It’s been a long time...

My last post was written in November last year, so it’s certainly been a while! For months I’ve planned many blog posts in my head but haven’t progressed to actually writing them! 😜

So much has happened obviously, including of course the massive upheaval of the lifestyle changes due to the pandemic. So I have lots of subjects for blog posts but I’ve decided to write a post about our granddaughter Carrie as my ‘comeback’ to Blogland. 

From October 5 until early December last year, Carrie, a victim of sepsis, spent a total of 9 weeks in hospital; 6 weeks in ICU, 1 week in a cardiac ward and 2 weeks in a general ward. She survived 2 cardiac arrests, being on life support for 5 days, kidney failure, vascular damage leading to a leg amputation, skin grafts and many other operations. 

One night in the last week of her hospital stay, to allow Carrie’s mum and dad to have a night together, I stayed with the little one. There was a small bench bed beside Carrie’s bed which suited me fine as I’m so short! 

It was a joy to stay with her...

In the second week of December my daughter’s wish that Carrie be home for Christmas was granted. On Christmas Eve Carrie joined the family at our home and on Christmas Day she and her parents lunched with her other grandparents. 

DD1 and our son in law had been warned that Carrie and they faced years of hospital appointments to see various health professionals but that has been a small price to pay to still have this little girl with us. Due to the presence of a remaining blood clot from the vascular damage caused by the sepsis, my daughter had to learn how to give daily injections of a blood thinner drug. This continued for many months. 

In January DD1’s employer allowed her to work from home so she could be with Carrie...we weren’t to know that in a few months just about everyone would be working from home! I helped out by spending a few hours at their home on various days, especially when DD1 knew she needed time at the computer without interruption from a toddler. 

When Carrie’s ‘stump’ had healed, a ‘to the knee’ prosthesis was fitted. The idea of this was to help her crawl, help with balance and eventually being able to stand in a frame which supported her prosthesis. 

The photo above was taken at Daycare. Carrie’s Daycare Centre worked in collaboration with the physio and the occupational therapist to make the centre ‘Carrie friendly’ so that the little girl could return. So from early February, Carrie has attended 3 days a week and the staff have been wonderful. 

In March when her first full leg prosthesis arrived it was found to be too small...Carrie had grown since being measured. But a few weeks later a new leg arrived and Carrie has been learning to walk with it; gradually wearing it for a little longer each day. 

Here are some photos from DH’s birthday celebrations at the end of May. After lunch the little girls played in the garden. 

Carrie’s right leg is in a moon boot as the long weeks lying in bed cause her foot to drop. At first the ankle and foot were put in plaster casts but these were replaced by the boot as it’s easier to change/remove. It was hoped that the ankle and foot would go back into place with this regimen but the latest news is that Carrie will have to have an operation later in the year. 

So there you have it...my return to Blogland!