About Me

When I was a little younger I had some annoying pains in my legs and belly, my mum and dad took me to see various doctors GPs and hospitals.

I had pain in my side and felt ill my mum and dad took me to many hospitals and doctors.
Eventually my local hospital kept me in for a week before Christmas of 2006.
In that week I had a CT scan, lots of blood and urine tests, ultrasounds and x-rays, they also gave me medicine through a canula in my hand.
They allowed me home for Christmas but my mum and dad had to keep taking me back every 6-8 hrs for my medicine This was tiring and a pain .
I remember the crying babies and if I was allowed I used to go with a nurse to help feed them.

When I went to hospital after Christmas they referred me to GT Ormond Street.
Me and my mum went by an old ambulance and my dad met us up there by train with my grandparents.
When I arrived on the ward I was a little frightened but I was a little excited to because I thought they could make the pain go away.
The nurses were very nice and friendly they showed me to my own room with a bathroom.
I met a doctor who had the same first name and surname as my great granddad.
FUNNY!
Mum and Dad had a lot of paperwork and questions to answer while I played in the playroom with the play specialist who was a lovely lady called Natalie.
After everything was completed the doctors allowed us home to PARTY! for the new year, but we had to return the next day.
When we went back we took lots of photos and posters to decorate the room, I had my own fluffy pink lights and blanket to remind me of home, we had all clothes in suitcases- we looked like we were going on holiday.

Within a few days I had lots of things happen. I had blood and urine tests again, ultrascans, x-rays, CT scans MRI scans, MIBG scan (which is a long scan and they inject radioactive isotope into me -this hurt quite alot but I was very brave).
After all these I was diagnosed with NEUROBLASTOMA and treatment had to start straight away.
I had to have a Hickman line put in, which hung from my chest and lead into my heart.
This was my first operation and so I was very scared, but once the Hickman line was put in I thought it was a good thing as I did not have to have any more needles.
I called the red end line Arsenal and the white end line England.

Treatment started straight away on the 6th of January 2007, I had to have something called chemotherapy.
The first time I had this the first thing that went was the pain.
Then after a while I started to get a little sick, but the nurses gave me magic medicine which makes you feel a lot better.
I was lucky in a way because I could go home for a couple of days in between my chemo sessions.
This went on for 70 days, half way through I had ultrasounds and bone marrow aspirate, and then at the end of the 70 days I had MRI /CT scans, ultrasound, MIBG, and bone marrow aspirates again.
This was so the doctors could see how I was progressing.
Some of these I was asleep for, and the other ones I was just used to having by now.
Throughout all of this I would have my blood taken and tested to see how it was.

If my blood was low or if my platelets were low I would have to have a blood or platelet transfusion, this was ok as I didn't feel a thing and I always felt more energetic afterwards.
Also a few times I was something called neuropenic, this was when I had no immune system and so I had to be extra careful who I was around in case they had a cold etc.
I also had something called GCSF injections which my mum would give me.
It stung a little when it went in but my mum or dad would rub my arm.
This gave my blood a boost ready for when the doctors had to harvest my stem cells. I was told I would need these later so to help me get better.

When I was ready to have my stem cells taken, I had to have a thing put in my groin which was like my Hickman line only thicker and shorter.
This was so when the man come to take my stem cells he would use these to connect me to a big machine which would take my blood, filter out my stem cells and pump my blood back in me.
This went on for a couple of days and it was BORING!....... BORING! because I could not get down and play or run about.

After all this, and when my body recovered a little I had a big major operation to take out the horrible tumour in my belly.
Mum and Dad said the operation went on for around 8hrs.
This was ages but I was asleep so did not know.
When I woke up I felt sick and tired, I also felt a little stiff.
I was in quite a lot of pain but the nurses gave me strong medicine to take this away.
I stayed in hospital for a couple of weeks.

For a good week I was in pain and did not want to do much else except sleep.
But gradually I got better and stronger, I stopped taking the pain relief, I started to sit up and get out and about walking the corridor on the ward, and I started eating and drinking.
The two bits of good news I had in them couple of weeks was when the surgeon said he removed all the tumour and when the doctor finally said I could go home.

HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was not over though, when my body recovered I went back to hospital, this time to stay in so I could have my intense part of the chemotherapy.
Throughout this I felt the same as when I had the other chemo. but I did get a bit of a sore mouth, but this went within a week after I kept taken my mouthwash and rubbing in my lips with Vaseline.
I had my stem cells given back, my family said this smelt like sweetcorn, but I could not smell anything, I think they were lying!

I had 3 weeks of radiotherapy, this was done at the University of London Hospital.
I was afraid at first about being alone in the room and of the machinery, but I was given a walkie talkie and I could listen to my mum or dad talk to me throughout the 5 minutes I was alone for.

The last bit of my treatment was taking tablets for 14 days every 4 weeks..
I did not mind this I just got a bit chapped skin which went with cream and when I stopped taking the tablets.

All throughout my hospital stays and treatments I have felt ok.
I loved having my family around me and enjoyed playing in the hospital and meeting the teachers has they always have fun stuff to do.
I could go to sleep when I wanted and I could spend time with the nurses.
I loved playing at the nurses station and pretending to be a nurse.
I was allowed to give myself certain medicines and flush my line with the help of the nurses.
The nurses thought I was cheeky but funny.
I still do it now when I go back for my checkups, but now I nick their bleepers and answer phones.

I am currently having more tests done at Great Ormond Street, at the moment it feels like hospitals are my life but I am used to it now and I don't let it get me down.
My Mum and Dad and all my family are very proud of me and I am too.

I go to school part time at the moment, but I have been having quite abit of time off lately because of hospital appointments.
I enjoy being back at school and being with my friends.
Most children have been alright, some have been a little mean about me having only a little bit of hair, but I ignore them or tell them to keep quiet.

My Mum and Dad have given me the courage to stand up to those people that like to point and stare, sometimes I am very tempted to shout or swear at them, and my Dad said do it if it makes you feel better, but I don't because I'm better than them.

15th March 2008
Had a nice meal with family especially for my aunty gails 40th & great grandads jacks birthday.

I went for a photo shoot at Basildon with all my family I had some pictures taken with my nans and granddads and uncles and aunties and cousins.
I had to get undressed and dress again so they could take lots of photos.

Someone from the local newspapers come to my house to take some pictures of me with mum dad and John and the next day I was on the of the front page of the paper.
The funny thing is they wrote that my mum is my step mum and my brother is my step brother but she is really my mum and he is really is my brother, my mum was a little annoyed.

I went to the hospital and I had a bone marrow test, it didn't hurt because I was asleep I also had a radio active test, the man nurse was not nice and my daddy wanted to punch him and he said to me you should of kick him under the table

I am going back in to hospital tomorrow to have my arsenal and England lines back in I am not looking forward to that as I thought all my treatment was all over

I have also got high school musical tickets to see them and go backstage and I have tickets to see sugerbabes in concert. which i am looking forward to.

I had my lines back in last Wednesday and then I went home the next day.
I went to see High School Musical and it was so cool, I also took my friend called Danni and she is 9 years old same as me.
My mum and dad took us there and my brother stayed round my Nan and granddads house and we picked him up after.
In High School Musical, Troy and Gabriella kiss!! Me and my friend Danni was having the BEST NIGHT EVER! and after the show we went back to the car and on the way back we saw that the high school musical people were outside and saying hello to everyone but we was already driving home, but we didn’t care because we were singing usher with our windows open and singing out loud and that really was the best night ever in the whole wide world.
I have never been out that late before and I fell asleep in the car while my friend was talking to me, I woke up and went “sorry what was you saying” and then she laughed and we had KFC after.

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During the past couple of weeks Courtney has returned to Gt Ormond St for more Chemo treatment,
which ended with her staying for a 48 hour session over night at the weekend.
This has now started to take effect and Courtney is feeling weak and sick with associated loss of appetite and generally unwell.

Courtney missed the sugar babes concert as she had a very high temp and was taken into hospital where she currently still is.
undergoing more scans and tests etc, she is feeling very low at the moment and will probably be transferred soon.

After a few days Courtney has now been transferred to GOSH.

Courtney is feeling slightly better today also having very little drink and something to eat.

This update is to let website viewers that she does see all messages of support and she thanks you for all donations.
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19/08/08
The other day i had to go to queens hospital because i had pains in my belly non stop &being sick.
we went up the hospital and i had too stay in for a week and then i had to go to great Ormond St in a ambulance and my mum come in the ambulance with me
my dad and my cousin come in a car it was 9:00pm when i started to go to GOSH and when i got there my dad have to carry me to my bed in GOSH
i had drops and water in a bag and after a few days i was feeling much better.

last Saturday lots of my family and friends did a walk to Romford and back and they went to the CUEBALL for a karaoke and my auntie and her best mate was singing and i started crying because i was in hospital
during the afternoon there was a football girls & boys and my two aunties played football and i think the girls are better then the boys COME ON THE GIRLS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i stayed round nanny and granddads and my granddad had to sleep downstairs because i sleep with my nan and kick grandad out of bed hahahahahahahahahah

today i am going for a lovely roast round my auntie raras with her and my crazy uncle tony and my cousin molly it was nice too play with my cousin Sheree up the hospital because they come with my nan and granddad and it was my auntie Sarah's birthday HAPPY BIRTHDAY XXXXXXXXXXXX
it was nice too see my dog again she went crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzy

i am hoping that i can go to the events on the 23rd and the 30th because we have lots of fundraising to do (i am hoping that they get loads of donations)
my nanny Tish told me when you get well you are going to massage my toes as when i did the walked i got lots of blisters OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH

my brother john is only 11 months old and he walks and talks and he say dad mum/ what that / he keeps doing a funny laugh and its funny he sleep in my room and we play together and he don't they cuddle only if he's tried i am a 2 mummy to him i help a lot he goes up the stairs and we have to get him and he has lots of teeth he has 2 teeth up the top and 2 teeth down the bottom he puts all his food in at once and we have to fight with him to get it out

25/09/08
Last week I was at Great Ormond street for scans and tests but because I wasn’t that well and having the cannuala put in without numbing cream was too painful, my parents decided to change the dates for this week.
So, Monday the 22^nd was my brothers birthday, he was 1.
We spent it up the hospital having a CT scan.
Tuesday was a day off.
Wednesday and Thursday is spent up Great Ormond for the MIBG injection and the scan which is over two hours long.
I chose to have the injection through my Hickman lines this time, it was much better, it wasn’t painful.

I have been feeling okay. My Mum and Dad want me to start eating a lot more fruit and vegetables, uuuuurrrrggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!
My brother is a pest, he is really annoying me, he walks everywhere now and is always touching my things.
And he has got a temper on him because if we take some think of on him he gets on the floor and cry and it is sometimes funny and he likes playing football and he kicks it around the house and soon me an my brother is always laughing and falling over

10th October 2008:

Courtney celebrated her 10th birthday with a nice high school musical cake, whilst she still needs to gain weight and regain her appetite
she spent some of her birthday money going to smiffys the toy store.

You know sometimes it gets so boring going to GOSH that i take photo of the buildings that we pass like the following.

CAN YOU ALSO SEE THE BUILDINGS?

16th December 08
i went to Queens hospital today with my mum and brother and we met the WEST HAM Football team, i was a bit worried as i like Arsenal
i said to the players that i like Arsenal and they said "well we better start playing better", it was a fun day and i the players gave me lots of presents
signed photos, hats, scarf's, jewelry and lots of other bits, i think i like West Ham a little bit now.

Hammers Bring Christmas Cheer

16th December 2008 (info from http://www.bhrhospitals.nhs.uk )
Top players from West Ham United came along to deliver Christmas gifts to youngsters at Queen’s Hospital.
The first team, along with manager Gianfranco Zola, surprised youngsters at the Romford hospital with goodie bags and presents for every patient, and a host of gifts for the wards.
The players spent a long time talking to delighted patients and their families, happily posing for photographs and making every child fell special.
A spokesperson for the hospital said: “The team were absolutely fantastic. They were really taking the time to get to know the children, playing games with them and chatting away.
The smiles on the patients’ faces were priceless.”
As well as handing out individual gifts, Lucas Neill also presented play workers with a PlayStation 3, several Nintendo DSs and a wide selection of games for the wards.
• Pictured are Julian Faubert with nine-year-old Tom Page from Rainham, and Lucas Neill with Courtney Richards, 10, from Dagenham.

18th December 08
Finally had my PET Scan will await the results soon

19th December 08
i visited the local radio station with my cousin Sheree and helped by donating some toys for their appeal for children.

i went and see the grotto full of other donated toys and met those who work on the radio station.
2009
I hope you all had a good Christmas and new year
i had some good news from the last scan i had the PET one, it seems that im am doing ok better than expected.
unlike my nan who was taken very ill and had to be taken into hospital Christmas day and made a change for us to visit her on Boxing day.

i also got a great prezzy of a laptop where i can now spend quite a while on my Facebook.
Looking forward to going back to school but due their being an outbreak of an illness i cant go till that has been sorted,
until then still have my home tuition.

Thanks to Steph & John this will help keep me warm with the current snowing.
The Ramones are a lot before my time thou.

hi to all. just a quick update has so many of you are asking after courtney.
she is doing well.
Some treatment has stopped and she is having alternative homeopathic medicine for now and
she has returned to school for a short while.
she is loving being back with her friends.
taking things slowly and keeping a close eye on her with further testing and scans etc.
want again to thank everyone for their continued support. xx

MARCH 09
Courtneys been quite ill for the past few weeks due to getting a rather nasty line infection bug.
she is now having very strong antibiotics and other medication which will kill off those pesky blighters

APRIL 09
Its been rather a stressed time Courtney is still in great pain and taking morphine which does little to abate it.
She is to undergo another MIBG scan soon.
Results mean i now have to take oral chemo which make me feel sick not a nice feeling to have.
but some good news is that after our garden is tidied up i will be getting a nice big Wendy house
so when im feeling better i can have my friends over and we can play.

MAY 09
Went to the caravan for a few days it was nice to go into town i played crazy golf with dad and Kris and i won.
we also went on the pier and looked at the rides it was to cold and windy to have a go,
we went to the club house and the ticket i did for Emma won £60.
when the weathers better will go back its nice to get away.
Mum & Dad helped me get my 2 rabbits for me and my brother i called them Bonny & Daisy.
i have to be careful when handling them as they are only small.

We had a great day out to Whipsnade Safari Park Bank Holiday Monday with my family.
we took over 300 photos only some are shown here we hope you like them

03/11/10