We have only had good news this week – thank God! Strangely enough, we are feeling rather flat and somewhat exhausted. I think it’s just the relief of coming to the end of a busy, emotional month. Work has also been intense for both Murray and I. Bring on the green pastures and quiet waters (amidst the vuvuzelas).
On Thursday I went for my 22-week scan at the Foetal Assessment Centre at Pretoria East Hospital. Wow! My gynae was right when he said we were in for a treat. The sonar equipment is unbelievable, and it was a wondrous experience to see (and measure, weigh, check...) our little man from top to toe – organs, limbs, fluid levels, absolutely everything. He is already 25cm long and doing well! He was hiccupping, sucking his thumb - too cute! I couldn’t picture how on earth the doc would be able to check for cataracts, but sure enough we could see his little eyes very clearly – beautiful, translucent eyes. No sign of cataracts! Our ineffable relief surprised us – don’t think we’d realised how much it had been weighing on us. We are so, so grateful to God.
Friday morning we were back at the Pretoria Eye Institute just after 6h00, to check Cammy in for an EUA. He went through the usual waiting stages in the ward: cheerful, energetic, grumpy, thirsty, hungry, exhausted. They took him through to theatre at around 9h00. He wasn’t too freaked out – told the anaesthetist all about the special hospital mask he had to wear, etc... Murray and Jacobus checked his retinas, corneas, pressures, etc and everything is looking fine! The miracle is that his right eye has grown slightly, for the first time since he was born. His left eye has also grown a bit, as it has been doing. So both contact lens prescriptions have changed. He recovered well from the anaesthetic and was his usual maniacal self by Friday afternoon, riding his black motorbike up and down Granny’s driveway.
Friday morning was also particularly special because we finally met the Verdal-Austins, a family from Cape Town with whom we’ve been in touch over the past five months or so. Their baby boy, Joseph, was also born with cataracts and microphthalmia. Jacobus actually operated on Joseph’s right eye on Friday morning as well, to clear up post-op scar tissue that had developed from the cataract surgery. Craig, Brigitte, their two girls, and Joey, came for supper on Friday night and it was great to connect with them, and to remind one another that there is a future for these little people, no matter what they might face (see the photos – Lola really liked them, too!).
Cam’s nights are going ok. He still stirs a few times, but this morning he actually told us that he ‘had a dream about the purple sea...’?! It really helps that he is able to tell us what goes on in his night time world.
On Thursday I went for my 22-week scan at the Foetal Assessment Centre at Pretoria East Hospital. Wow! My gynae was right when he said we were in for a treat. The sonar equipment is unbelievable, and it was a wondrous experience to see (and measure, weigh, check...) our little man from top to toe – organs, limbs, fluid levels, absolutely everything. He is already 25cm long and doing well! He was hiccupping, sucking his thumb - too cute! I couldn’t picture how on earth the doc would be able to check for cataracts, but sure enough we could see his little eyes very clearly – beautiful, translucent eyes. No sign of cataracts! Our ineffable relief surprised us – don’t think we’d realised how much it had been weighing on us. We are so, so grateful to God.
Friday morning we were back at the Pretoria Eye Institute just after 6h00, to check Cammy in for an EUA. He went through the usual waiting stages in the ward: cheerful, energetic, grumpy, thirsty, hungry, exhausted. They took him through to theatre at around 9h00. He wasn’t too freaked out – told the anaesthetist all about the special hospital mask he had to wear, etc... Murray and Jacobus checked his retinas, corneas, pressures, etc and everything is looking fine! The miracle is that his right eye has grown slightly, for the first time since he was born. His left eye has also grown a bit, as it has been doing. So both contact lens prescriptions have changed. He recovered well from the anaesthetic and was his usual maniacal self by Friday afternoon, riding his black motorbike up and down Granny’s driveway.
Friday morning was also particularly special because we finally met the Verdal-Austins, a family from Cape Town with whom we’ve been in touch over the past five months or so. Their baby boy, Joseph, was also born with cataracts and microphthalmia. Jacobus actually operated on Joseph’s right eye on Friday morning as well, to clear up post-op scar tissue that had developed from the cataract surgery. Craig, Brigitte, their two girls, and Joey, came for supper on Friday night and it was great to connect with them, and to remind one another that there is a future for these little people, no matter what they might face (see the photos – Lola really liked them, too!).
Cam’s nights are going ok. He still stirs a few times, but this morning he actually told us that he ‘had a dream about the purple sea...’?! It really helps that he is able to tell us what goes on in his night time world.
