LIAM'S JOURNEY

We arose obscenely early this morning to be at the hospital at 7.15.  Liam had a late night as he was a bit anxious, and has certainly had enough of the surgeries. 

He was in theatre by 8.30 and after the bit he likes the least – the gas – he was out into recovery by 9.30.  He was pretty sore but was transferred back to the childrens ward shortly after.  Once they got him some more pain relief he settled down to wait for lunch.  The surgery went well and he is now sporting a few more stitches holding his eyelid up but no more swelling, and we were allowed to leave about 2.30.  We are back to the hospital on Friday for them to check it all out.

Must admit we are very tired and would like this journey to end soon!

Becs, Liam and Ashleigh 

Here is a picture of Liam’s class with the money raised for him on dress up day. 

Liam is now walking unaided, he still has a prounounced limp, but just decided on Friday that he didn’t need his crutches anymore!  The swelling in his face is still going down and he is starting to look like our old Liam again.  Once he gets the eye sorted on Wednesday there will be no holding him back.  He is very impressed with his scar on his leg and enjoys showing it to anyone who wants to have a look.

We went to Penny, Daniel and Zacs place on Saturday night to watch the All Blacks trounce England.  Hope you kiwis in London are getting some mileage out of the win.  Liam enjoyed the game and the company and was quite happy to go outside for a game of spotlight when it got dark and I also caught him wrestling with Daniel at one stage.  It just reinforces the fact that you can’t tell a 7 year old boy to take it easy.

We spent the day in the garden today as it was another beautiful Kapiti Coast day.  Both Liam and Ashleigh were helping stomp down the rubbish bin by standing in it, this is their favourite part of helping.

We have a bit on next week, Liam and I are going to Weta studios and the Life Flight Helicopter with Child Cancer Foundation and of course he has his surgery on Wednesday.

Hope all have had a good weekend.

Becs

Today the 13th of June 2008 is World Blood Donor day.  During and after Liam’s surgery he received 4 litres of transfusion blood.  Without blood donors this would not have been possible.  Lots of people have said to us if there is anything we can do please do not hesitate to ask.  Well I am asking – please think about donating blood. somebody who did helped Liam and there will be plenty more kids in similar situations who need blood.  Here is a link to the New Zealand Blood Donor site with venues where you can donate – http://www.nzblood.co.nz/  Please don’t just think about it, make and appointment and do it!

Liam was overwhelmed by the generosity of his school today.  They had a character dress up day yesterday with a gold coin donation going towards Liams ongoing cancer treatment.  I took him into his class this afternoon where he was presented with $622, a huge big basket of goodies including food, puzzles, games and rugby cards.  There was a lovely book the children had written about why Liam is so special.  It was very touching and Liam will treasure it always.  He is still very shy when it comes to talking about everything going on but he did himself proud and kept his head up, thanked his class and answered all their questions about what was wrong with him.

His recovery is still going well, and he is even managing small periods of getting around without his crutches.  All in all he is doing remarkably well.  Jasper and I spent the day in the garden catching up on some well overdue maintenance – (thanks for your help Rose, Matt and Charlotte)

Take Care

Becs, Jasper, Liam and Ashleigh

Thought you might like to see Liam’s first visitor in the Hospital.  We very originally named him Johnathon Livingston. 

The second photo is Liam today on his crutches, and yes that is lego at his feet, thanks Andrew for sending it all the way from Luxemburg!

We got up early this morning for our visit to the hospital, it was a bit of a shock to the system waking up to the alarm and actually having to get up before 7.30.  We made good time and were seen initially by the nurses and registrar.  They changed the dressing on Liams leg and had a bit of a poke around. 

There was a bit of concern about the swelling in his eye and Charles Davis the surgeon came out of theatre and took a look.  Liam is scheduled for further surgery next wednesday when they will put him under a general anaesetic and trim off the excess swelling which is causing problems in his eye.  This is just a day surgery and is a ‘doddle’ compared with the last one!

Other than that they are very pleased with his progress and the surgery site in his mouth is looking really good.  The swelling will reach a peak at about 6 weeks and then after that an assessment will be made regarding further surgery.

No pathology results yet.

Becs

Well it is hard to believe that we are up to day 51 already and that doesn’t include the two weeks before we left for Christchurch.  I am not sure where the time has gone and it is also difficult knowing that we are still waiting for pathology results on the tumour.

Liam has had a couple of quiet days playing on the computer, reading, watching TV and of course playing with his Lego.  We met the regional health teacher co-ordinator yesterday, and Liam’s first lesson with his teacher will be on Thursday.  She will spend an hour with him each day one on one which is apparently quite an intensive hour – wonder if he will have homework??

We are off to the hospital tomorrow where hopefully we will be given the options of what the next step in the journey could or will be.  He still has some problems with eye swelling so that should be sorted with a local anaesetic and a bit of trimming (ouch) but other than that everything seems to be progressing pretty well. 

Take care

Becsx

We have had a very busy weekend.  Jasper and I took all the kids to Cats in Wellington on Friday night, including Liam.  We got the tickets a while ago but weren’t sure if we were going to be able to go, but thought bugger it why not!  We got a few strange looks as Liam does look like he has been in the wars, but we got to our seats and what unfolded was a magical two hours.  Liam was absolutely enthralled and sat there with a grin from ear to ear for the entire performance.  He was so pleased that he got to go, and we were so pleased that we could take him.  It was a fabulous night, all of us enjoyed it immensly and we are planning our next outing to The Sound of Music in September!

I was on netball duty all day Saturday with the first game starting at 8.30 and the last finishing at 3.30, so Liam stayed with Steve and pottered around there playing play station, watching telly, and doing lots of puzzles.  We stayed up and watched the rugby Saturday night and were pleased to be sitting inside in front of the fire watching it rather than at the stadium where it was bucketing down and about -75 degrees! 

Today I took the kids to Indiana Jones and the last crusade for the lost ark and crystal skull (or something like that!) The kids enjoyed it but I thought it a little bit cheesy!  Still it had good effects and was a typical Indiana Jones with about 3000 bullets fired at him within a 10 second space and none of them hitting any of the good guys – ha ha!

We are being visited by the Regional Health teacher tomorrow much to Liams disgust, and we are off to the dressing clinic to get everything checked out on Wednesday.

Until tomorrow

Becs x

Our first day at home went without incident.  Liam is racing around on his crutches, hoping on one foot and generally enjoying being back at home.  His face is still very swollen, and a bit misshapen but that should all settle down in time. 

We spent the day unpacking and having another battle with Mr Lego to rebuild the crane which we had to break to bring home.  I have a new appreciation as to why it took Jasper until 1am to finish it!

We went for a cruise to school in the wheelchair to pick up Ashleigh this afternoon which was a bit of humour as we took the dog and she just wanted to bounce around and we nearly ran her over several times.  Liam found it all a bit tough as everyone at school was staring at him.  I had covered up his eye to firstly protect it from the wind, but secondly to hide it away as it still looks a bit freaky. 

Am now off to have a spa and an early night to make up for all the sleep the lay z boy stole from me!

Becs

We were visited early this morning by the Doctors who advised that all the tubes could come out and as long as Liam was eating well by the afternoon there was no reason why we couldn’t go home.  You didn’t need to tell us twice and I had us packed and ready to go within 20 minutes!  The only wee speed bump we had to get over was getting all the tubes out which was not a pleasant thought.  Liam toughed it out though and while I was distracting him with his nintendo he didn’t even notice the drain coming out of his leg!  It was great once that bit was all over and he was no longer attached to anything.

We then went for a spin with Aunty Vickie and Jack (who had the day off school) to the cafeteria to have his first sandwich in a while. 

We sat and waited for the Doctor to get out of theatre so he could give us the ok to go home.  Keenan came to visit again which made time go a bit quicker.  Gabe Tully bought in a lovely banana cake and some chocolate brownies (yummy yummy yummy!) and her boys Jack and Lui have given Liam all of their rugby cards that they have collected – what a very special gift and he will see you Tully’s soon so he can say thank you in person.

 We sat and we sat and we sat…….  Doctor Davis finally got out of theatre just after 5 and I advised him that we were all packed so he better tell us we could go, lucky (for him or us I’m not sure) he gave us the go ahead and Jasper and Amelia came to pick us up and we packed everything into the car – bit of a squeeze, wheelchair, frame, crutches and all the crap we had accumulated over the last week, and set off to Wellington where a lovely crockpot chicken was awaitng us. 

We then headed to Waikanae and it is bloody marvellous to be home, we got a wonderful welcome from Coco and Grandma and I am so looking forward to climbing into my bed for a good nights sleep.

Thanks to everyone who gave Liam things to do in hospital, visited and sent messages, it has been a tough week and Liam still has a fair bit of recovery to go, but he should come along in leaps and bounds now we are home.

Becs

x 

We are heading home!!!! Will write more soon

XX