Elizabeth and I are home! We arrived back around 3pm after a morning of packing and getting the official go ahead. It's a great feeling.
The other big news is that Mr J (as A now calls him - but not to his face) talked to us in detail about the latest plan for the baby. He is very hopeful that she will have her major op (ie: she will not have an enormous bump any more) at six months or..gulp...even earlier . This is all very much dependent on Elizabeth continuing to do well - getting her off the oxygen, putting on weight etc, but it's fantastic that he is even considering this.
Elizabeth's big sister also had a big day today and visited her new school for the morning. She really enjoyed herself, but the only information she would share was what she had for lunch, the fact that she ate it from a tray and that if you forget the teacher's name it's perfectly acceptable to call her Miss.
I am so proud of Chloe. She has coped with all of this upheaval brilliantly and - at the moment! -adores her little sister.
J
xxx
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Tuesday, June 28th
Elizabeth is doing brilliantly and is very bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning. She met Nev the Potter yesterday and had a couple of trips out to the park and the shops.
Must go and meet up with some of the people who are helping us once we get home!
J
xxx
Must go and meet up with some of the people who are helping us once we get home!
J
xxx
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Sunday, June 26th
Well, A got his birthday wish and has all of his girls home with him on his 39th.
We had a lovely time yesterday evening Glastonbury watching but the night itself was a challenge as Elizabeth found it hard to settle. Her big sister then decided to get up and stay up at 6am as she was so excited!
We have successfully changed Elizabeth's dressing and so far nothing untoward has happened to her, so hopefully we will be given the go ahead to be released 'back into the wild' on Wednesday.
Worn out, but very happy.
J
xx
We had a lovely time yesterday evening Glastonbury watching but the night itself was a challenge as Elizabeth found it hard to settle. Her big sister then decided to get up and stay up at 6am as she was so excited!
We have successfully changed Elizabeth's dressing and so far nothing untoward has happened to her, so hopefully we will be given the go ahead to be released 'back into the wild' on Wednesday.
Worn out, but very happy.
J
xx
Saturday. June 25th - breaking news
Hooray! We are home for the night! We have experienced all the joys and terrors of bringing a baby home from the hospital for the first time to the power of ten. However, we finally managed to work out how to get a baby with a large bump strapped into a car safely...
It is very weird being home with Elizabeth, but very, very wonderful.
J
x
It is very weird being home with Elizabeth, but very, very wonderful.
J
x
Friday, June 24, 2005
Friday, June 24th
Well, I did write an entry yesterday but there appears to have been a blip in the system and it has not appeared.
I am trying to broaden our horizons and be a little braver about going out and about, so yesterday Elizabeth enjoyed her first experience of the shops. She was wide awake which gave lots of lovely Newcastle ladies the opportunity to coo over her. There is nothing more guaranteed to get the attention of ladies of a certain age than a small baby with an oxygen supply. I bought her the cutest baby bonnet you have ever seen in a shop just like Unity House (one for our Hartlepudlian readership) to cover up her tubes a bit.
We are getting ever nearer to going home and it looks like this weekend we will get an overnight stay. The oxygen supply is being installed today and we now have 'mobile' oxygen too. A and my mum have done great work setting everything up. The community nurses will come in to see us on Monday, so that they know what supplies are needed. We are already experiencing some of the frustrations of dealing with a huge organistion like the NHS - some of the processes seem to be a little more complex than strictly necessary. However, I did my time at the BBC and have found that the NHS works the same way - you just have to keep on nagging away and never take it for granted that things have been passed on from one team to another!
If we are at home over the weekend we will keep you posted on how it's going. A and I are hoping to be able to watch Glastonbury on BBC3 on Saturday night, which will be bliss. I can't tell you how excited I am about spending a night in my own home - the first time since May 18th!
J
xxx
I am trying to broaden our horizons and be a little braver about going out and about, so yesterday Elizabeth enjoyed her first experience of the shops. She was wide awake which gave lots of lovely Newcastle ladies the opportunity to coo over her. There is nothing more guaranteed to get the attention of ladies of a certain age than a small baby with an oxygen supply. I bought her the cutest baby bonnet you have ever seen in a shop just like Unity House (one for our Hartlepudlian readership) to cover up her tubes a bit.
We are getting ever nearer to going home and it looks like this weekend we will get an overnight stay. The oxygen supply is being installed today and we now have 'mobile' oxygen too. A and my mum have done great work setting everything up. The community nurses will come in to see us on Monday, so that they know what supplies are needed. We are already experiencing some of the frustrations of dealing with a huge organistion like the NHS - some of the processes seem to be a little more complex than strictly necessary. However, I did my time at the BBC and have found that the NHS works the same way - you just have to keep on nagging away and never take it for granted that things have been passed on from one team to another!
If we are at home over the weekend we will keep you posted on how it's going. A and I are hoping to be able to watch Glastonbury on BBC3 on Saturday night, which will be bliss. I can't tell you how excited I am about spending a night in my own home - the first time since May 18th!
J
xxx
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Wednesday, June 23rd
Mr Jaffrey popped in to see Elizabeth again this morning. He is really thrilled with her progress and for the first time talked about doing her closure operation (when her giblets get put back where they should be) taking place after a few months rather than when she is one or two. That would be wonderful news for her as earlier closure would be better for her development all round!
We are building up to going home again but not counting our chickens!
J
xxx
We are building up to going home again but not counting our chickens!
J
xxx
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Tuesday, June 21st
Elizabeth has put weight on and has reached the dizzy heights of 8ibs 5oz. This is great news as once she moves consistently in the right direction (and stays off the antibiotics) we should be allowed home.
She really enjoyed her morning bath. She is looking really well today and having a lovely sleep at the moment. Her dad and I are hoping to take her out to the park over the road from the hospital later on, if we can fit it in around her antibiotics (she gets linked up to a drip for two hours, so we can't move her more than three feet once they're turned on) and his lunch hour.
We are hoping to be home over the weekend for 24 hours. Fingers crossed that it will work out this time as it's her dad's birthday on Sunday. How lovely it would be for him to wake up on his birthday with 'Les Girls' all together at home for the first time!
J
xxx
She really enjoyed her morning bath. She is looking really well today and having a lovely sleep at the moment. Her dad and I are hoping to take her out to the park over the road from the hospital later on, if we can fit it in around her antibiotics (she gets linked up to a drip for two hours, so we can't move her more than three feet once they're turned on) and his lunch hour.
We are hoping to be home over the weekend for 24 hours. Fingers crossed that it will work out this time as it's her dad's birthday on Sunday. How lovely it would be for him to wake up on his birthday with 'Les Girls' all together at home for the first time!
J
xxx
Monday, June 20, 2005
Monday, June 20th
Well, Elizabeth has had an exciting day. At 7am she was having a chest x-ray (she had been coughing during the night), but all looks fine with that and her bloods are looking good (ie: her latest infection is being successfully blasted by the antibiotics). She then had a visit from Mr Jaffrey during her morning bath. He was thrilled with her progress and reckons that the amount of skin she has grown on her exomph is what he would have expected to see after five or six months! She is a star baby and the sooner she gets that skin grown the safer she will be from infection.
Mr Jaffrey followed up this great piece of news by brandishing a pair of scissors and trimming off what can best be described as "nasty bits" off her exomph revealing even more nice pink new skin underneath. He also had a good squeeze of her bump and could feel some of the contents moving back inside her.
His lovely colleague, Claire, then removed Elizabeth's central line (tube into her major veins used for antibiotics). This has been in for a few weeks and it's great news that it's come out as they can be a serious infection risk. It's also one less thing for her to have to lie on! Unfortunately, this procedure began just as her dad was arriving for his only visit today AND a magpie woke him up before dawn twice this morning by tapping on the window (pass me my gun, Jethroe!). Andy managed to grab a ten-minute cuddle before he left, but it shows how good it will be to get home.
By the way, having enjoyed some lovely visits last week (my personal thanks go in particular to Jules - it was REALLY lovely to see her!!!) I have no one coming this week, so please do text my mobile on xxxxxxxxxxxx if you'd like to arrange something. I need to hear about life outside!
J
xxxx
Mr Jaffrey followed up this great piece of news by brandishing a pair of scissors and trimming off what can best be described as "nasty bits" off her exomph revealing even more nice pink new skin underneath. He also had a good squeeze of her bump and could feel some of the contents moving back inside her.
His lovely colleague, Claire, then removed Elizabeth's central line (tube into her major veins used for antibiotics). This has been in for a few weeks and it's great news that it's come out as they can be a serious infection risk. It's also one less thing for her to have to lie on! Unfortunately, this procedure began just as her dad was arriving for his only visit today AND a magpie woke him up before dawn twice this morning by tapping on the window (pass me my gun, Jethroe!). Andy managed to grab a ten-minute cuddle before he left, but it shows how good it will be to get home.
By the way, having enjoyed some lovely visits last week (my personal thanks go in particular to Jules - it was REALLY lovely to see her!!!) I have no one coming this week, so please do text my mobile on xxxxxxxxxxxx if you'd like to arrange something. I need to hear about life outside!
J
xxxx
Sunday June 19th
Well, the best-laid plans and all that... we were meant to have Elizabeth home for a visit this weekend, or at least for a day-trip out, but she got another infection which meant another course of antibiotics - so this wasn't possible. So Chloe and I went in and stayed at Crawford House as usual this weekend. We still had a lovely time all together though. Chloe is very affectionate to her little sister.
We spoke to one of the consultants today about Elizabeth's progress. Overall, she is extremely encouraged; for a child with an exomphalos that size, Elizabeth is doing exceptionally well. What the team do want to do is get her weight up a bit before we can get her home; she also needs to shake the latest infection. The expectation has been set with us that this will be at least a couple more weeks. Although we're keen to get Elizabeth home, we know that it has to be at the right time. There's no point getting her home and having to turn straight around again - having lost our place at Crawford House in the meantime.
What struck me today when Elizaebeth was having her bath is just how quickly skin is growing on the exomph now. This is great because once skin covers it there's less risk of infection. It's likely that her central line (the tube that was put in when she was very poorly) will come out in the next couple of days. Again, this lessens the risk of infections.
Despite all that is going on, we are counting our blessings. Things could be so much worse, a fact brought home by the experiences of some of our housemates at Crawford House.
Axxx
We spoke to one of the consultants today about Elizabeth's progress. Overall, she is extremely encouraged; for a child with an exomphalos that size, Elizabeth is doing exceptionally well. What the team do want to do is get her weight up a bit before we can get her home; she also needs to shake the latest infection. The expectation has been set with us that this will be at least a couple more weeks. Although we're keen to get Elizabeth home, we know that it has to be at the right time. There's no point getting her home and having to turn straight around again - having lost our place at Crawford House in the meantime.
What struck me today when Elizaebeth was having her bath is just how quickly skin is growing on the exomph now. This is great because once skin covers it there's less risk of infection. It's likely that her central line (the tube that was put in when she was very poorly) will come out in the next couple of days. Again, this lessens the risk of infections.
Despite all that is going on, we are counting our blessings. Things could be so much worse, a fact brought home by the experiences of some of our housemates at Crawford House.
Axxx
Friday, June 17, 2005
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Weds 15th June
Hi All,
Sorry for the lack of updates - there hasn't been much to report in the last couple of days, other than that Elizabeth is still doing well. Her diet now consists principally of breast milk, with a few feeds a day of a high-calorie powdered milk. As she uses a lot of energy breathing and growing new skin on the exomph, she needs more calories than usual. As she usually falls asleep part way through the bottle (because she loves the cuddle so much!) we end up getting the rest down the naso-gastric tube. The upside is that she's very rarely sick!
The big news today is that they're letting us out for a trip home at the weekend. This is a great sign of progress. We will probably have Elizabeth home from Saturday noon to Sunday noon. It will be lovely to be a whole family in our own house, even if for just a day. Mind you, that'll probably be enough for a first visit home - there being no doctors or nurses just down the corridor...
That's all for now. I'm worn out, having been frantically cleaning up the pram that's been in the shed for a couple of years - and trying to work out how the damned thing folds up to get into the car!
Axxx
Sorry for the lack of updates - there hasn't been much to report in the last couple of days, other than that Elizabeth is still doing well. Her diet now consists principally of breast milk, with a few feeds a day of a high-calorie powdered milk. As she uses a lot of energy breathing and growing new skin on the exomph, she needs more calories than usual. As she usually falls asleep part way through the bottle (because she loves the cuddle so much!) we end up getting the rest down the naso-gastric tube. The upside is that she's very rarely sick!
The big news today is that they're letting us out for a trip home at the weekend. This is a great sign of progress. We will probably have Elizabeth home from Saturday noon to Sunday noon. It will be lovely to be a whole family in our own house, even if for just a day. Mind you, that'll probably be enough for a first visit home - there being no doctors or nurses just down the corridor...
That's all for now. I'm worn out, having been frantically cleaning up the pram that's been in the shed for a couple of years - and trying to work out how the damned thing folds up to get into the car!
Axxx
Monday, June 13, 2005
Monday, June 13th
Elizabeth is having a lovely day. As her antibiotics are finished and her short 'line' has been removed we managed a dance around her room this afternoon.
I had a trip out to register the birth.
Not much to add (no news is good news!).
J
xxx
I had a trip out to register the birth.
Not much to add (no news is good news!).
J
xxx
Sunday 12th June
Another lovely weekend in Newcastle for us all; Elizabeth's doing really well and just looks, well, peachy! She's also taking great interest in the world around her. Her mum bought her a set of shapes covered with high-contrast patterns and she just goggles at them. Her mum's hours put in at the bedside - and they are very many - also mean that whenever Elizabeth hears her voice she's immediately looking around to find out where her mum is!
The exomph is growing skin at a rapid rate, which is great. I've deliberately not posted pictures up here showing the exomph uncovered, as it really ain't pretty; we have taken quite a few and in due course will be doing a more 'medical' diary to help other parents with exomph children understand what's coming. Such information certainly helped us prepare.
But in the meantime, we like to focus on the fact that, sure, she's got a large haggis-looking thing on her tum, but she's a beautiful, alert, growing, fully-functioning baby girl !
The exomph is growing skin at a rapid rate, which is great. I've deliberately not posted pictures up here showing the exomph uncovered, as it really ain't pretty; we have taken quite a few and in due course will be doing a more 'medical' diary to help other parents with exomph children understand what's coming. Such information certainly helped us prepare.
But in the meantime, we like to focus on the fact that, sure, she's got a large haggis-looking thing on her tum, but she's a beautiful, alert, growing, fully-functioning baby girl !
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Friday 10th June
Hi all,
Elizabeth's had a good day today - bright as a button this morning although resolutely asleep by the time her father got there, waking only for her bath and dressing just as I and Elizabeth's gran had to go. Her bump is definitely growing skin, and she looked positively peachy today.
She does have MRSA on her bump, but this is not the disaster that the media might lead us to believe. According to the specialist, Mr Jaffrey, they've never lost a baby to MRSA, and, even if she wasn't on antibiotics (which she is - and the right sort to combat MRSA at that), he is confident it would clear up by itself. That's exactly what happened with a baby down the corridor recently. MRSA is a big threat for elderly, very poorly people, which is why it's a big problem for hospitals. However, to put it in context, around 1 in 3 of us are carrying the bug right now.
The meeting yesterday went well; we met the Sister in charge of Anna's care and the person who heads up community paediatric care. The timing of the homecoming is very much in our hands, although nothing can really happen until her current course of antibiotics is finished and the results understood (7-10 days). After that we can assess when we're ready to do an exploratory 'day release' trip or two, then a stop-over, and finally home for good. There'll still be regular check-ups at the RVI, and community paediatric nurses helping out each day at home. The house would also be kitted out with oxygen in each room via lines running here and there ffrom a central compressor in the kitchen.
So, all being well, she should be home in a matter of weeks. Watch this space!
Once more, many many thanks and best wishes to all of you following Elizabeth's progress via the blog, whether or not you've sorted out how to leave comments! We continue to be deeply touched by the goodwill flowing in our direction.
Axxx
Elizabeth's had a good day today - bright as a button this morning although resolutely asleep by the time her father got there, waking only for her bath and dressing just as I and Elizabeth's gran had to go. Her bump is definitely growing skin, and she looked positively peachy today.
She does have MRSA on her bump, but this is not the disaster that the media might lead us to believe. According to the specialist, Mr Jaffrey, they've never lost a baby to MRSA, and, even if she wasn't on antibiotics (which she is - and the right sort to combat MRSA at that), he is confident it would clear up by itself. That's exactly what happened with a baby down the corridor recently. MRSA is a big threat for elderly, very poorly people, which is why it's a big problem for hospitals. However, to put it in context, around 1 in 3 of us are carrying the bug right now.
The meeting yesterday went well; we met the Sister in charge of Anna's care and the person who heads up community paediatric care. The timing of the homecoming is very much in our hands, although nothing can really happen until her current course of antibiotics is finished and the results understood (7-10 days). After that we can assess when we're ready to do an exploratory 'day release' trip or two, then a stop-over, and finally home for good. There'll still be regular check-ups at the RVI, and community paediatric nurses helping out each day at home. The house would also be kitted out with oxygen in each room via lines running here and there ffrom a central compressor in the kitchen.
So, all being well, she should be home in a matter of weeks. Watch this space!
Once more, many many thanks and best wishes to all of you following Elizabeth's progress via the blog, whether or not you've sorted out how to leave comments! We continue to be deeply touched by the goodwill flowing in our direction.
Axxx
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th June
Elizabeth is having a very good day today. She has been wide awake for hours this morning (she's normally an early evening kind of a girl) and enjoying her book as usual.
However, she is keeping us on our toes and has decided it's clever to grow an MRSA related bug on her bump. No need to panic (apparently) as she is on the right antibiotics and also she shows no signs of infection setting in (high temp etc). However, she is now in isolation nursing (basically this involves all staff who come into contact with her wearing sterile gloves and disposable pinnies and all of her linen has to be burnt rather than washed and used by other patients).
This is clearly my punishment for the fact that yesterday I went home to to see Chloe. We went to Splitz (dance class) and had a lovely time. I saw a lot of my friends and my (quite transformed) house too! My dad gave me a lift back and then came for a visit to see Elizabeth.
At 3pm we are having the big meeting to discuss Elizabeth being nursed at home. I want to get away Anna away from the hospital and its superbugs, so wish us luck!
However, she is keeping us on our toes and has decided it's clever to grow an MRSA related bug on her bump. No need to panic (apparently) as she is on the right antibiotics and also she shows no signs of infection setting in (high temp etc). However, she is now in isolation nursing (basically this involves all staff who come into contact with her wearing sterile gloves and disposable pinnies and all of her linen has to be burnt rather than washed and used by other patients).
This is clearly my punishment for the fact that yesterday I went home to to see Chloe. We went to Splitz (dance class) and had a lovely time. I saw a lot of my friends and my (quite transformed) house too! My dad gave me a lift back and then came for a visit to see Elizabeth.
At 3pm we are having the big meeting to discuss Elizabeth being nursed at home. I want to get away Anna away from the hospital and its superbugs, so wish us luck!
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Tuesday, June 7th
I have escaped to the hospital library to update the Blog as Elizabeth is having a cannula put in her hand - she needs another course of antibiotics. She has got something vaguely nasty growing on her bump, but it's nothing to panic about according to the lovely Mr Jaffrey (ace consultant).
Other than that madam seems to be very well and her temperature (which spiked a bit around 6am) is now normal.
Note to self - feeling a bit homesick? Nip out to the shops later for some speedy retail therapy and buy something frivilous and over priced from a shop which sells lovely things!
Other than that madam seems to be very well and her temperature (which spiked a bit around 6am) is now normal.
Note to self - feeling a bit homesick? Nip out to the shops later for some speedy retail therapy and buy something frivilous and over priced from a shop which sells lovely things!
Monday, June 6th
Elizabeth continues to thrive. Mr Jaffrey, her consultant, gave her a good once over this morning (including giving her bump a good squeeze - it's tougher than I thought!) and he seems to be very pleased with her progress. Elizabeth was bathed and beautified in time for a visit from my mum and dad (who have taken over looking after Chloe from her dad's parents). Gill and Ted got to enjoy proper cuddles with their youngest grandchild at last!
Ella is back at school, which we hope will distract her from the fact that mummy is still away. I miss her too!
I'm off to the ward now for more quality time with the little one. She's as cute as a button.
xxx
Ella is back at school, which we hope will distract her from the fact that mummy is still away. I miss her too!
I'm off to the ward now for more quality time with the little one. She's as cute as a button.
xxx
Monday, June 06, 2005
Sunday, June 5th
Well, we've just had a lovely family weekend together in Newcastle - my mum & dad brought Ella in on Saturday morning en route back to Scotland (many thanks again you two!) and Ella and I got back to Hexham this evening, in preparation for school and work respectively.
Anna is still doing well; she's had three baths now and seems to really enjoy them. The exomph doesn't exactly look pretty but is coming along very nicely, thickening up and with new skin growing slowly but surely. The nurses paint it with Flamazine every couple of days after her bath and before applying the dressings; designed to promote skin growth, it's most commonly used with burns victims. Sadly Anna doesn't enjoy having the exomph dressed quite as much as she enjoys the bath that precedes it!
Anna is now getting all the milk she needs from Janie, albeit mainly via her NG (naso-gastric) tube. We're persevering with bottle-feeding, with some limited success today; however, limited progress here would not be a show-stopper in terms of getting Anna home. On that subject, we have a case conference with Anna's consultant, the Sister from ward 4, and our community paediatric nurse on Thursday to discuss next steps. While we're keen to get Anna home, it must be when we're all confident that it's the right time. For example, Anna's still got a nasal cannula giving a tiny bit of oxygen and this could be difficult to manage at home. The nurses are going to try to reduce this oxygen further tomorrow with the eventual aim of removing the cannula. We also need to consider what support we can get in Hexham - eg how Janie would manage with Anna and getting Ella to school, what do we do in case we're worried about anything, etc. All questions for Thursday - and we're mighty glad that we are in a position to even think about bringing her home!
Enjoy the pics below.
Axxx
Anna is still doing well; she's had three baths now and seems to really enjoy them. The exomph doesn't exactly look pretty but is coming along very nicely, thickening up and with new skin growing slowly but surely. The nurses paint it with Flamazine every couple of days after her bath and before applying the dressings; designed to promote skin growth, it's most commonly used with burns victims. Sadly Anna doesn't enjoy having the exomph dressed quite as much as she enjoys the bath that precedes it!
Anna is now getting all the milk she needs from Janie, albeit mainly via her NG (naso-gastric) tube. We're persevering with bottle-feeding, with some limited success today; however, limited progress here would not be a show-stopper in terms of getting Anna home. On that subject, we have a case conference with Anna's consultant, the Sister from ward 4, and our community paediatric nurse on Thursday to discuss next steps. While we're keen to get Anna home, it must be when we're all confident that it's the right time. For example, Anna's still got a nasal cannula giving a tiny bit of oxygen and this could be difficult to manage at home. The nurses are going to try to reduce this oxygen further tomorrow with the eventual aim of removing the cannula. We also need to consider what support we can get in Hexham - eg how Janie would manage with Anna and getting Ella to school, what do we do in case we're worried about anything, etc. All questions for Thursday - and we're mighty glad that we are in a position to even think about bringing her home!
Enjoy the pics below.
Axxx
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Friday, June 03, 2005
Friday, June 3rd
Well, it's been all go since Wednesday - apologies for the day's absence! Anna was moved to Ward 4 Paediatrics yesterday which was great but a little scary. She now has her own room which is very nice and bright. It also gives us a lot more privacy and the chance to get to know her a bit better. There is a single bed in the room, so I stayed over with her last night for the first time since she was born. It was lovely!
The main aim of our Ward 4 sister, Carol, is to get us home. Anna's consultant knows that he can't operate before Anna is a year old and therefore would prefer her to be nursed at home sooner rather than later. We think that we may well be home in a week or two, with an awful lot of support from the district nurses etc.
Anna had her first ever bath today. It was with a special disinfectant bubble bath and she loved it. Having her exomph floating about must be a little like being back in the womb I think. We could also see that new skin is starting to grow nicely around the base and the top, which is wonderful.
Andy wet the baby's head last night with Ed and Al. He is in a terrible state.
Anna's visitors today include big sister, grandma and granddad and Uncle Ed.
A special mention in dispatches must go to everyone who has helped look after Ella over half term week, so thank you to Dendle and Margaret, Kim, Ed and Sheena; and Mark and Julia. You are all stars!
Janie
xxx
The main aim of our Ward 4 sister, Carol, is to get us home. Anna's consultant knows that he can't operate before Anna is a year old and therefore would prefer her to be nursed at home sooner rather than later. We think that we may well be home in a week or two, with an awful lot of support from the district nurses etc.
Anna had her first ever bath today. It was with a special disinfectant bubble bath and she loved it. Having her exomph floating about must be a little like being back in the womb I think. We could also see that new skin is starting to grow nicely around the base and the top, which is wonderful.
Andy wet the baby's head last night with Ed and Al. He is in a terrible state.
Anna's visitors today include big sister, grandma and granddad and Uncle Ed.
A special mention in dispatches must go to everyone who has helped look after Ella over half term week, so thank you to Dendle and Margaret, Kim, Ed and Sheena; and Mark and Julia. You are all stars!
Janie
xxx
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Wednesday, June 1st
I managed to grab a couple of minutes with Anna's consultant this morning. They are pleased with her progress and hoping that she will be able to move to Ward 4 in the next two or three days. Ward 4 is normal paediatrics as opposed to intensive care, so this is good news.
Anna had a lively morning with visits from her big sister, Andy and her Gran.
Ella is coping really well with all the upheaval, but wants to know when I am coming home. She had a fantastic day out with school friends yesterday (thank you, Kim!). Andy's mum is keeping Ella well entertained - they made a gorgeous pom-pom for Anna's cot and a card yesterday.
Andy is hoping to finally wet the baby's head this evening with Ed and Al. Lord knows he deserves a drink or ten!
Janie
x
Anna had a lively morning with visits from her big sister, Andy and her Gran.
Ella is coping really well with all the upheaval, but wants to know when I am coming home. She had a fantastic day out with school friends yesterday (thank you, Kim!). Andy's mum is keeping Ella well entertained - they made a gorgeous pom-pom for Anna's cot and a card yesterday.
Andy is hoping to finally wet the baby's head this evening with Ed and Al. Lord knows he deserves a drink or ten!
Janie
x
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