Saturday 8th November 2008 - I don't understand these doctors. For weeks now they've been stuffing my tummy with milk and I've been busy throwing it all back out again. Today I wake up and I'm hungry! When mummy and daddy came in I put on a brave face though and played with them for a little while but couldn't understand why daddy wasn't giving me my breakfast! I kept getting excited every time he got up because I thought "Yep, this is it! Lovely breckie coming my way..." and then daddy would sit down without giving me any!
This went on and on all morning and in the end I thought it was only right that I created a little commotion to remind mummy and daddy that they'd forgotten to feed me. I cried and I whinged and I cried some more. It didn't do any good though. Mummy and daddy tried to keep me amused by walking around with me and playing peek-a-boo and letting me watch tv, but my poor little tummy just wouldn't stop reminding me how hungry I was!
Then my nurse told mummy and daddy that my INR levels were down to 1.7 from 3.5 the day before, which meant I could finally have my last operation to have my hickman line taken out! Mummy and daddy were soooooo happy. Unfortunately I didn't share their enthusiasm as I was actually starving and nobody seemed to care! I smiled a bit just to show willing but I was more concerned about my poor empty tummy and the fact that I was losing all the weight that my dear doctors had been so keen for me to put on!
Talking of my doctors, they came in to see me and told mummy and daddy that I was going to go to theatre around 11:30. Mummy and daddy looked a little worried by this as they had originally been told it would be around 9am which would've meant I could have had my 10am bottle. My doctor also said that I'd gained more weight the day before (I think I've lost it again now though seeing as they're starving me!) and, once my operation was over I would be allowed to eat again. Joy!
When my doctor left another doctor came in and told mummy and daddy he was going to remove my hickman line. He said hello to me and seemed really nice so I tried asking him if he could feed me seeing as mummy, daddy, my nurses and other doctors had all forgotten that I needed breakfast! He didn't understand either though and asked mummy and daddy some questions and said he'd read my notes which he said probably weighed more than I do! Then he said he'd be back soon and left.
Mummy and daddy tried to keep me amused while we waited and then the nice doctor who'd ignored my requests for breakfast a little while earlier, came back and said we could go downstairs and he would meet us all down there. My nurse came back in and asked mummy and daddy to follow her. Mummy carried me out of my room and I was very good as we walked to the lift to go downstairs. We got to a big room with lots of beds and mummy gave me to daddy who took me into a smaller room where some other doctors and nurses were waiting. Daddy put me on the bed and I started to cry and daddy held my hand and tried to calm me down. I was very, very hungry though and wasn't in the mood to play anymore. Then one of the doctors made me really mad by putting a mask that smelled funny over my face. I cried lots and daddy kissed me and then the room started getting dark. The next thing I remember is waking up and seeing mummy and daddy walking into the room again! I cried when I saw them and daddy picked me up and cuddled me and took me back to my room upstairs.
I felt a little bit funny so cried a little more when we got back to my room. Daddy laid me in my cot and I fell asleep. Then I woke up again and started crying again because I was still hungry. My nurse was there though and started giving me some water through the tube in my nose! Water?! I was not impressed and let mummy and daddy know that I was still hungry and wanted some milk! They said that I had to have some water first to make sure I wasn't sick and I tried to explain that I had nothing in my tummy to bring up but they didn't listen. I settled down once I felt the water in my tummy and fell asleep again. When I woke up a little later I realised that my tummy was feeling better... I was finally getting some milk!!! This made me feel very sleepy though so I slept for quite a while.
I felt much better when I woke up but my chest was hurting from where my hickman line had been removed so I was a little grumpy. Mummy and daddy gave me lots of cuddles and I felt a little better. Then daddy gave me some food for lunch and I couldn't wait to eat it! I ate over half a jar very quickly and wasn't sick. Then, a little while later, daddy gave me some milk from my bottle and I wasn't sick after that either! I watched some tv and my chest started hurting again so mummy and daddy asked my nurse if I could have some more special medicine to make it feel better (mummy and daddy kisses help but not for long so I needed special medicine!). My nurse gave me my medicine and my chest started feeling a little bit better.
Mummy and daddy spoke to my nurse and asked what would happen next. Apparently my INR is now very low so they need to give me some more heparin until I can have a bigger dose of warfarin. Once my INR is within range (2.5 - 3.5) I should be able to go back to Norfolk! It may be tomorrow but more likely to be Monday or Tuesday so not much longer to wait!
Mummy is going home tomorrow and I'm going to see my big brother in the morning as granddad Mick has brought him down and they are staying at my auntie Cassie's tonight. I can't wait to see Dylan because I've really missed him. I fell asleep very quickly tonight and hopefully I'll feel a lot better in the morning. If my INR levels are good I might actually get to go home in the ambulance with daddy...
