ABIGAIL NEWTON SMITH

Saturday, 1st December 2001 - Day 107

Hello, well it now seems like ages since I moved across to the other side of the unit and seem to be doing OK. Progress seems a little slow as I am still on 45-50% room oxygen or 750ml/min of low flow, depending on whether or not I am in the my room or being cuddled outside my room. This does not seem to be moving at the moment so lets try breathing a little better and they may reduce it. At least then I would be able to report some more progress to you all. Mummy and Daddy keep calling me a "Porker", Mummy told me it was another term for a fat pig. I have decided I do not like being called this and if they are not careful I will go on a diet and see if they like that. But the main thing, for my oxygen to reduce, is to grow more so I think I will try and do that first and then deal with my weight once I get to go home with Mummy and Daddy.

Mummy and Daddy came in just around lunch time today and Mummy tried her trick of suffocating me again but I am now so fast that I manage to suck away before she does it. I am very clever as I can drink and breath at the same time. The nurses told me that only babies can do it, so if anybody else out there can, please try and tell me. I fail to get the co-ordination right sometimes and then I choke on all the milk Mummy is giving me. This gives Mummy a bit of a shock  and me too as I only have little damaged lungs and filling them up with milk seems to make them not work for some reason. It does not last long though, a quick cough and a pat on my back and we are back again for more food...Yummy.... Mummy came back later and to her amazement I fed again straight from her, only a couple of choking fits this time as I was bit too eager to get my full quota. Now they have changed me to 3 hourly feeds I need 63ml per feed, otherwise I go hungry. Mummy needs a little measuring device to see how much she has given me as if I do not get the full amount I am starving by the next feed. So I suck really hard and make sure that it come out fast, unfortunately I cannot swallow that quickly sometimes and choke when I go to breathe...Poor me, I go bright red and stick my tongue out lots. Daddy has not got a picture of that yet but you wait and see....

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit me today for the first time in a while and were very shocked about my increasing size and were both delighted that they could now have a cuddle for the first time. After 15 weeks of waiting, I get cuddled by my Mummy's Mum and Dad, I cannot wait to have one from Nan and Grandad as well as that nearly completes my set. All I will then have left is Great Grandma who I hope will visit me again soon. Grandma and Grandpa said they had been out looking for Christmas presents for me. What's Christmas ???? I wonder if it is like another birthday... Anyway it sounds fun, I hope that I can be at home for that as Mummy and Daddy may be too busy to visit me if I am in here.

My only problem today was the game of "pass the parcel" that seemed to be going on, everytime I opened my eyes, somebody else was cuddling me, even the nurses joined in so I had at least 5 different people giving me a cuddle today. I cannot get it right in my mind, I open my eyes after sleep and think is that Mummy ? She looks a bit like Mummy, but does not sound like her, and she has different skin, who is it ?? Then I see Mummy and she tells me it is Grandma, that is OK then. Back to sleep.... Then I open my eyes again and I am back in Daddy's arms, that is OK I must have been dreaming. In the middle I got passed to Grandpa and slept through the whole lot.

Goodbye to you all for now, your favourite little parcel "Abigail".

PS - Hope you like the pink dungarees, I love them.

Last Updated : 02/12/01.