Plan for Anna

Hi,

I've just enjoyed a late morning visit with Anna (having confirmed that daughter number one is going to be okay after our 'interesting' night - see Andy's entry below) and she's looking lively, a nice shade of pale pink - as opposed to the fuschia we've become used to.

I was looking through the Blog and realised that there's no up-to-date explanation of what the doctors intend to do regarding Anna. As Andy said a few days ago, they have decided to opt for conservative treatment. That means that rather than use a silo bag or surgery to force her exomphalos to fit inside her narrow trunk they wait for her body to develop and then operate. This means that she will stay in hospital until she grows skin over her exomph. This could take up to October. Then she'll come home with us and she'll come back to the RVI at perhaps 12 months to have the big op. They would then do a follow up at about 4 years to make everything look pretty and create the all important belly button.

So, a pretty long hall but we are thrilled to be able to think about the future in terms of Anna at all! In the short term Anna will remain in intensive care while she is on a ventilator, but once she is breathing for herself and they are pleased with how she's doing she will move onto 'normal' paediatrics. We will be thrilled when the ventilator comes off as we will be able to hold her more often and, hopefully, she will be able to breastfeed once more.

Lots of love and thanks again for the lovely messages,

Janie
xxx