Photo Catch Up

A few photos from the past month... 

Shmoo's 8th birthday while B and I were in Melbourne. They celebrated with a visit to Anvers Chocolate factory where they enjoyed chocolate fudge and ice cream. 

His favourite presents were Lego and a DIY vacuum science kit. 

And then Beanie knocked over the clothes airer, landing on top of it, and got 5 stitches in his cheek. Apparently my brave boy sat perfectly still with no fuss for both the anaesthesia injections and stitches. I had to see the GP the other week and she said she was amazed that he was so calm as she thought she was going to have to send him off to hospital to get it done. 

 

While I was away they also visited an open day for a community garden in Devonport. 

Since we've been home Shmoo and Loo both performed in the eisteddfod (Shmoo's first time, Loo's second). 

And on Friday night we celebrated the winter solstice with a little bonfire, marshmallows and damper. 

Cardiology Review

Yesterday Baby Bear had a review at the RCH in Melbourne. It was a loooong day.

Our flight left at 6.30 am and was scheduled to arrive at 7.45. However a Stephen King fog descended over Melbourne (it came in eerily thick and fast) and after one attempt at landing our pilot decided it was too risky. Our plane was diverted to Mangalore, a tiny regional airport, where we waited in the freezing cold for the fog to clear. I called the hospital from there and thankfully they were very understanding. At 9.50 am we were in the air again but had to circle above Melbourne for over an hour as we waited for our turn to land. We finally landed at about 11.30 am and it was nearly 12.30 pm by the time I got to the hospital... 1.5 hours late for the appointment. Luckily I'd gotten PTAS to book us on the evening flight back instead of the mid-afternoon one.

B had another echo and ECG and it's all looking good. Still a slight leak at the edge of the patch and the 2nd tiny VSD is possibly still there but they're not concerned about them. He is now off the captopril and is down to one dose of frusemide for the next 2 weeks and then no more meds at all! His next check up will be in August when the cardiologist comes over to Launceston.

B also had his 2nd dose of the RSV immunoglobulin. Ideally he'd have more, til the end of winter, but they can only give them at the RCH so they think it's better that he had 2 doses than none.

So that was it, hopefully our last medical trip to Melbourne!

Perspective

While Baby Bear was in surgery I met people whose children had heart problems that required them to repeatedly spend weeks at a time at the hospital.

In ICU I whiled away the late night hours with another woman who also didn't have accommodation that night, a mother whose pre-teen daughter was critically ill due to a brain tumour.

At Ronald McDonald House I chatted with the mother of a young toddler. They'd been there for 4 months and looked set to spend at least another 4 there.

I am so grateful that Baby Bear is doing okay, that he is recovering so well from the surgery, that his patched up heart is doing just fine and although he's still a little sore he's healing wonderfully. He is still on frusemide and captopril for now but probably not for long. He feeds easier and breathes easier. He's putting on weight and is now just under 5kg. My amazing boy. :)

3.45 am on the Spirit of Tasmania and...

Google maps places us right in the middle of Burnie ;)

Spirit of Tasmania

Ferris Wheel

I spotted this ferris wheel out the window of the taxi.

We're Going Home!

Just because B can't fly doesn't mean we can't get back to Tasmania. PTAS have booked us on the Spirit of Tasmania tomorrow night. :)

Day 6 After Open Heart Surgery and...

He's decided to have his first attempts at rolling over!

Discharged

Ironically, we spent 8 days in hospital when B was 3 weeks old while they fiddled about with his meds and yet here we are, 5 days after open heart surgery and they've discharged us.

We're at Ronald McDonald House while we wait for B to be able to travel home. We have to go back to the RCH on Tuesday morning for clinic so that B can have the sutures removed from his drain sites.

Feeling awfully miserable and homesick at the moment. I miss my family. :(

Just got the go ahead to go home from the ward doc! Except she forgot that we are from Tasmania and can't fly for 10 days after cardiac surgery. Good to know Baby Bear's looking that good though.