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Alex and Grommet
Tuesday 24th May 2005 - Alex and Grommet
It was nice to have a little sleep-in until 7. Alex
was even awake a little late.
Tom and Alex were dressed for school as usual but with
my help for a change. We dropped the dogs off at Joan
and Davids and Tom at school. He was a little miffed
to be left again when Alex is going to hospital.
After a long trip around Bradford, trying to find the
hospital, we only arrived a few minutes late, just
after 11.
The ward was like one from Carry On Doctor, big and
airy. Very different from St James's. Alex kept going
to play in the playroom and was periodically dragged
out to see nurses, a doctor and the anaesthetist. At
13:30 we were called to take him down to theatre.
Kirsten sat with him in the wheelchair. I took him
into the prep-room. We were a bit worried that he had
not seen the consultant and no-one had listened to his
chest, even with a heart problem and a recent chest
infection. But he went under much as usual with
screaming until the gas knocked him out.
Kirsten and I went for lunch and then back up to the
ward to wait. Only 30 minutes later, Kirsten thought
she could hear him crying. Indeed when we looked up we
saw him being wheeled through the door. We were
supposed to go to see him when he came round but they
could not settle him and it was quicker to bring him
to us.
After ten minutes he was eating an orange and playing
with his trains.
Another hour and we were following him out of the door
to the car.
We were stuck in traffic for nearly two hours but
eventually in Ilkley to pick up Tom. We had promised
him that he could see Charlie so we went up to Helen
and Johns house for a few minutes. Once our lads had
well and truly trashed the playroom we had to go.
Kirsten dropped me and Alex off in Ilkley and took Tom
off to the airport to fetch Andrew and Joan and David.
Alex was still awake and energetic at 10pm when they
arrived back. Tom wanted to stay with his Uncle so
just Kirsten, myself and Alex went home after a long
day.
We watched the One Life programme on telly about a
young lady called Beccy that was on the ward in St
James's at the same time as Alex. We are so lucky
where Beccy and her family were not. I remember
talking to some of the nurses and they were very upset
by the death of a patient who they considered a
friend. On the other hand it's lovely to see doctors
and nurses, who looked after Alex for months, see him
now. Alex saves his most sceptical looks for them
though.
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