Friday 9 April 2010 - Treatment Day 100

That's me with my newest cousin, Naim. The photo was taken in the 2nd week of Feb, a few days after I'd had the operation to insert my chemoport. The chemoport is on the right side of my chest, and I was going around everywhere with my neck stiffly to my left because I was afraid of hurting my neck. The chemoport is attached to a big artery in my chest and also a big vein in my neck. Grandma was afraid I'd look like that forever if I didn't re-learn how to move my neck again.

Mum had to try hard to get me to move my head normally. She moved my carseat to the other side of the car so that I would have to move my neck in order to talk to her. She would also move my dvd player to my right so I'd have to turn my neck. She also made me do neck exercises everyday so I would practice turning to the right. After a few weeks, I finally got used to it. But it wasn't easy and it took a lot of effort. But I can now move my neck properly again.

Thursday 8 April 2010 - Treatment Day 99

Here's an article mum found about studies which suggest that chemo patients should not take high amounts of Vitamin C. It seems that the vitamin protects cancer cells from being killed by the chemo drugs. Good thing I don't like supplements then :S

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=93137

Wednesday 7 April 2010 - Treatment Day 98

That's me reading to the class at my school. I haven't been to school in a long time, and I didn't have chemo this week so mum asked Tok Mummy if I could come over for 1 or 2 hours, and if there were any sick kids. Tok Mummy said I can come anytime and that everybody misses me.

It was also Katrina Ava's birthday, and her mum brought in a cake and some party goodies.

One of the teachers, Ms Noor, gave mum a bottle of juice for me. She said it's got lots of antioxidants, which are believed to protect cells from free radicals which are thought to cause cancer.

Later mum went to Ikea and bought lots of new furniture for the house. She also found an organic shop at the Ikano shopping mall called Just Life, and bought me some organic wheatgerm, lollipops, ramen noodles, crisps and lip balm. The shop also stocked organic makeup bedsheets, pillows and clothes. They gave mum a free bottle of organic tomato ketchup.

Tuesday 6 April 2010 - Treatment Day 97

I went to grandma's house today, and played with Omar and Emma.

QOTD: "Why should I ask daddy if I can go to grandma's house? He's not the boss of me. Mum is."

Monday 5 April 2010 - Treatment Day 96

The white spot on my lip is getting better. But mum said it's still there, so she gave me one more folinic acid tablet. You can read more about folinic acid here: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100001383.html

But she said we probably don't need to see Dr Lin, because it's getting better. I was relieved when she said that. I hate going to hospital. I can hardly see the spot myself, but mum says you can see it if you look carefully. It doesn't hurt anyway, and I'm still kind of eating normally, although I don't eat a lot nowadays.

I watched all the Punky Brewster dvds today. I really liked them. I didn't watch them in order though. Mum said I should, because then I'll know how Punky got to be adopted by the old man. I didn't really know what she was talking about at first.

QOTD: "I wish I dream about when I am better. I want to go to Ikea and eat Ikea food when I am better."

Sunday 4 April 2010 - Treatment Day 95

A white spot appeared on the side of my mouth today. Mum thought it might be one of those mouth ulcers that Dr Lin warned us about, that the high-dose intravenous MTX can cause.

She asked if it hurt. I said it hurt a little bit. So she gave me one folinic acid tablet and said we might need to see Dr Lin tomorrow if the white spot is still there.

Aunty Carolina (Aliya's mum) gave us a stainless steel colander today, it's for draining all my noodles and pasta. Mum had told her we'd needed one, as she'd binned all our old plastic ones. There's not many plastic utensils left in our kitchen now, mum is trying to ban them.

QOTD: "I dreamt a very good dream. I had long hair and tok (grandad) touched it and said I was beautiful."

Saturday 3 April 2010 - Treatment Day 94

Mum's friend, aunty Debbie, came to visit today. She brought me the Punky Brewster Season One boxed set which she'd ordered specially from Amazon.com, a get well card, a Little Miss Sunshine doll, and a new floppy hat and stickers from my favourite shop Accessorize. Punky Brewster was a show which was on tv when she was a little girl and she said she liked watching it and that it was a good story.

I was really happy when she came but I got upset when the nurses came to take the needle out for me to go home. I cried and cried and struggled with the nurses for nearly an hour. I didn't let the nurses take the bandage off, I did it all myself, while the nurses told me to do it carefully. when the bandage was off, I let the nurses take the needle out. It was painful, and it stung when they swabbed my port with alcohol so I cried again. Aunty Debbie asked mum if it was like this, me struggling and crying for an hour, every time. Mum said yes. Aunty Debbie told me I was a very brave and strong girl.

Dr Lin gave us folinic acid tablets to take home. He said that if I develop any mouth ulcers, then mum should give me one of those, and then take me in to see him the next day.