Our Pal - Imogen R

Story Written August 2020

Immy was diagnosed with ALL in July 2016, aged 6. She had 2 and 1/2 years of treatment, but relapsed six months later in July 2019.  She has spend the majority of time since then in hospital. She had chemo and immunotherapy treatments transfused 24hrs a day for 28 day cycles, between July and November in Addenbrookes. Then she spent 100 days in complete isolation in Bristol (500 mile round trip from home) having a Bone Marrow transplant.

We came home in March, straight into lockdown! Immy was recovering slowly, then in June she developed a rare, serious post transplant complication affecting her kidneys, so we are currently still going to Addenbrookes twice a week. We are having to shield until January so this will be our second Xmas without seeing family. No school for siblings either, so cabin fever is setting in. This is day 240 of isolation and no hugs from family for us!!

Imogen has a twin sister Charlotte (10) who was going to be her donor, but it turns out they are identical (a huge suprise) so she was not a viable option and her sister has a greater risk of developing too. Imogen has a brother Liam (11) who was diagnosed with Arthritis five years ago, in multiple joints including his eye. He has had a cataract removed and is having further laser surgery in Oct. He has frequent hospital visits, has high anxiety about his meds and is very needle phobic! 

Thank goodness Immy is a real trouper, she is unbelievably co-operative with all her pokes and procedures, much to our relief, so grateful for that! She is just amazing, and such an upbeat, comedic character, a real inspiration.

Update 23rd March 2021

We feel like the time has come for Imogen, Charlotte and Liam to say goodbye to Postpals. Immy has been able to return to school and although she has found it hard, shattering and has been incredibly shy, it will just take some time to get used to being social again. Postpals is such a wonderful charity and we have met so many wonderful people through it. We would like to thank everybody so much for all their kind words and support over the months we have been a part of it.Thanks in particular to our monthly sender’s Lizzie, Julie and Geraldine. We wish all the pals and their families all the best.

Update 6th February 2021

Immy had her one year post transplant anniversary 29th November. A couple of hospital stays that month and horrible shingles for the occassion, but luckily we managed to celebrate it at home, with lots of lovely supportive post. (Thank you everyone!)
We are delighted to say that throughout December, although there were a few trips to Addenbrookes, we did not have to visit our local hospital at all, for neither Immy nor brother Liam – this has not happened for six years!!!
Immy is 14 months post transplant now, and getting stronger, but the road to recovery has been long and slow. We still haven’t had a single visitor in our house since July 2019 as she has been shielding while her immune system recovers.
The good news is that at the end of January ’21 Immy finished the treatment for her complication from last May/June. Treatment did a marvellous job in suppressing the part of her immune system that was attacking itself… now just waiting for it to build back up over the coming months as part of it  is still at rock bottom. 
We have just had 11 days in hospital over the last couple of weeks with temperatures and a few virus’ on board, so she is still classified as extremely vulnerable, but roll on summer and covid vaccines!! 
Immy is now starting to have all her childhood vaccinations redone for the third and hopefully final time. Not an easy task anymore as Immy has totally had enough of co-operating! (Can’t say I blame her!)