Wednesday, January 07, 2009

January 7, 2009

Hi folks. I've just had to edit my last post because I realised I put 2008 in the dateline instead of 2009. Doh.
Well, we're well and truly into 2009 now, and Charlie went back to school today. Although he claimed to be hoping fervently for heavy snow today so he wouldn't have to go back to school, he was actually really happy to get back there with his friends again!
The weather is still freezing cold, so I've asked his teachers to let him stay indoors at break-times. I asked Charlie if he'd like to stay in, and he jumped at the chance - playtimes are pretty tough for him in winter because he really can't run around to get warm with the other kids, so he ends up just sitting in the playground, chatting and getting really cold and blue.
Although it doesn't strictly do him any 'harm' as such if he gets blue and breathless, it does mean that his heart is having to work much harder, and we try to avoid overworking his single ventricle as much as we can because we don't want it to wear out!
Everybody's blood thickens when it's cold, so it's harder for your heart to pump it around your body (imagine the difference between sucking water up a straw and a McDonald's milkshake!). Charlie's only got half a heart to start with, so it's already working twice as hard as normal even when he's warm... so you can imagine how much greater the workload is on his heart when he's really cold. Another problem with him staying outside when it's cold is that we need him to eat at every breaktime, to get some calories in, and when he's cold and breathless, it makes it even more difficult for him to eat his snacks.
His teacher had already told me to tell them if/when we wanted him to stay indoors, so they're quite happy with the arrangement. I'm confident that they'll keep him in when necessary, and let him out if the sun comes out!
I'm really missing having Chas around - I always do. I don't know if I'm out of the ordinary, because I understand quite a few mums heave a sigh of relief at the end of the hols, but I'm already counting the days until Charlie's off school for half term! He really is such good company, and we always have fun just being together.
Mind you, I've been able to crack on with the spring cleaning a bit today, so the conservatory and the lounge are sparkling now! We've had a real blitz on Charlie's toys and books, and have put lots of things that he's grown out of into the loft. It's amazing how quickly he's growing up - he was tickled pink with the new Dr Who duvet cover he had from his Aunty Ray for Christmas! (see pic - complete with dalek and cyberman!) We bought him a new bookcase and a bedside table for his new 'grown-up' room, so he really thinks he's very cool now.
I haven't updated the blog for a few days - we've just been pottering around, enjoying the last few days of the holidays. The panto was a big success as far as Chas was concerned - especially the bits when the performers squirted water into the audience! (That, and when they threw toilet rolls at us too. What is is with five-year-old boys and toilet humour?!?) He was also pretty taken with the opera glasses, as you can see from the pic - although he thought it was a bit mean that you had to put 50p in the slot to just borrow them, and that you weren't allowed to take them home!
Anyway, no more news really, except Pete's home tonight - hurrah! He left at 4.30am on Monday morning, but he's had to stay an extra night in Halifax this week to catch up on all the stuff that didn't get done over Christmas. So he's been away three days this week instead of two and Charlie and I have missed him lots. (Although Charlie's been ringing him at least twice a day to find out how to get through the tricky bits on the Batman game on the Wii!)
I must away as I've only got just over an hour until Charlie finishes school and I want to get the hoovering done before I sit down with a coffee! Back soon - I'll try not to leave it so long until the next post!

1 comment:

The Life of a Paed Heart Transplant Recipient said...

I'm like you, I hate it when the children go back to school and miss them terribly. Mine were ready to go back though because they had been off since two weeks before Christmas with the nasty coldy thing which has been doing the rounds.

Don't blame you asking for Charlie to be kept in at breaktimes during this cold weather. Lucy still can't deal with the cold even though she has a normal heart now and asks to stay in.

Charlie looks so well and grown up bless him. I must show Ben the photo of him with his Dr Who stuff as we have a Dr Who fan on our hands too.

Take care and much love

Bev xx