Updated update

I can't explain how it felt to walk from Euston to GOSH this morning. I'm not entirely sure if it was fear, or if it was an overwhelming sense of returning to a place which hold so many strong memories. But I could have easily cried (I didn't, I held it together)

The appointment was for 11:10, and in true Redfern-Murphy style we arrived in time - we don't do early for anything shamefully.

The "Meerkats Outpatients" was packed and I was convinced we would be there for hours waiting to be seen. But 11:40 we were called through to have Martha weighed (she's now 3.47kg) and measured. They

also needed to read her Oxygen saturation levels.

Once that was done we waited again to be called through for an ECHO. This suited us fine as Martha was due a feed then anyway. But by 11:50 a woman I recognised called out Martha's name. I recognised her because she was the Lady who scanned me on our first visit to GOSH when I was 22 weeks pregnant. She led us in to a room where Dr Sullivan was waiting for us.

She performed the scan on Martha's Heart with Dr Sullivan watching the screen. I thought Martha would scream the place down but she was brilliant, she gave the Nurse the odd scowl but I think it's only because the jelly was cold against her skin, but that's just something she's going to have to get used to.

Dr Sullivan was happy with how the Arch repair is looking. The PA Bands which were put in place in the first operation have served their purpose and allowed Martha to gain weight and become stronger.

Dr Sullivan was confident that there wont need to be another outpatient appointment - that the next time we come to Great Ormond Street should be for the next operation.

The suggests that would happen sometime within the next two months but he needs to confirm that with the Surgeon, if we haven't received a letter in the next three weeks then we should contact GOSH to chase it up.

While it's quite scary knowing that another operation is only around the corner - it's a relief knowing she has been doing well so far and that the first operation was a success, that the scary few days after the operation was worth enduring to get her to this stage.

But do we want to get the operation out of the way ASAP and possibly at the beginning of December? Running the risk of something going wrong and being in Hospital over Christmas.

OR

Do we want the operation booked for early in the New Year, to have it hanging over us over Christmas - but at least knowing that at least we all will be together over Christmas?

GM

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