a little help from our invaluable portable DVD player - the best investment we've made!!)

Problems with Fintan's eye ointment prescription delayed us a little, but we finally left the hospital just before 8 pm. Today, Fintan has recovered well and is bright and chirpy, he just looks a little battered and his left eye is now turning in nicely!!

Fintan has a good look about

"My other toy car's a fire engine"

Barnaby is apparently something from Star Wars!

Archie finally completes his Lego Imperial Star Destroyer