Another bed, another hospital.

After weeks of waiting for a bed at Stoke Hospital for Chester to trial the new Nippy Clearway machine that should help him clear his airways we have finally got a bed, it’s been a frustrating wait, but I fully appreciate the need for beds for poorly babies. To be honest this has to have been the most stressful admission we have ever had and being in a different hospital than normal I find myself feeling a little “homesick” for our usual hospital, if that is even possible. We were lucky enough to have been booked in by a nurse we met before on another admission here but I still feel a little lost not being on our normal ward with familiar faces.

We were initially told his morning that there was no bed available, however, I won’t lie, that was a godsend because at the time I had literally just abandoned my car at my mother in laws after spending 40 minutes rocking back and forward in an attempt to get my car moving in the foot and a half of snow. That adamant was I that I wanted to make it to work, I found myself stuck literally seething that I faced abandoning my car on the middle of a roundabout.

After making my way home, with my children, with no car, I set about making a plan for the next day which included getting my car, getting kids to nursery and school and then getting to work. The phone rang and I recognised the hospital number, it was a call to say a bed had opened up and I was asked to bring Chester in this evening ready to start the Nippy trial first thing tomorrow.

Knowing we weren’t just going to be 5 minutes down the road like normal I literally packed for every eventuality which meant loading my car with way to many bags. I then realised that because of the snow I hadn’t been to get his antibiotics and I didn’t have enough to last. This meant once I had got my car dug out (with the help of friends), had dropped Oakley off with his Nanny I then had to take a trip to the pharmacy, which is on a hill, with a car park at the bottom, so like an a*^#hole driver I abandoned my car right outside the pharmacy, there was no way I was chancing the car park even with the shovel in my boot.

The drive to hospital was uneventful with cars abandoned all along to route, knowing what hospital food is like I made the decision to take Chester for a cheeky McDonalds on the way in, a decision which proved to be a great CF parenting win after they decided to weigh him on admission! All those fish fingers, nuggets and chips added a few grams, win win for me!

We came to the ward with all our bags and the nurses giggled at my pillows strapped on the outside of my bag, I know too well how awful the plastic pillows are and didn’t fancy waking up to my sweaty face stuck to one so opted as I always do for my own. Nothing wrong with some home comforts (I may have also bought my own mug so I don’t have to share, maybe I am just a snob).

Chester always settles in so quickly, helping me unpack his teddy’s and pyjamas before running himself a bath and proceeding to get in fully clothed, really helpful! He’s never phased and trotted off down the corridor with his nurse to be weighed, not even bothered I wasn’t with him. I know this is a good thing, as it means he won’t ever be worried being in hospital, which given his track record is a likely reoccurring event, but it always makes me so sad that it’s something he’s had to get used to. Some children will go their whole childhood never setting foot in a hospital and it’s no wonder it can be terrifying.

The new shiny all singing and dancing, expensive machine was already waiting in our room and Chester being Chester was straight in the box having a good look, I’m trying to remain hopeful that he will behave and accept this new treatment and not throw one of his terrible twos tantrums, but if I am honest with myself I know what’s coming!

I’m now here in he dark, writing my blog with the blinds that may as well be sheets of toilet paper blowing in the draft from the window, sat on my parents bed, which I have to add is definitely an upgrade from the paper and pencils I’ve become used to, listening to Chester snoring from his hospital bed. He literally doesn’t care where he is, he can sleep anywhere, except nursery because there are way too many toys to sleep! But once he gets that bottle of warm milk his eyes start to roll in his head and before long, he’s gone (yes health visitors out there, he does still have his bedtime milk in a bottle! Shoot me now!).

I can’t help but feel a little homesick still, we’ve become so used to being around the same faces, the same routines and rules that I find myself feeling a little bit lonely. Don’t get me wrong the staff are lovely and very helpful and it’s actually great to be left alone, I guess it’s just different to what we are used to.

I often think about the amount of time we have spent admitted to hospital, just under half of his life already has been spent in one hospital or another, then I wonder what the future will bring, will all these interventions and treatments pay off, or will I just have to accept this is just the path Chester has been destined to walk?