We're home!

Delighted to be home. It was amazing how Isaac looked around recognised where he was and slowly smiled. We haven't seen many smiles over the past few days.

Isaac stopped his morphine infusion this morning and went onto full feeds (as he is being fed nearly continuously day and night for the next 4 weeks this is only 40mls/hour). He slept very peacefully (finally) and I could no longer smell anaesthetic gas on him.

Just before lunch his drip was removed completely. He was dosed up with panadol ready for our taxi at 2pm. Isaac and I got in then directed the taxi down to Ronald McDonald House to pick up Paul and Noah. I was surprised they weren't ready and waiting but Paul was coaxing Noah off the top of the play structure (not the bit you're meant to play in - on top of the top tunnel)

Minor drama at the airport when I took Isaac out of his pushchair to check it in and his whole gastrostomy button came out. Luckily I keep a 5ml syringe in my handbag and we were able to deflate the balloon and reinsert the button. I did spend some time on the plane thinking about what would have happened if I didn't have a syringe with me - would we have been the quickest ever return to Starship?

I'll upload these photos of Isaac's hospital stay then I'm off to bed. Isaac is fast asleep with a rather bruised tummy.

photo journal shows

arriving at Auckland airport on Tues - see how much we need just for a short stay where everything is provided for us!!

Isaac pre-op in some rather fetching hospital pyjamas - his expression looks a little wary

Isaac having just arrived on the high dependency unit from the recovery room after 3 hours of surgery. He refused to lie down just sat up in a rather drunk and wobbly way until he keeled over. He also kept moving the oxygen cannulas out of nose and his sats would slowly drop until we had to replace them

Off the oxygen, but feeling miserable and still insisting on sitting up - his skin is very sensitive and had reacted where they'd taped his eyes shut during surgery - his nose is so bad from scratching it trying to pull off the oxygen cannula

Saturday morning, feeling a little happier but having been awake and sitting up since 4am.

On the plane home today - absolutely exhausted and sleeping peacefully (a much better flight than on the way there and I certainly had the best companion - Paul was by Noah who kept shouting "I love this" as we were on the runway and "Holey Moley" when we took off)