Holiday and a bath!

Well we have returned from our first family holiday with Sam. It was a good experiment and we are glad that we only went 40 minutes away to Red Beach - meant we didn't get the 'are we there yet?' questions! We took both cars as one was laden with Sam's gear - oxygen concentrator, oxygen tanks and boxes and boxes of other supplies, and one laden with 3 females itching to get their togs on! The campsite/unit we stayed in was 5 mins walk from the calm sandy Red Beach and 5 minutes walk the other way, down 'Jacob's ladder', to a rocky inlet and cove, great for getting crabs and adventures.

It was lovely to be in a different setting and to have uninterrupted time with the girls. In saying that, I had moments of realising that I perhaps wasn't that well adjusted to being in 'Holland!' I missed that Francis & I hardly got to do things together with the girls. We alternated mornings at the beach with the girls and then we'd meet up for lunch, wait for Sam's hook off and then head away together to the beach... again alternating who would be playing with the girls in the water and one with Sam on the beach or back at the camp. I know this is a normal scenario for any family with a young baby, but I guess it's just that I miss having Francis around whilst 'tag' parenting.

On holiday (and now that his PICC is in his arm), we thought it was time Sam had his first bath - previously only ever sponge bathed in bed. So we dutifully clingfilmed his arm, then wrapped it in a bag and sealed it with tape and popped him in a nice warm soapy tub.... and he reacted with a look of terror and screamed for the duration - which was all of about 2 minutes as was all I could cope with. So we will keep trying to get him used to different sensations gradually. Still it was good to try and now we know it is do-able.

This week our home-help started in full. And all I can say after 4 days of their help is we are so grateful for them! They are lovely ladies that we are training up to help out with Sam and also just help out with household things whilst I'm tied up with Sam. It is really going to make a difference to our routine especially once the girls go back to school. I already can tell I will feel confident enough to leave Sam in their care whilst walking the girls to school or attending something with them.

Sam had a hospital visit yesterday where the Dr/dietician decided to increase the vitamins and lipids in Sam's TPN to compensate for growth and vitamin deficiencies, but also to decrease the time from 18 hours to 17 hours. We also are to increase his milk to 12 ml/hr - we tried this about 6 weeks ago but Sam didn't tolerate it, so we went back to 11, but are re-visiting 12 ml. Physio work has really paid off as is limbs are much more active and we continue to work about 5 times a day with him - 5 short bursts of physio rather than a long session.

Next week I'm taking the girls down to Southland to hang out with Grandma and cousins etc...and we're really looking forward to it! Francis will stay up here with Sam, the carers and Anne whilst I will be having fun with the girls catching up with their cousins which they haven't seen in 2 years. I know I will miss Francis & Sam, but it will be lovely to have quality time with the girls. So any blogs next week will be up to Francis ... if he has the inclination!

X Shirley