March 5, 2010

Hi everybody, hope you're all ok! It's been a bit more spring-like here this past few days - still pretty chilly, but with clear blue sky and sun, which is a welcome change!
My friend Kelly gave me these gorgeous tulips yesterday, and they're so pretty I thought I'd share them with you! Thanks, Kel!
We're still ticking along merrily here, counting down the days until Charlie's Fontan surgery. He's still got a cold and cough (I have too - Pete's the only remotely healthy one in this household at the moment!) and he was sick when he came home from school last night - not sure if it was because of his snotty nose, or maybe something he'd eaten, but it definitely wasn't one of his usual gaggy throw-ups that we're so used to. Anyway, even though he seems fine in himself, I thought it best to keep him off school today, just in case. (There's nothing worse than throwing up all over the floor during assembly... believe me, I know - been there, done that, got the t-shirt!)
We're on a mission to get him in tip-top condition before his surgery, so I'm shovelling vitamin tablets and fruit and veg down him at every possible opportunity to boost his vitamin C intake, in the hope that his cold will go more quickly. I'm also trying to get him to eat as much high-calorie stuff as I can (junk food is our friend...) because I know he'll lose loads of weight after his op, so I want him to have a bit of a buffer.
It sounds so stupid, but getting weight onto Charlie (and keeping it there) has been a battle ever since he was tiny - he loses weight frighteningly quickly if he doesn't eat enough, or is under the weather (obviously that's not hereditary...) Anyway, I'm dreading him losing his hard-earned pounds post-op, and am hoping fervently that his (nigh-on non-existent) appetite will improve considerably once his new circulation boosts his sats.
Charlie really enjoyed his trip to the synagogue yesterday, and was very proud of himself because he knew some of the answers to the Rabbi's questions. He's off on another trip next week to the church in our village where Will is buried. I'm guessing it's all part of the 'faith and culture' topic they're studying at the moment.
He's also excited because it's the Mother's Day shop at school next week too. The PTA runs these little shops throughout the year for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas etc etc, and Charlie really enjoys taking his money in and buying whatever he thinks we will like, without any input from Pete or me.
We've got a fairly quiet weekend ahead (ie no birthday parties!) so we're going into Cardiff tomorrow morning to get a few things we need. I need some bits and bobs for the hospital, and Charlie wants to spend the money he had from the Tooth Fairy!
He's also really looking forward to making a special visit to Build-a-Bear...
My Dad bought Charlie a cuddly toy both of the other times he's had heart surgery - a collie dog called Max when he had Stage 1, and a little quacking duck called Daisy when he had Stage 2. Charlie was remembering this the other day, and decided that this time he wanted to use some of the money Dad left him to buy a monkey toy 'from' Grandpa (because Grandpa always called him a cheeky monkey!)
Charlie has always wanted to go the the bear factory, but I've never let him (mean mum!), so we're going to go tomorrow to buy his own cheeky monkey, complete with surgeon's outfit. I'm sure pictures will be forthcoming.
Talking of pictures, here's one of Charlie with his new teeth - as you can see, they're pretty well all the way through already, and seem to be moving forward into the right place pretty quickly. (Please excuse Charlie's grubby face - I snapped this while he was in the middle of his tea!)
I think that's about it for now - Pete's playing on the Wii (ostensibly for Charlie's entertainment, but Charlie's currently prancing around the lounge trying to catch a balloon in a fishing net. How I'm going to keep up with this boy when he has MORE energy post-op, I do not know...)