Hospitals & Halloween

It has been the strangest week, very calm and very ordered yet such an emotional roller-coaster, I am very pleased it is over. On Thursday we had to take Paige, my eldest grandaughter to Southampton Hospital for the day, she had a pain relief procedure done. This meant she has to have a full anesthetic and go down to theatre, not a big issue for most of us but for her it is, she is quadriplegic with cerebral palsy and global brain damage, so her level of understanding is that of a very young child, she gets very frightened and often reason does not get through to her. This time however she was so brave as the ambulance arrived we expected the screaming to start but it did’nt, she chatted and was calm all the way, on the ward the only time we had any tears was when she had to change into a gown and as the trolley took her off to theatre she gave me the biggest wave and smile, my heart crumbled.

When Paige returned from theatre as she came through the doors looking very pale, a little bandaged hand waved at me and a little smile came across her face, again my heart was in my mouth, she was sick but she very quickly came too and about three hours later we were in the ambulance again making our way home. I slept that night with her, she slept well and I just kept cuddling her, thinking of all the other children on that ward, all so brave and many who were regulars on the ward.

Next morning it was back to normal, I had to go and get the shopping in and start preparing for the girls coming to have there little Halloween party with us, but inside my heart was still fluttering and my emotions so tender. I am very happy it all went so well and I do believe it was down to it all been well planned out with no fuss, in all four of us were with her and I truly believe that made her feel safe, Mummy, Daddy, sister Imogen and me.

Halloween has always been a great family fun time in house so nothing was going to stop it happening, we have to have it on a weekend as my husband works away during the week. Imogen carved the pumpkin and put up the decorations, she also decorated herself! She made a very good witch, Paige loved the pumpkin, it was a quieter affair this year but still nice we did not do the apple dunking that we normally do but we shall next year. Now I am in full swing planning our holiday to Center Parcs in two weeks time and I cannot wait.

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