The Results

I got the call today, and the PDA has closed (as predicted) and the ASD is now classed as small (and is so small they haven't put a size on it, but we are going back for confirmation) which means that Luke WILL NEVER NEED HEART SURGERY!!!

Apparently the only thing he won't be able to do is go deep sea diving. I have always said that I will not put limits on what Luke can do, but I am happy with that one. The ocean is overrated!

I can't quite believe how lucky we are. I am very grateful and am over the moon, but I also feel for others who don't get the same good news we have.

There will be champagne corks popping here tonight!

Heart Check

On Monday afternoon Luke is having an echo cardiogram to check his heart. He has not had one since the day after he was born. Then his PDA was still open, and he had an 8mm Atrial Septal Defect. Most doctors can't hear anything, but the new paediatrician reckons she can. I haven't met her yet- I was sick for the appointment, so Neil went with Luke instead. But I'm not overly keen on her from a couple of wee issues we have had. We shall see.

The best case scenario is that the holes will have spontaneously closed. Not likely, but it has been known to happen. You will hear me wherever you are if that is the case! Most likely is that is has shrunk, but is still there, or is the same size without causing any symptoms. That is okay too, and we will wait until he is old enough to have surgery via catheter instead of open heart surgery, which is a huge bonus. And I guess the worst case is that it has gotten worse, and he needs to have something done sooner.

So fingers crossed, and I will keep you posted.

More Beach Pics

I have Aunty Kate well trained.

Monkey puzzle-yum!

Someone forgot to tell Luke he can't walk yet!

Hey Mum, check out the surf!

Mum and me making sand castles.

Australia

Luke and I were winging our way to Australia this time last week, for 5 days of much warmer, sunnier weather. We were going to my dad's wedding, and Neil stayed home to look after the big kids and keep up with the washing. As Luke and I were sitting on the beach last Sunday, I got a test from N to say that it was snowing at home! Ben has been looking forward to the snow since we moved here- it doesn't snow where we used to live, so that was pretty exciting and I was a bit disappointed to have missed it. Here are some photos of Luke sampling the beach (literally at times!).

Therapy

Here are some photos I took a couple of weeks ago of Luke and Em at therapy. Luke was working on some drawing, and Em took over the other side, and they were chatting to each other around the corner of the board about their drawings. Very cute. They both love drawing.

Mum making Luke look at the camera.

Busy drawing.

Practising standing to strengthen his legs and lower back.

Luke loved this and was feeling very pleased with himself :)

Last Night

We have had about a week of great sleepers. Until last night...

Emily woke up at around 2 am, calling out "Mum, Mum, Mum..." I like it much better when she calls out "Dad, Daaaaad!". So I dragged myself out of bed, stumbled down to her room, and as soon as she saw me she said "I want an icecream."

Reply from Mother: "That won't be happening! I was asleep and you woke me up and it is the middle of the night. I'll get you a piece of bread" That's what you get in our house if you wake up hungry. It's not even buttered. Plain bread.

And back to bed.

3.30am Luke wakes up. I tried to settle him, but he was having none of it so I took him back to bed with me and fed him, then put him back around 4.

6.10 Ben comes in. "Is it time to get up now? It's hard to tell." Answer: "No. Go back to bed."

6.12 Hear him singing to himself from the toilet.

6.13 Emily up.

Great, an early start for the whole family, and Dad is working late tonight. Dinner and bath time should be fun...

Get Up!

We were all having dinner at the table the other night, and Miss Emily was doing her usual trick of getting down and making excuses to go and get things so she didn't have to sit still. I caught her by the hand as she was about to get down from her chair for the gazillionth time, and her father said sternly "Get up!"

The next thing you know, there was an echo, "Get up!" coming from the other side of the table. Our heads both spun around, and there was Ben, looking at Luke with a big grin on his face. "Did you hear that Mum? Luke said 'Get up!'" Neil and I looked at each other in amazement. It was as clear as a bell, and definitely Luke, not Ben.

Poor Em, being bossed around by both her brothers already!