Disney and Manchester

It’s been a while since we last posted and, in that period, Eloise has been doing wonderful well. Eloise’s speech and visible strength continue to slowly improve, and she is increasingly able to integrate into a more ‘normal’ life for her age. For example, she can now get around most soft plays independently and has recently started swimming lessons (where she can swim with just a noodle).

It has been an eventful summer for us all – but thankfully, in the fun sense of the word! We have enjoyed time away seeing family in Chichester, Devon, Durham and London. Been for a week’s holiday abroad (!) in France (Eloise is still unable to fly but Euro Tunnels are fair game). The end of our time in France was especially magical, as a wonderful and generous charity (Kids Cancer Charity) organised for us to go to Disneyland as part of the Disney Wish programme.

This involved Eloise having a special lanyard that enabled us to enjoy rides without queuing, meet Disney characters and essentially be treated like VIPs. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that was simply amazing. Eloise’s highlights were a personal meet and greet with Anna and Elsa, going to the Disney shows and the Dumbo ride.

We are so grateful for Kids Cancer Charity and Disney Wish Programme for making this possible and for treating us all with such love and genuine warmth.

We are currently back in Manchester, for Eloise to have an assessment at The Christie Hospital/Proton Beam Centre to monitor the long-term neuro effects of her treatment. Eloise continues to have a variety of regular appointments and check-ups with all her specialist experts and is currently being re-vaccinated for all the standard immunisations.

Eloise’s next MRI (and CT) scan is booked for the beginning of October, which we pray will continue to show No Evidence of Disease and provide confirmation that the ‘calcification lesion’ in her brain stem is nothing to be concerned about and is not changing/getting bigger.

For those that pray:

• Give thanks that Eloise is making developmental progress and that we have had enjoyable and fun-filled summer holidays, with lots of precious memories with both Eloise and Anna.
• Please pray that Eloise learns to run and jump and can continue to expand her vocabulary, comprehension skills and processing speed.
• Eloise’s assessments – including the one tomorrow at the Christie Centre – for protection against the expected long-term impacts of her treatment and that Eloise would continue to defy the odds and astound us all.  
• Please pray for Anna as she moves schools next week to be with Eloise.
• For Eloise to continue to show No Evidence of Disease, that the calcification lesion doesn’t change/get bigger and that her seizures are controlled.