Tuesday 31 March 2009

News and slight date change

Hi

We are at Great Ormond Street next week for two days to complete Olivers pre BMT tests/investigations. We will meet some of the transplant team and have a look around the unit. Its all getting very real now. We are now looking at w/c 27th April or the week after for being admitted. Im sure we will be given a solid date next week. Still very scared when I read the drugs hes going to be on, but keep trying to think positive.

Other news is that we are having another baby!?!/ Not planned and a big shock at first. Im actually 19 weeks pregnant but have not told everyone until now as we have been waiting for test results. We both decided that if it was a boy affected with WAS we would not continue with the pregnancy. Harsh and a hard decision but we simply could not put another child through what Oliver has been through and as Im definately a carrier, we had to be sure. The good news is that we are having a boy and he has NOT got WAS! Also, another bonus is that from the sample I gave when I had a CVS, they have found out that the baby is a complete match for Oliver. We are still going ahead with the donor we have as it is such a good match and they don't think its fair to make Oliver and us wait. However, when the baby is born we are collecting cord blood should (hopefully he wont) Oliver ever need a back up. Also we would be willing to donate to anyone who needs it should it turn out we don't.

I will keep you all posted. Paige, keep us updated on Ayden!

Sunday 8 March 2009

8th March 2009

Well, its been a while since I last posted.

In November 2008 Oliver suffered a huge nosebleed which resulted in him having 2 platelet transfusions and a full blood transfusion. We nearly lost him. Thanks to the support of our local hospital and Great Ormond Street hospital, he pulled through and the bleeding stopped. Ive never been so afraid in my life. But our little soldier just keeps going and smiling most of the time.

Any doubts I have about transplanting Oliver fade away when I think about that dark week in November and we need to give him the chance of a normal life.

We have now got a donor for Oliver and are waiting for a confirmed admittance date for his transplant. We have been given lots of information from Great Ormond Street hospital, some of which is very frightening but I suppose we need to know all scenarios.
Oliver is now 3 1/2 and running us ragged. He continues to bruise extremely easily and we continue to have our heart in our mouths but hopefully this will be abeited soon.

We have been given a provisional date of 13th April - watch this space!