Day +13
Those of you who are really alert ( I'll resist the joke about 'lerts) will have noticed the deliberate mistake in the days, at the beginning of the blogs. Today is the real Day13. Somehow I ( we ) managed to miscount and confuse ourselves. Not difficult really.........but we're back on course now.
So, how did Day+13 begin? For me, in the igloo, it was a chilly start with a quick run around in a luke-warm shower. Then, my usual jog up here to find the two of them fast asleep. A definite pattern is forming!
No biscuits for Ella today so Mummy eat them instead.
After the housework Ella and I played with the Sylvanian Family village for a while. We rearranged, sorted out and were just getting into the mood when Andrea arrived to take a nose swob. Lovely! The news got even better, we were going to have a naso-gastric tube fitted later, to use for feeds and also to put the oral medicines into. It's meant to really help Ella to tolerate having her medicines and to give her the nutrition she needs, now the feeding lines are down.Naturally, that's not the way Ella sees it, and who can blame her?
I think we should draw a veil over the showering, suffice to say that when Dr.Wynn arrived on the unit he asked " Who's that screaming?" and when he knew, he was wise enough to stay out of the way until all was quiet again. Poor Ella, she did well really. We wanted to wash her hair, to make her more comfortable and I think in the long run it worked.
Dr Wynn is still very pleased with Ella's progress and the treatment he has prescribed will deal with the GVHD ( steroids) and it's a case of keeping everything else under close scrutiny. There are lots of anti rejection drugs going into her line as well though. It really is non-stop.
Muriel arrived with a dolly, to explain what the gastric tube would look like and then Andrea arrived to fit it. Ella was measured up and it was soon in place. It didn't go down very well and although we all tried to put on a brave face it wasn't the best of starts to a new day.
However, things looked up when Auntie Rachael, Auntie Margaret and Ian arrived, plus Sophie.
Sophie found the corridors on the unit ideal places to try her ' running away from Nanna' strategy, so we went over to the igloo, to take some washing and to look at the birds.
A very restful afternoon followed. Reg arrived and we sat quietly watching Mrs Doubtfire, who is back from holiday, and Wallii. Ella snoozed, woke to check up on us, snoozed, woke again to check.............and so it went on. Her pm nurse was in and out to check her over and then finally about 5.oopm her naso feed was started. It will run over night, so she'll wake with a full tummy.This was the confidence boost Ella needed..she wasn't going to be sick.
After such a "stay in bed" day we had a really fun ending. Ella has a High School Musical Wii sing along. Well, on went the disc and she sang her heart out, using the microphone, to all her favourites. Even Corrie was given a miss.
Just a quick mention to say that the "wig lady" , as she's affectionately known, came this morning, to give advice and show us the wigs to choose from. Ellla wasn't in the mood today, but Mummy chose and Ella approved. It arrives next week.
All is calm right now, with Ella asleep, Sally busying around and me coming to the end of the blog.
So night night to everyone, with all our love,
Ella, Sally and Annette. xxx