Yesterday I took the decision to start getting back into work. I'm fortunate enough to be based from home and therefore I can work downstairs so that if I need to give Hayley a hand with the girls I can. It has been slightly strange even trying to think about work and to be honest, if it wasn't for the mortgage, I would be seriously considering a more local job. I know this isn't possible unless a friendly benefactor stumps up enough money; either that or readers of this blog go trigger happy on the Google Ads.

Another reason why it's been strange starting to think about work again is because of Hayley; she loves her job and while Camille is so reliant on her mummy she is needed here. For that reason I feel guilty that thinking about mundane decisions at work, gives me that small escape that Hayley does not have.

Camille was just OK yesterday, but as the day went on it was clear that she wasn't feeling a hundred percent. She ended up having quite an early night in the end and didn't wake up until past her normal time for getting up. We didn't have to go to the hospital yesterday either; the community nurses have started to come to us for administering her antibiotics. This makes the procedure a lot easier, and also Camille is more comfortable and trusting in her own home. For this reason, any requirement to take blood, or to insert a new cannula will still be done at hospital.

Tomorrow, we will go to hospital as they are due to take a blood test to determine her blood counts. Camille will be seven days on from her Chemotherapy session tomorrow, this is the time when her white blood count should begin to drop to a level that means she has little or no immune system. This change may have become pretty evident today.

All morning Camille looked pretty subdued, and tired. She ended up going for a nap before lunch and then a further one mid-afternoon. She really looked like she had had the stuffing knocked out of her. As we ate our dinner this evening, the poor little girl was very sick after having a little food herself. This was the first real indication that the Chemotherapy was having a significant affect on her. Again, another new insight to what might happen regularly after Chemotherapy treatments.

During the next few days it is also important for us to monitor her temperature closely. If at any stage she goes above 38.0c, we will need to take her to hospital.

We've decided that we are going to produce a diary of symptoms, by treatment and by number of days afterwards. From what we have been told, Chemotherapy patients do tend to follow a pattern; going forward I think we need to know when she is going to be low and when her better days will be.

Lucia has now been back home for nearly a week and is a polar opposite to Camille with respect to their energy. Lucia has an infinite amount of the stuff and is generally running, climbing or dancing. This has its difficulties itself as when Hayley ends up being alone with them when I am back doing work appointments, she is going to have to find a medium that satisfies both of their needs; Cuddles for Camille and playtime for Lucia. This in itself is something that we hadn't really considered, we are truly very grateful to have brilliant support around us.