Ewan's Musings

Eilidh's One Year Check Up

From Vikki:

Just back from the hospital - Eilidh's one year (ok, only six weeks late) appointment with the consultant. Because she'd been very ill when she was born and spent time in special care from four days old, the consultant has been keeping an eye on her development to make sure she isn't suffering any lasting effects.

We last saw the consultant when she was six months old and he was happy with her progress then, but said he needed to see her at a year to be sure, and that he wouldn't tell me what the complications of her condition could be because he didn't want to worry me. He told me today what they are. I already knew she could have internal organ damage (liver and kidneys mainly), I didn't know she could have a learning disability.

However, because she's walking and developing normally (and early for a lot of things) he says that shows she doesn't have any mental or learning disabilities. He also said that development such as walking means it's unlikely she has any kind of lasting damage, either mental of physical.

It's a huge relief! I never thought I would feel glad that Eilidh suffocated on mucus in her lungs in my arms at three days old, and the terror that I felt when she was snatched from me and rushed to the resucitation unit, but if the paediatrician hadn't ordered routine bloods as a result of that, her condition wouldn't have been picked up on until she was much more seriously ill. The staff in SCBU said usually children with that condition were brought in unconscious.

I feel ill when I think of what might have happened if we'd been discharged as planned the next day, of how much more ill Eilidh could have been, and how much more serious the last effects could have been. We were so lucky! I've done it again - a long entry! I think it's just the relief at it all being officially over, and her being officially healthy and normal. :)