Katie Taylor

January saw us in and out of Queens Medical Centre Nottingham

for just about the whole month. Katie had 

strange pains in her "good leg" and a numb ache in her back.  These were put down to not moving about as much as she had been doing, after all on the 2nd of January she had just started the Interferon treatment.  Interferon is a foul injection given 3 times a week. It has been found to retard the growth of malignant melanoma.  For 3 weeks she suffered shivers, alternating hot and cold sweats, no strength to even stand let alone walk, she was completely washed out.  On the 18th her temperature soared suddenly to 39 degrees.  We phoned the ward for advice.  Their answer was to take her straight over.  Bloods were taken, and overnight the temperature dropped.  The following day we came home. 

Monday 21st Jan.  Mr Hewitt her consultant phoned.  It was decided to stop the treatment for 2 weeks and see how she recovered. The sickness and hot/cold sweats stopped, she was very weak and lethargic all the time.

Thursday 31st Jan.  Year 12 parents evening.  Katie stayed with her friends Jodie & Rachel at Jodies house while Wayne, Chris and I went to see what Chris had been doing at school.  Obviously he'd taken a complete back seat while we bungled our way through the last few weeks.  His tutors were very pleased with him, and due to the stress at home we chatted about the possibility of his A levels being extended - this was agreed.  Katie had had a great girly evening with her friends at Jodies. All was well.