Day -7

Have some unexpected time to myself so can write update while Ryan is having a session with a teacher - they asked him if he would like to learn german words instead of reading english books and he jumped at the chance and told the teacher reading is boring!

We both had a bit of a rubbish night, less fluids but still 100ml per hour - 24 hrs a day. This is because the drugs Ryan is having are destroying cells in his body, when cells die they release uric acid, when many many cells die the amount of uric acid can damage the kidneys. So the fluid is to ensure the kidney's are flushed, in addition Ryan is also given a drug to make him wee frequently. Last night his nappy leaked at 10, 12, 2 and 5 plus he also woke for a wee in between! He refused to bother to go back to sleep after 5. He said whats the point! Tonight we are trying some additional padding in the nappy but today is going to be a long day.

Hopefully though he will feel well like yesterday and we have even managed to get x-box live working and so when his friends are home from school he can play on-line with them.

We were amazed to learn the Vanessa, one of the other children from the UK, is being discharged to the parents house this afternoon after approx 4 weeks in isolation! Jamie, the other english child, is doing ok although was hopefully at his lowest point yesterday with mucusitis and several other unpleasant side effects from treatment. Although he is on morphine he is coping and the doctors are hopeful his new stem cells will start to graft in the next few days. Their experiences are very encouraging for us to hear but nothing can be taken for granted and they all still have a long way to go.