Week 32: 27th Jan to 2nd Feb 2012

Scans and Other Things
Tuesdays Taunton scan - that I missed - went fine.  It's a little difficult for them in that they've had little involvement so far so for them to make any judgement on whether things are better or worse is unfair.  On the plus side, amniotic fluid is as to be expected (high but no higher than its otherwise been) and Bean has at last decided to face the right way.  Currently he's about 4 and a quarter pounds.


On the downside, the girl who had the tracheal plugging the same day we had and who was going to have the balloon out the same time as us went into labour at 33 weeks and lost her baby.   Very sad doesn't really cover it.


The internet is a dangerous thing
As if we didn't already know!  The joy of the internet is that there is a vast quantity of information now available to whoever.  The downside is that when you find it, reading it might be a mistake!
Another blog following a CDH baby (who at the age of 2 and a bit re-herniated.  Eeek!  Thankfully doing fine now).  This blog can be found here .  On this blog there are links to numerous studies on the expected outcome of CDH babies depending whether they are left or right herniated and whether the liver is in the chest cavity or not.  These are interesting but of less value to us as we know where we are in terms of expected outcomes.  There is,  however, a paper on the health prospects of bean once the immediate problem (they're breathing!) is fixed.  That can be found here.  It's not terribly cheery reading.  Just hope that along with the inherited stubborness and sheer bloody-mindedness of the Mother he inherits the lung function and the health characteristics from me.


Allowed out to play ...
Away for a long weekend with the usual crowd.  To France.  Not entirely convinced whether this is a sensible thing to do now.  Oh well, it's probably a good thing that we spend a little time apart!  Eurostar can get me back to Taunton in under 7hrs if needs be (at great expense, but...).  However the Mother has assured me that nothing will happen before the 7th.  Her mother is coming to stay for the weekend so at least there will be someone in the house.

Being the bad husband that I am, whilst I am away I will be missing another scan.  This is another Taunton trip.  Hopefully at this scan there will be nothing un-toward and a lovely set of lungs.  It was decided that there was no need to go to Bristol again before the balloon comes out (7th Feb) as we will be in Bristol the following week (yay Valentines Day in hospital! - on the plus side there are lovely places to eat in Bristol).