Yesterday evening, Isita, Jamie, Marta and I went for a pizza at the Westfield shopping centre, at Isita’s special request, to celebrate – yes – the end of her treatment. Yes! The. End. Of. Her. Treatment. The end of her treatment! Yes, yes, yes! Two years and ten days after the kind doctors at St Mary’s Paddington invited us to sit down in the little room and ensured a box of tissues was on hand and explained that Isita had a neuroblastoma and what it was, the cancer treatment is finished. Finished, finished, finished, finished, finished. Isita received her final dose of radiotherapy yesterday morning. Providing there is no relapse, no more treatment is planned or necessary.
The radiotherapy was extraordinary to see. 14 times, Isita lay completely alone, still as a statue on a hi-tech bed as this vast machine revolved around her like an outsized robotic hand. We and the nurses had to watch her on a screen. Although the experience seemed quite forbidding, she gave every appearance of actually enjoying it – the challenge, the drama, the attention. Lordy, what on earth is she going to do when she grows up?
She still has to go through the end of treatment tests, and for the next few years there will be tests every three months. Pray God it doesn’t come back. We honestly believe it will not, but have to hold back a little bit of something in reserve so that if it does we can deal with it. We also have to get her eating properly and off the TPN intravenous fluids (target – second week in February). We have to get her lines out (target – Easter beach holiday when she will be allowed in the water). We have to deal with what may be long term damage to her kidneys (she still loses a lot of vital salts which means we have to give her supplements). But putting all that aside, our family has reached a point that for a long time Marta and I feared might be beyond us. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our friends. Thank you.
Isita 
Many, many congratulations!!!!
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Such wonderful wonderful news. I am beyond thrilled for you all. Natasha xxx
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Such a wonderful news to start the year !!! So so happy for you and gosh you were all so brave !! xxxx
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This is the best news ever! I am so thrilled for Isita and all of you. Xxxx
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Oh boy! What a relief this must be for you all! Congratulations to you all!! It is already a VERY happy new year!!!! Huge abrazos to all especially to my little Konan the barbarian fighter.
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Powering across the finish line! Such a long course you have all bravely travelled. Enormous relief that you have arrived at the end.
Thank you for the steady updates – I’m sure that it’s been the last thing you wanted to add to your plate, but it’s kept us all up to speed from afar with the ups and downs. And ups again. Sending our love to you all.
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Hooray absolutely wonderful news. you are a family of fighters. Rosalind had in fact done a letter for Isita before I received this and would like me to send it to your new address please – what is it? And she would love to come and see Isita when it works X Rosalind Thornton, Rohan and Henry
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Damos gracias a Dios por esa maravillosa noticia. Blanca G-V y A-V.
Sent from my iPhone
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HURRAY!!! Agree with every single comment above. Thank you for keeping us up to speed during this long long period. It is the best news ever. Much much love as always
C&V
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AMAZING NEWS!!! Love to all xx
Julia Coupland The Grove Trust http://www.thegrovetrust.com julia_petropoulos@yahoo.com +44 (0) 7779 731 641
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Congratulations!!!!
A big hug for all of you and a massive kiss for the bravest and strongest girl in the whole world!!!
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Enhorabuena familia. Un buen final
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OMG. God Bless you all and the dozens of professionals who have helped in this fight.
Did she ring the bell?
I am totally happy and thrilled for you all.
Here’s hoping I don’t see you as in- patients for a long time, if ever.
Much love
Henriettaxx
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She hasn’t rung the bell yet. We’ll let you know when we have a date for that when we’ll also do a big thank you to everyone at GOSH. Love John
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We are absolutely over the moon for you four. You have been utterly incredible. Happy happy times! Hurray! xLucia
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Best news possible!! Amazing outcome for the bravest family!! All the best for you all.
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Ole ole y reole, sin palabras.
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Enhorabuena! Por fin ha llegado el día, seguimos con vosotros, un fuerte abrazo!
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Congratulations Isita you are a star and Jamie! What an amazing big brother you all! Sending lots of love your way ❤️❤️❤️ Nanny Emma
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Enhorabuena!! Es la mejor noticia que se puede tener!! Un abrazo enorme ❤️
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Jumping for joy!! Happiest possible news!! Love to the 4 of you
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what fabulous news. This is amazing. Sending you all masses of love. xxx
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I am crying tears of joy for all of you, especially Isita, the bravest girl I know! This is the best news! Sending so much love! Jeanne, Elliott & family
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What a wonderful way to start the new year…. and with Pizza. Yeah for Isita.
Huge hugs to you all. Andrew
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Absolutely fantastic news and the best possible way to start a new year! So happy for you all and so proud of Isita, a brave little fighter! Will be much looking forward to catch up whenever you’d feel like it. And thank you for writing the blog all that time. It really was the most precise, articulate and thoughtful way to keep us all on track. It must have been rather tough to put it all together at times but we really are most grateful, John. Lots and lots of love, Natasha Foster xxx
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