Jul

The Return to the Rubicon

Hi all,

To start this week’s blog a quick reminder to all my readers that if you don’t get the blog delivered to your inbox on a Monday to visit my blog online. There have been some mailing issues over the past few weeks that my Daddy is frantically trying to resolve. Also, if you receive the blog via email and the images do not appear – surf to my online blog. In some instances your ISP or company may be blocking image content on an email.

Monday brought with it, somewhat Arctic conditions and an icy wind from Cape Town. It was our first real taste of winter this season, however undaunted we invited Granny to join us at the park where I played, even though I looked like the Michelin Man. Soon Mommy realised that I couldn’t really move and let me have a little more freedom from my clothes. Unfortunately she would not give in on the case of the hate, oh sorry hat.

After my snooze, Mommy and I sorted out cupboards. Mommy is getting rid of all her corporate clothes, as she has guaranteed me that corporate is not for her anymore. Her next paying job will have to be outside of corporate. I did believe that as I played in the pile of clothes that we would never get to folding them all away. However I am glad to say, we managed, even though I had tons of fun trying to make it difficult for her.

Having slept through the evening, I was awake at 4 am and ready to party on Tuesday. Funny, my parents were not that ready. Mommy woke up with a cold, which makes her really grumpy and once she had scoffed some orange juice she promised her mood would get better. We headed off to OT for the first time in a few weeks. I loved seeing Lauren, and ran straight into the room. My cranio session went really well, and Lauren even found the bump on the head I gave myself. I was treated with some swinging and rolling. Lauren also very nicely let me run up the slide and push my way down.

We then met Granny at Sandton to get some post 2010 Soccer World Cup t-shirts and curios. We had lots of fun choosing them. I convinced Granny (not Mommy) that I needed Wimpy. I just conned Granny into getting me fish fingers and then didn’t eat them. When Mom’s coffee arrived, I grabbed a spoon and started eating the foam, my mother was horrified, and looked helplessly at Granny, who just laughed. It should be known that I snacked on my broccoli on the way home. Mommy says I’m a fickle child!

After snoozing, we received the call we’d been waiting for from Dr. Lippert, my paediatric neurologist. He was calling with the detailed results from the MRI. It would seem that the last embolisation did have some effect and that the Vein of Galen is smaller in diameter. Unfortunately there are still large feeders and the artery on the left is still large. Lippert mentioned that he felt that the flow of blood was less and we would probably not have any more stenosis. However he just does not know for sure. I heard Mommy reminding him that the flow had been underestimated before, and that is why we lost the left venous drainage through stenosis. Mommy also mentioned that she felt it was an advisable to do regular MRIs , and Dr. Lippert agreed with her. He requested a venagram to accompany the next MRI.

The team do not want to operate for at least a year but rather officially when I am four (two years from now). Mommy and Daddy feel extremely concerned about this, as there is no guarantee that Prof. Fourie will still be practicing then and it also does not allow me to move forward with my life in the interim. So as there is still a risk to haemorrhage and heart damage, all the plans made after the last surgery have to be put on hold and we have to go back on high alert again and the awful feeling of ‘wait and see’.

I am still confident that my folks will find an appropriate response to this information, but for now we are all processing it in our own ways, and the house is somewhat sombre.

Wednesday was so exciting as it was a new term of music. We arrived a little late, but I got straight back into it. I was buzzed for hours after that. I played with my music toys all day, till Opa arrived in the evening. I showed him everything that he hadn’t seen in my room, and all my new toys from my birthday. All too soon I had to go to bed and Opa had to leave.

My sense of humour has made a serious appearance over the last few weeks and on Thursday, Mommy found me with a tissue making blowing noises. The other day, Daddy found me lying down and imitating snoring and sleeping sounds. I constantly tell my imaginary friend jokes, and Mommy just finds me laughing on my own. They say it’s very sweet, well I’ve got to provide them some entertainment, as my old codgers are quite funny themselves.

Thursday and Friday Mommy and I kept an extremely low profile as we were really starting to feel the effects of the news from earlier in the week, and the ramifications thereof. I keep telling Mommy that all will work out in the end, but both her and Daddy know that the journey in between remains unknown and extremely difficult to plan for and deal with. I also sadly didn’t see as much of Daddy during the week as I’m used to, as he had been on TOGAF training for the entire week, which meant he had to leave early in the morning and got home later than usual most afternoons. Then in the evenings he had homework to do late into the night.

After a late start on Saturday, the three of us headed to Delta Park where it was extremely busy. It was such great fun seeing a soccer game of boys and girls taking place nearby, and on the climbing equipment there were kids of every shape, size and colour. I loved it. I had my gah (soccer ball with me too), and walking back to the car I played a little soccer with Dad. Each time Dad or I scored I threw my hands in the air and shouted GOAL!

En route home we popped into Europa at 1^st Place for lunch; I played on the jungle gym nearby while Mom and Dad ate. After a snooze at midday, we waited for some guests to arrive, but owing to a communications breakdown they didn’t make it. Mom quickly came up with a brilliant idea and asked the Green’s around. Apparently they dropped everything and were there in a flash. I was thrilled! Play time with Chloe and Amy-Leigh. Once they arrived we played up a storm late into the evening. We also all had some dinner together and then Michelle and Mom bathed all three of us while Paul and Dad played some PlayStation.

Sunday morning Dad slept late and Mom took charge of my morning cares. After we all mobilised we went and bought some baby consumables for me (which blew the family budget!). On a positive note, Dad did find a large inexpensive chalk board for me that stands on an easel. A new favourite for me! Lunch ensued and the plan was to have a team snooze and then head to the park to play. Unfortunately I had a bit of a cold so I had a marathon snooze for the afternoon. By the time I woke up it was a little too late to go out to play. Instead Mom, Dad and I played with building blocks and my chalk board.

That’s it for this week. In closing, a quick birthday wish to Madiba who celebrates his 92^nd birthday today, and also to Gambit my favourite Dolphin who lives at Durban’s Ushaka Marine World who turned 39 today.

Lots of love,

Jarrod