Holding on to hope

 

‘Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!’
Since becoming a heart mummy, I have read so many inspirational stories of children who were not expected to survive. Some of these are heart warriors, others may have different conditions. All of their stories touch my heart. My daughter was not expected to survive to birth, let alone to become the beautiful active toddler that she is today. All these stories make me realise that God is working miracles all the time; that even a faint glimmer of hope is worth holding on to.

National Breastfeeding Week - my story

It’s National Breastfeeding Week.  When my daughter was born, I didn’t know if I would be able to breastfeed her due to her heart condition.  In the end, she had mummy milk for 17 months.  It wasn’t easy – there were 12 weeks when she had a chylothorax and couldn’t have breastmilk (during which time I expressed and donated to the local milk bank).  She needed top-ups of Infatrini throughout but she did breastfeed and I am so glad I persevered.  It felt like such a big achievement and I hope it gives encouragement to other heart mummies wanting to breastfeed.

Camp NaNoWriMo challenge complete

Being able to choose a target word count for this month’s Camp NaNoWriMo was fabulous – after a couple of unsuccessful attempts at meeting NaNoWriMo targets since embarking on motherhood, I have finally managed to complete this month’s challenge thanks to setting a more achievable word count. It feels good to be writing a bit more again and it is quite satisfying to have completed the challenge this month. The next Camp NaNoWriMo challenge is in July. I’m quite tempted to have another go then as once Pod arrives, I suspect I won’t be having very much free time for writing!

Bedtime bliss

Bedtime has to be one of my favourite times of the day. My wriggly, active toddler no longer wants to sit and be cuddled for long periods of time during the day, but at bedtime, she is very happy to snuggle up on my lap while I read stories to her, sing lullabies, give her some milk and then finally sit back in the rocking chair and cuddle up together while I rock her until she falls asleep (or at least until she is sleepy enough to stay settled when I put her down in the cot). Precious, precious moments.

A little bit of news...

Very excited to announce that Jessica is going to be a big sister! All being well, her baby brother or sister (currently nicknamed ‘Pod’) will arrive sometime around the end of October. We all got to see Pod on scan a few days ago and all appears well as far as they can tell at the moment. We have an increased risk of having a second child with a heart condition (the approximate risk is 1 in 50) so will be having a cardiac scan in a few weeks’ time to have a closer look at Pod’s heart. Fingers crossed!

RIP Uncle Ken

 

Received some very sad news this afternoon – my Uncle Ken passed away this morning. It came as quite a shock as I didn’t know he had been ill. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to get to know him so much better over the last couple of years – he and my Auntie Kathy were so supportive when they found out about Jessica’s diagnosis and visited us in hospital several times during the week we spent at the John Radcliffe. Sending lots of love and prayers to my Auntie Kathy, my cousins Karen and Bryan and their families.

Camp NaNoWriMo

It’s the start of a new month and the start of another writing challenge. Once again, I have decided to take on the challenge of Camp NaNoWriMo – although for this month’s camp there have been some changes. Being able to choose your target word count for one. Trying to write 50,000 words in a month whilst juggling the demands of full-time mummyhood has proved pretty much impossible so far (having tried and failed twice) but 25,000 words seems like an achievable target. So far I’m managing to keep on track – hopefully I will be able to continue to do so.

CHD Awareness Week

 

Jessica and I have been wearing red today for CHD Awareness Week. Approximately 1 in every 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) and it is the most common and most lethal birth defect worldwide. There are more than 40 different types and more than 50% of children born with a CHD will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime. My little girl is one of those 1 in 100. Since birth, she has had four operations (plus one before she was born) and will need more as she gets bigger. She is my miracle.

A Face in the Crowd

It was so crowded by the seafront. She sighed as her eyes wandered across the beach, trying to find him amongst all the sunbathers and surfers, the children eating ice-cream, dog walkers. So many people. She knew he’d be there. It was just a question of knowing where to look for him. She searched all around, but he didn’t seem to be anywhere. And then she spotted him. Right where she’d been looking first. How she’d not seen him before she’d never know. But it was definitely him. The glasses, the striped jumper, the bobble hat. She’d recognise Wally anywhere.

All that glitters

He touched the little box in his pocket and smiled, looking at her across the table. He’d been thinking about this moment for some time, mentally rehearsing the words he wanted to say. It was quiet in the little alcove where they sat; the waiter had brought their desserts and left them alone. The moment had come. He took the box from his pocket, opened it and held it out to her, the light reflecting off the small gold object nestled inside.

“I love you so much…” he said, gazing at her intently. “enough to give you my last Rolo!”