A day of mixed feelings

A day which started with needing noise, so I thought about my daily post whilst walking down the deserted corridors with the iPod up loud! (My choice for the day, Ash: walking barefoot). I thought a lot about the care E has had but wanted to focus on ICU. A place you will see if your child has heart surgery.

ICU is the place you want to be cared for in. The nursing staff are one to one with patients, often handpicked for specialism's which a given patient may need. The doctors are the very best and work as an amazing team where egos do not last (special mention to Andrew who gave me so much confidence in every element of E's care). No questions is unanswered or unaskable. Parents are part of the team (because you know your child). E had a bed space which could infuse him with 11 different products, help him breath, monitor his vital stats, and charge my phone, at the same time!

However, ICU is only for the most in need, you need to accept that, and be thankful that you had it... I have heard a lot of moaning from people about the team "not knowing what the problem is" etc. Paediatric ICU. They are with patients who cannot communicate and are trying to navigate by numbers and feel. I think they're awesome!

E had some very erratic blood pressure issues in ICU. The team were trying to find a solution. It was the 4th on the list they tried that worked (blood transfusion). They would not give up and were not letting him go without gaining some control.  He was in need, he was in danger and the checked everything.

BUT, the days in ICU are always numbered. To go home you need to get onto the ward. To get you on to the ward is the aim of the whole team who work there. Not to the detriment of one child over another, towards the ultimate goal.

So it is with gladness and sadness that I can announce E is on the road to recovery. He has left ICU and is with his favourite nurse (also E) on the high dependency bay on the cardiac ward.

To the ICU team at Evelina London - my son is alive today because of your caring and diligent work. He is on the ward today because you managed the problem until you found the solution.

On another note E has made his mum and I evaluate an area in our life summed up by an adaptation of a phrase: "receive and ye shall give" ( perhaps the wrong attitude but better late than never). In a return for me and a first for E's mum, we are going to give blood. Who knows where would be if someone else hadn't...