3rd June to 9th June - DELAYED INTENSIFICATION - Week 20

3rd June to 9th June

This week has been rubbish. On Monday morning I took a long time to wake up and when I did Mummy took my temperature it was very high and going up! Mummy phoned the hospital and I had to go straight there.

I was admitted straight away, but I did have to wait for a long time for them to get a bed ready for me as I have to be on my own. I am very neutropenic and I have a runny nose and a cough. The nurses had to take lots of blood samples from me as well as nose swabs and mouth swabs. I wouldn't let them use the sticks unless they let me do it myself.

I have had blood tests taken every day and I have slept a lot. Mostly I am sad. I don't want to drink or eat so I have been on a drip with fluids. I have got sores in my mouth from the drugs and I had thrush in my mouth because of the neutropnia. The doctors have told us that I have a type of flu as well as a cold but I suppose when you can't fight the infection like other people you get to stay in hospital.

My blood tests haven't been very good and my temperature has taken a long time to stay down so I've had platelets and a blood transfusions!

I have had visits from my Nana and Grandad everyday and a Lady came to see me with her guitar and we sang some songs together. The candlelighters have been to visit me and they bring me toys and drawing and painting. I've even painted pasta to make a necklace. I've made my Daddy a birthday card and a Fathers Day card. I also made my Grandad a card. One of the Candlelighters is a dinner lady and she brings me sweets and crisps everyday and has made me  special milkshakes and soup to try and make me feel better. If I wasn't feeling ill I'd like her a lot!!

My Auntie has been to visit too and she bought lots of fun things to do whilst I'm in hospital. She came early on Sunday as My Mummy called her because my heart rate had been low overnight and I found it hard to wake up in the morning. I had a CT scan - it is like a big doughnut that you have to lie very still inside whilst it spins around you, I didn't like it Mummy stayed and held my hand and snuggles came with me. I also had an ECG both were fine. they have changed my antibiotics and taken me off some of my medicines to see if it helps. I think it is but I am still very tired.

Mostly Mummy has been trying to get me to eat and drink and mostly I have been saying NO!

I am getting a little bit excited as Daddy is going to visit on Monday and I am going to get to give him a big hug and a kiss! I am trying really hard to get better and go home. The doctors want to get me home as soon as they can but I'm still not very well!

Mum says: This week has been very stressful and quite scary at times, it is starting to feel more real and like we have a really sick child, but I feel as if I just stop and think about everything which is happening right now I might just be completely overwhelmed by it all. We have gone from a very sick child with a temperature. to a slightly less sick child with random temperature spikes to a sick child with no temperature but just not Our little Alice. I have been so grateful to Mum and Dad for their visits and clean underwear. I was glad to be able to call on My Sister when I was on my  own and not sure quite why Alice was going for a CT scan. Sunday morning we were kind of invaded by doctors at about 8am and it all seemed much worse and more frightening at the time than it turned out to be. I think their biggest worry was that she may have a virus affecting the fluid around her brain, they have every base covered with antibiotics and they have stopped medicines which may cause problems. I have been continuously reassured by all the staff and Doctors that this is all within the 'norm' for delayed intensification and that things will improve and they are sure she has a virus, we know she came in on Monday with a cold and now we are waiting for her to improve enough to go back to Mum's.  I think we will have to feed her through the NG Tube as she can't eat because of sores in her mouth and a week has passed with out her picking up like normal. It had looked good for us leaving on Monday now we just hope that when Gareth arrives she will be starting to feel much better.