Lightly Salted: September 2014

Cat scans and dog days

After a sleepless night in a ward of six beds, some of which held children with infections far more serious than Albert has, Susan was cleared to be discharged and come home with strong antibiotics and fresh quarantine instructions. All packed and ready to go, Susan and Albert were chased down in the last hallway before they left the hospital by a medic with new information.

While the doctors are satisfied that Albert can recover from his chest infection at home, the doctors noticed some more shadows on his chest x-ray.

Albert has been x-rayed so often that the doctors have an excellent series images taken over the last six months for comparisons in case of doubt. The concern is that the shadows they noticed are new, and too large to be dismissed as a flaw in the x-ray.

Sep

Comedy as good feedback?

The walk through the tunnel to Central station is usually accompanied by the sounds of buskers, beggars and evangelists trying to attract the attention of busy commuters. As entertaining, tragic and annoying as these are (respectively), this morning was something different.

At the beginning if the tunnel were a small group of young men wearing plastic Viking helmets and what they may think were Viking style tunics. This hastily assembled costume was, however, the only thing 'Viking' about them.

Sep

This parenting thing is hard!

Albert is back in hospital. Only for a brief stay this time, we hope.

Over the past week we have noticed that he had been short of breath and struggling to get over a chest cold. Our local doctor had prescribed some antibiotics but the shortness of breath seemed to be getting gradually worse rather than better. Susie was convinced that all was not well and, as usual, her concerns seem to have been justified.

Sep

I just want my child to be happy!

One of the most frequent things I have heard parents say is that they just want their children to be happy. The most healthy and instinctive emotion of a parent is to wish the very greatest joy and fulfilment for their child. Indeed, parents invest so much of their time, money and efforts into achieving this goal, into giving their children a strong head start in life.

Sep

Albert's first Mass

I am delighted to report that Albert had his first social outing, a week ago, and yesterday attended his first Mass ever! (I don't have a photo because Mass is not the place for happy snaps.) He seems to have done very well considering he was seeing the big wide world for the first time without some sort of hospital emergency.

Sep

The Barium Test

Today has been a day of mixed news. I am happy to say that Albert is recovering strongly from his chest cold and is breathing much more freely today. He is still unwell but very clearly on the mend.

Today Albert went to the children's hospital for his latest round of tests, including a Barium swallow test.