Trip to Lourdes

After a brilliant week in Lourdes we are back home :) ,we had a really good time and we met lots of really nice people. It was a week full of good times that i will never ever forget. we brought Karagh to the baths in Lourdes where she was placed into really cold water, me and Sarah also got into them and the thing about the  baths is when we got out we where bone dry. We also did the Candle light procession which was the most beautiful thing i ever seen. We brought Karagh to the Grotto where she rubbed her hand all along the wall as soon as we took her out of the buggy it was like she knew she had to do it and we did the Blessing for the sick where we were anointed with special oils and blessed by the priest.

We went to the top of the pic du jer which is a mountain in Lourdes that is 1100 metre to where the cable car drops us and i walked another 300 to the top where the cross is that illuminates at night, was a good day and the views was brilliant.

There was lots of things we done during the week and one of the things was placing a set of Rosary Beads on a tree for Karagh with her picture and soother attached to them, for me it was a happy but emotional time  
Throughout the hole week Karagh was brilliant she never cried once and she made alot of new friends as me and Sarah did too, One man from day one every day in the hotel at breakfast, lunch and dinner came over to Karagh and always said hello, he was from Italy, he gave Karagh 2 pairs of rosary beads and he gave Sarah a pair and me a gold coin on a key ring from the Vatican in Rome which was really nice. I talked to him through his translator and was telling him the reason Karagh was in Lourdes and what was wrong with her, he couldn't believe it.He said to me he had falling in love with her the first time he seen her and she always smiled at me, Before i finished talking to him he ask me could he have a picture of Karagh and our address as he wants to keep in touch with us to see how Karagh is doing :) and he told me he will pray for her every day.



                                              

I said alot of prayers for Karagh, for children who is fighting Cancer and for the one,s who have lost there lives to Cancer and  for there family's aswell and also lit candles for them too.

During thee week in Lourdes we were told that Karagh's Peach's Neet Feet arrived and we were so excited to see them and let Karagh see them and try them on and i have to say that they are the nicest cutest things ever and she is delighted and was full of smiles when she took them out of the box :)



I will have pictures of our time in Lourdes and also pictures of Karagh with her new runners on up tomorrow :)



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Its almost Karagh's first Birthday and her next scan which means we are happy but at the same time nervous about the scan, she is having an MRI scan on her full body this time, she is having it the 3rd of September and then we are back up on the 4th the day of her birthday to see her doctor with the results of the scan.

Its been a year that seems like it flew but at the same time the longest year ever if that makes sense, we have had lots of ups and downs, One of the biggest things we got hit with in the year was been told Karagh had Cancer its a day i will never forget for the rest of my life. Its one the things you never want to hear.She was in treatment for 3 months and everyday for the 3 months i kept saying to myself i wish it was me instead of her i just didn't want her going through it all. Then after her 3 months of treatment we were given the best news ever that the chemotherapy had worked and that the tumor had gone and Karagh didn't have to go through it anymore :)We were over the moon we were delighted. She's had one scan already since then and it was all clear so im praying that this one is the same and i no it will be.

We have had our first Holiday with Karagh to Spain and it was brilliant she had a lovely time we all did and Karagh loved the water she cried every time we took her out.Cant wait to bring her again next year :)

                                              Karagh having a swim for the first time

                                                     Posing for the camera :)

 I've had my appendix removed just 3 weeks ago and when i was going down to the theatre i was nervous because it was my first time ever to have an operation done but i was saying to myself on the way down i don't care how long it takes i no im going to be sore after but i don't care how sore this is only a quarter of what Karagh went through. The only thing that i wasn't looking forward to after was not been able to pick Karagh up and give her hugs but its been 3 weeks now so im just glad im getting better and i can pick her up again :)

We are off to Lourdes in the morning for a week cant wait to go :) will have pictures and updates on how it goes when we are back home :)

A Day Of Joy For Karagh :)

Its been over a week now since Karagh had her scan done. .we couldn't have been any happier with the result we got that it was all ok.Shes doing good and getting so big now.She has her good days and bad days but mostly all good :)
There's alot of days of joy for Karagh bringing her place's and seeing different things but today was one of the best days :) Karagh received one of the Joy Jars from Jessie Rees Foundation : Never Ever Give Up today  :)

Her Smile just says it all she was delighted with her Joy Jar thanks to Jessie Rees Foundation :                                                                    NEVER EVER GIVE UP :)  

Karagh playing with the toys that were stuffed inside the Joy Jar :)

N E G U :)

All Clear :)

So Yesterday was Karagh's first Scan in 3 Month's since she was N.E.D and they were all clear :) We were so delighted and so to was Karagh's doctor.He was delighted with her progress.Her next scan is a CT scan which is on the 4th of September which will also be Karagh's first birthday aswell :)

Yesterday we were back down in St Johns ward for the first time in 3 month,s.It was good to see all the nurses that had been working with Karagh again and they were all happy to see Karagh to.As small as she was 3 months ago she still remembered them and as usual gave them a smile :) They couldn't beleave how big she got.It was good to talk to them all again and for them to see Karagh.

        After a long Morning in the Hospital she eventually gave up and fell asleep on way home :)




Will have more post up soon :)

Nerve's Time

Karagh's scan is coming up on Tuesday and im definitely not looking forward to it.My nerves are kicking in big time now.Its been 3 months since we were last up with Karagh's Doctor Micheal.I don't want Tuesday to come but at the same time i just want to get it done and over with,Within the 3 Months there's a few things that worried us like Karagh been badly constipated again  the reason we brought her to the hospital in the first place and just the other day we noticed her constantly hitting herself on the head with her hand,she only done it the once so maybe it was just a one off thing she had a headache or her teeth is driving her mad :(

I cant help but worry bout these things or things i think are strange its all ive been doing since the first day we   found out.


So please Keep the prayers going for Karagh that it will be the news we all want.

Apart from the few things i mentioned above Karagh has been in good form she is flying it and as always she is smiling and now giggling everyday,she is getting so big and always wants to be down on the ground she is not yet crawling but the way things are looking she will be walking before she is crawling :)She is my Little Inspiration and My Little Fighter and i love her to bits x




                                     
                         Smiling for the Camera as soon as she see's a camera she smiles

                           6 attempts to get her passport photo because she kept smiling at the Camera :)

Always Thinking

 So much to say because its been a while since i have updated my blog.We have done so much stuff since the Zoo we have been to loads of party,s,  Karagh has had loads of sleep over with both Nanny,s and Granda,s.


But there one thing i am so happy about and that's Karagh seeing her uncle Dean for the 2nd time play a rugby match but this time it was a final for the Darcy Cup and he won.We had a brilliant Day and even better when we went down pitch side to get photos taken with the cup, but as the match goes on for 70 minutes it was to much for Karagh and she fell asleep in her buggy ha :)

A picture of Karagh's uncle Dean scoring the winning try :)

New Room:

 We got Karagh's room ready for her to move into and she loves it,she in her own room 3 weeks now she starting to sleep all night. Its been hard as she is only getting back into her routine of things with everything she has been through.I do nights and Sarah gets up in morning even if she sleeps or not im still in and out to check on her id stay awake all night if i have to.For the first 3 weeks of her been in her own room  she would wake up 5 or 6 times during the night,i didn't mind i would just go into her and give her her soother and stay in there with her till she would fall back asleep.There has been nights where she cry'd so much with her teeth as she is teething like mad i would pick her up and let her fall asleep in my arms and then put her back down in her cot.Now she goes to sleep between 8 and half 8 and sleeps through till half 7 maybe just wakening ounce for her soother but other than that she is really good :)

                                                 Karagh in her new room :)

                                                Fast asleep and looks so comfy :)

The Beach:


As i was explaining earlier we have done so many things in the last few weeks and another one of them was a trip to the beach with Karagh for the first time :) we had a brilliant day relaxing on the beach, playing abit of football and taking a walk up along the pier.We brought her into the arcades to play on some of the games in there and as i always do i got her 1 or 2 teddy's :)

                                                      Enjoying the Sun and beach :)

                                                               Karagh and Mammy :)

Presents:

Karagh enjoying her new teething rings that were sent to her by some friends Mike and Kezia she really likes them :) Mike and Kezia have been so good to us :)

                                                     A big Kiss for Daddy xx



Always Thinking:


Its been 2 and a half months now since Karagh has been N.E.D(no evidence of disease) she has been in great form and is doing so well,she is sitting up on her own she always wants to be down on the ground trying to walk even though she cant even crawling yet but i give it another few days and she will crawl she doing her best too,the other day she started clapping her hands and dancing,i have her giving me a high five every time i hold my hand up :) and every morning Sarah brings her down she is Da Da Da Da until i get up :) she is just the best xx. .she has had her Hickman line(Freddie) removed now the last 3 weeks and it was a bit of mixed emotions getting it out. .I was delighted she was getting it out as it was another step on the right road but there was that little bit of me inside that wanted her to keep it, i don't no why? i think it was just incase of it coming back and the line was out that she would have to go through it all over again getting it back in,sounds stupid maybe but there always going to be that part of me that's never relaxed always thinking when she cry's is it back again.She has a scan in June and im not looking forward to it as expected, i wont be looking forward to any of the scans really, but i didn't call her MY LITTLE FIGHTER for noting and she proved to us all that she is a fighter and she is going to power her way through every scan.She is the best and i am so so proud of her and so proud to be a father :) love her to bits

                                          Just back from having Freddie removed

                                      My Little Princess all grown up and full of smiles as usual :)






Want everybody to keep Karagh in your prayers and that every scan she has is good news :) xx

A Trip To The Zoo

Yesterday was a beautiful Day so we decided to bring Karagh to the Zoo. .She was in hospital first to have her  Freddy cleaned and her bandage changed. .After she was done we left for the Zoo Me Sarah, Karagh and her uncle Shane. .We had a brilliant day there Karagh got to see lots of animals and was amazed by the giraffes which came up real close to us. .The picture above we had taken when we got there. .We spent most of the day in the Zoo and we got loads of pictures of the animals and loads of pictures of Karagh awake and asleep :)


She had fallen asleep when we were nearly finished in the Zoo so she got to see all the animals except the lions as they were building an Asian Plains for the lions. .Cant wait till its finished so we can go back up and see them :) One thing we did get to see was TIGERS :) the one we got to see was the Amur Tiger as the Sumatran Tiger was asleep and we couldn't really see him as much.

                                                                 Amur Tiger

                                                         Karagh and the Giraffes

                                                     Karagh sitting in the wishing chair

                                                           A hard day at the Zoo




After a day in the Zoo yesterday we had our meeting today with Dr Micheal Capra who is Karagh's consultant. .We had a talk about when she was diagnosed and her scans which showed her being N.E.D(no evidence of disease)We had our questions we had to ask him and we both were happy with what he told us. .Karagh will have her date sent out to have her Freddie removed. .We still have a long road ahead of us with hospital visit scans and other test done but at least we are on the right road :)Her next scan is on the 5th June   and every 3 to 4 months after that. .she will have her usual test done urine,ct's and ultrasounds to make sure it doesn't come back and we pray each and every day that it doesn't.

                                                                     Full of Smiles