Thursday 18 November 2010

We knew it, we just bloody well knew it...

Adam's blood counts on Wednesday were up. Platelets at 161 and Neutrophils at 0.9. Given what we know about Adam's counts this is good enough to go forward to chemotherapy followed by stem cell harvest.

But...

Adam can't have chemotherapy this weekend because the stem cell collection machines are booked out the week after next. Which means that although his blood counts are now good enough, we still cannot proceed.

Which means that he will now have gone two months without any treatment (since MIBG therapy). And his last chemotherapy will have been in August.

Which means we have to do it all again with his blood counts next Wednesday. And we know Adam's blood counts come with the same warning as investment products - they can go down as well as up.

Which means we will have had a delayed stem cell collection at The Royal Marsden in August because of scheduling and PCT funding, delayed tumour resection at St George's in September due to the surgeon being on holiday, delayed MIBG therapy at UCH in September due to staff shortages and now delayed chemotherapy and stem cell harvest The Royal Marsden due to availability of equipment.

None of which has anything to do with Adam, or his condition, or his treatment, or standard-of-care. For a little boy with an advanced form of one of the most aggressive cancers that's an awful lot of delays. For the parents of said little boy that's an awful lot of extra worry and anguish whilst their child isn't getting any of the treatment they know he needs.

1 comment:

  1. i am sorry to hear that. I often check in to see how Adam is getting on. I still have a link to donate on my blog. Take care all of you xx

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