Every year our local council, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, host an awards ceremony in which a child from a local school is nominated for their achievement. This year by a unanimous vote, the teachers at St Marys and St Peters School decided that Kiera should be the recipient. Today she received her certificate from the Mayor of Richmond at the ceremony at The Stoop, which is where NEC Harlequins play. We're very proud of her! That said, tonight she's tucked up in bed in Kingston Hospital after developing a bug in one of her lines, but she hopes to be out tomorrow morning to continue her schooling and her cycling proficiency award. Photos are on the left!

K is doing well at the moment. She went back to school yesterday and on top of that has started on her cycling proficiency badge. She was so pleased to be able to ride her bike again, after such a long time of not having the energy to do so. It's all in short bursts and she still gets tired easily but it does encourage us all.

K and A got back from Marsden yesterday. K is well but is requiring a top up of anti biotics every now and then. The first was last night at 11pm, so she and I stayed in Kingston overnight. More later this afternoon and we'll see how it goes from there.

It was going to be oh so easy! Chemo on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, then into school Wednesday pm for the knitting club! But not so! K took a bit of a dislike to one of the chemicals that they pump into her which resulted in a bit of a hairy day. She got out of bed and lost her balance and her hands went into a kind of spasm. It seems that this is one of the know side effects of the drugs but usually occurs the first time it's administered. This was the seventh dose so it just goes to show that we can't take anything for granted. Anyway, they pumped her full of some "blue" stuff which seemed to sort her out and this evening I went over to the Marsden loaded with clean clothes and her favourite food (paste). (Tin of peeled plum tomatoes, 2 slices of bread, grated cheese and and egg. Put in blender, blend then gently heat. Pour over pasta etc). If she continues on the up they should be home tomorrow, however, there is also a slight chance that one of the Hickman lines has an infection so that might need some visits to Kingston. As far as long term is concerned, we've been told that the next course of action will be radiotherapy starting on 2nd Jan 2007. As far as I know, this will be a series of daily visits to Marsden as an outpatient, Mon to Friday, over a number of weeks. Plus it's also possible that chemo will continue as well.

(Happy birthday, Dad, wherever you are!)

Kieras 7th session starts today, 20th November. It's shorter than the usual as (I assume) that it's a stop gap while the consultants consider the next course of action now surgery has been ruled out. Since coming out of Kingston K has got better with each day and Ann and I both think the week "off" of chemo has done her good. She's been back to school, been to London and a party. All things that a girl of her age should be doing!

Funny how a week on holiday in Hong Kong goes quicker than a week in Kingston Hospital! K was released this afternoon and is as fit as can be at the moment although she has to have a daily infusion of anti biotics. Her next chemo was due tomorrow but that's not going ahead for the time being. Tonight she's having a sleep over with a friend (she insists!) and Ann and I are off to the Momentum Opera at the Landmark Centre. If you're going, hope you enjoy it! Thanks again to everyone for their support and messages, it's a real comfort to know that we have you as friends and relatives!

This has not been a good week for K! The usual anti biotics haven't worked and there's not been a real clue as to what is wrong. She's developed a number of sores around all the her mouth and bottom area. The codeine side effects are constipation so you can imagine the distress she's been in. Yesterday they changed the pain killer so hopefully that problem has been addressed. Ann had an appointment with the Prof at the Royal Brompton yesterday. He will not operate to take any of the tumour out. He said that it would be too invasive for what he could actually achieve (we're talking opening up the chest cavity as they do with heart patients). "Put it this way, I wouldn't do it on my daughter" were his comments. So that just leaves chemo and radiotherapy. Today K has gone to the Brompton for a series of scans and when she gets back to Kingston a CT scan is booked in. I must admit however that this morning she was sitting up in bed, colouring and drawing and in little discomfort. I've no idea when she'll be out, her count is up as they've put her on the same medicine as she had prior to the stem cell harvest which also seems to have helped her, so sometime soon, I hope!

K & A are still in Kingston. K's temperature is all over the place for no apparent reason. Yesterday she had and x-ray which showed no problems and so it's more down to more blood tests to find the reason. K's next chemotherapy, while longer term decisions are made  is scheduled for 13th to 15th November.

Wearing my other hat as Treasurer at Hospital Radio Hillingdon, I'd like to ask you to visit our web shop if you intend to buy Christmas presents on line this year. Shops include John Lewis, Amazon, M&S, Play.com and hundreds more. If you go to www.radiohillingdon.com and click on the link, or bookmark www.buy.at/radiohillingdon then every time you make a purchase, Hospital Radio Hillingdon receives a commission. Subsequent visits to any of the shops need to be made via the web shop at www.buy.at/radiohillingdon for commission on your purchase to be payable, however there is NO extra cost to you. Having been with Kiera in Kingston Hospital and the Royal Marsden, I know what a difference Hospital Radio makes to patients, so please support us as and when you can! Thanks!

Not too bad a week this week with just a blood and platelets transfusion on Thursday. K managed to get to last nights firework display at school but took a turn for the worse over night resulting in a visit to Kingston hospital. We're hoping that she'll be able to come out for the evening so that we can go to our friends bonfire and firework party. No doubt it's going to be at least another 48 hours before she's well enough to come home.