Hello Hospital

"So they call you Superman..." 

In the past two months, both my children have been in hospital. I told my friends with Michael's stay that I suspected it wouldn't be my last time in a paediatrics ward and I was right as we discovered Michael's heart defect and Wren was admitted less than a week later with massive infections.

Now, we're doing hospital yet again. This time I'm in an unfamiliar hospital and 30kms away from home.

I have to say that Chris Barnard Memorial has been pretty good so far. Admission was quick, the nurses in the paeds ward are very warm, friendly and helpful and they were quite efficient in getting all Michael's tests done.

We blitzed through chest X-rays, an ECG, swabs, weighing him and getting him hooked up to the pulse/Ox machine in under 2 hours. The only unpleasant experience was his blood draw which was not only long but difficult. Let's just say the nurse didn't do the most efficient job and it hurt much more than it should. Daddy Trev wasn't impressed at all and we all felt a bit traumatized after it was done.

Michael got fed, wrapped in a blanket and left to sleep off the busy time he had coming into hospital while Mommy and Daddy went to get a much needed meal.

Trevor sitting in the afternoon sun passing the time

We're quite lucky that the ward is very empty - only three children including Michael. We have a six sleeper ward room all to ourselves which is great and it's right next to the nurses station. 

Michael's surgery is taking place at 09:30 which means he has to get his last milk feed at 03:00...yup, I have to set my alarm and feed him then for the first time in weeks. He has to get a serious bath before surgery so that's happening at 05:30 and he then he can't get any fluids from 6am, yikes! They'll start prepping him for surgery from 08:00, his operation will begin at 09:30 and then he'll be done somewhere between 11:30 and noon. That's one helluva morning for all of us! 

Now that I know how hectic tonight and tomorrow morning are going to be, I'm nervous. Part of me wants to sleep and another part of me is too nervous to close my eyes and start the cycle of broken sleep for the night. I'm also nervous because Michael will be denied milk while he's awake and being prepped for surgery and that's pretty hectic for an 8 week old who spends his days doing nothing but feeding and sleeping. He has yet to take a bottle which compounds the situation but I guess we're just going to have to make do and improvise. 

It's been wonderful receiving so many heartfelt messages offering prayers and thoughts for the little guy. It means the world to us and we know so many people are carrying us in their hearts. I want to get a plane to sky write "thank you" because that's the biggest font size possible and even that doesn't fully cover the true enormity of the gratitude we feel. There's that thing on the back of taxis which reads "When days are dark, friends are few" Well, not for us. Our days are quite bright and it's thanks to the many people; friends, family, doctors and nurses, who are helping us and guiding us through this experience. 

Thanks to you all from the bottom of our hearts xoxo