Surgery Date Set

Our ISP has decided to allow me to access my blog domain once again, after almost two weeks of inaction.
Not surprisingly, a new ISP is just a matter of time now.

So we now have a date for Mr Bump’s open heart surgery for ASD; the 2nd December at Westmead Children’s Hospital. He’ll be in for a week, and need to be kept fairly quiet for about a month afterwards.

No heavy New Years partying for you, this year, little man. 

In January, we’ll be hosting a “school holiday party”. It’ll allow Wren & Mr Bumps to catch up with their friends and the Boyo can show off his scar.

On the surgeon’s advice, we’ll be missing the last 3 weeks of preschool, mainly to avoid bumps and pokes to his chest.

The surgeon has plenty of experience with this particular operation, apparently. He’s made a number of trips to Rwanda with other surgeons & a team of nurses to perform surgery on children there.

In a tent.

In fact, he’ll be returning from doing another stint there, the week before Mr Bump’s op. So our little angel will be in very good hands.

The surgery will consist of a incision of about 2in length down the centre of Mr Bump’s chest, through the breastbone.

His heart will be stopped and his blood pumped by machine.

They’ll go into the right atrium (top right heart chamber) and either sew the hole shut, or patch it with tissue taken from around his heart.

It should take about an hour and a half for the surgeon to do his bit, which is a relatively short length of time for this particular operation. Some surgeries take over four hours.

I’m going to take my cross-stitch, a book and WonderHubby. I doubt I’ll manage to make any use of the first two items during the day, but WH will definitely come in handy for hugs.

Actually, I made it sound like I’m dragging him along, but of course I couldn’t keep him away if I tried. We’ll hold hands and spend the time watching the clock together.

I think I’m going to let Wren have the day off school, too. She’ll be totally unable to concentrate, anyway.

What do you think?

Would she be better off with her Grandma or trying to do her work at school?

Atrial Septal Defect, What Fun.

Where to begin?

Well, almost 2 years ago, our doctor heard a slight murmur when she listened to Mr Bump’s chest and sent him for an echocardiogram.

It turned out that he had two holes in his heart, which in all likelihood would close over by themselves.

Not a problem. We forgot all about it.

Fast-forward to yesterday, when Mr Bump had another echocardiogram to confirm that the holes had indeed closed.

Slight problem. Hmmm.

The larger of the two has actually grown in that time (to roughly keep pace with the size of his heart), from 8mm to 12mm in diameter.

The good news is that there are no serious health issues for Mr Bump at the moment, although it may explain why he still has had such frequent attacks of croup.

The bad news is that because of the size of the hole, his paediatric cardiologist believes that a patch will not be enough, and Mr Bump will need surgery.

This year, so that it doesn’t interfere with kindergarten next year.

We have an appointment with the surgeon on the 23rd of September, when we’ll find out exactly what that will involve.

The actual problem is called Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), which is actually more common in girls, but I guess we got lucky.

Another way we got lucky is that ASD can usually be treated with a minor procedure not involving surgery.

Not this little chicken. We’re getting the whole kit and caboodle.

Because from what I’ve read, “surgery” in this case means open-heart surgery, with a heart-lung bypass machine. Scary stuff.

The really fun part is that we’ll be going through this while doing all the stuff involved in finding, buying and moving into our new home. I can’t wait.

At least it won’t be the first time that Mr Bump’s had surgery. He had a medical circumcision in July last year, so he has a vague idea of what it will be like.

I have my fingers crossed that the surgeon will take one look at the test results and say “No surgery for you, m’ boy. We’ll be able to patch that little hole up in a jiffy.”

First, moving, now this. I just hope these things don’t come in threes.

Chalky the Guinea Pig

Just use your imagination, okay?

Our son is very talented and we want to keep our illusions about that intact.

Plus, my mother always told me that if you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything.

So it’s a guinea pig, because Mr Bump said so.

And if you can find something nice to say, we’d really really appreciate it.
Seriously.

Looking for more friendly people to stalk?
Go visit Candid Carrie’s Friday Fiesta Foto Finish.

Wet Weather Button Sorting

I used to love going through my mum’s button tin.

There were so many different shapes and colours that it completely absorbed my attention for hours at a time.

Recently, Mum passed her magical button tin down to me, and I found that it held the same fascination for Wren and Mr Bump.

They spent hours sorting by colour, shape, size and prettiness.

Together.

A perfect cure for wet weather boredom.

Some things are just timeless, and now I can start collecting buttons to add to the magical button tin, too.

Mr Bump Goes to School

Sounds like the title of a new kid’s film, doesn’t it?

Also somehow reminiscent of a Mr Bean title, but without the stuff-ups, I hope.

My baby boy certainly couldn’t be getting ready for kindergarten yet, could he?

Turns out that yes, he could.

Today was the first visit for us for next year’s kindie intake at school.

Being a preschool day, part of the excitement for him was being taken out especially for this special event.

I was surprised at how quiet he was, although I probably shouldn’t have been. It didn’t take him long to warm up though, and start telling the teacher about our cat that isn’t ours.

We met in the school library and were treated to a story about a cat, read by one of the kindie teachers. She discussed the story with the children as she read, drawing them out and getting to know them a little.

I was exceedingly proud that Mr Bump was the only child to say “excuse me” before speaking, and he did so twice.

Aren’t I just a sickeningly besotted mum?

Because we were visiting school during the preschool lunchtime, we sat for a while in the car afterwards while my little man ate his lunch.

Or tried to. After just a few mouthfuls, he pronounced his tummy full. I think there was just too much going on to focus on food.

Then Mr Bump returned to preschool for the afternoon, doubtless to regale them all with tales of his big-school exploits.

The Latest in Headgear

Last week I shared with you Mr Bump’s choice for stylish Winter footwear.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at the latest in headwear in the Mr Bump fashion range.

Now, take note of the colour. Brown is very “in” this season.

It’s good for those Autumn days and of course it goes very well with your brown Mr Bump leather sandals and socks.

This piece comes in one size only and the metal accessory is detachable for attending quieter events, such as art exhibitions and funerals.

The Mr Bump Winter range will become available in all hardware stores across the US this September.

Make sure you have the sound turned on while watching, too.

Blogging Prompt ~ Start Your Engines

WonderHubby and I have been talking about thinking about planning to get a larger family vehicle.

One day.

So I thought that for today’s blogging prompt, I’d ask you all (yes, all 3 of you) to write about your dream car.

I know, I know. Drooling over cars is supposed to be a man~thang. No longer is it so…

Our talking about thinking about plan is that before too long we will want to take the Kidz out with a friend each. Heaven knows why, but we will want to.

My little blue Pulsar will not do. Not if we want to avoid stuffing someone in the boot with the mouldy picnic rug and the rusty umbrella I keep meaning to replace.

WonderHubby’s little red Corolla will not do. For the same reason, but minus the rug and umbrella.

Hence, we need to talk about thinking about plans to get a larger family vehicle. Probably for moi, although I love my little Pulsar.

Now we’re also limited by the fact that we prefer to own Nissans or Toyotas, because of their reliability.

It makes it easier because there’s less choice, but then there’s less to choose from and that might make it hard to find something. Huh?

So we need to talk, and think and plan this whole business a little more, and then in two or three years time I’ll announce that we’ve bought something.

We’ll be looking for a Nissan/Toyota 6/7 seater in a nice colour, which is reliable, has air conditioning, power steering, and central locking.  ~Oh, and isn’t too big.

Wish me luck.

Do You Get Dressed Up To Go Out?

Mr Bump loves dressing up.

I couldn’t bear to make him take that gorgeous ballgown off just because we had to pick up Wren from school.

Note the spaghetti sauce on the sleeve and hem.

Actually, it’s an old nightie that belonged to my mother.

Although by the time I was playing dressups, it was my gorgeous ballgown.

I felt like Cinderella in it, and can remember dancing on top of my parent’s dressing table (because of the mirror), singing into a hairbrush.

And that was only last year…

Size is not Important

I am short (5′2″).

My husband is short (5′4″).

Therefore, our children are short, and likely to stay that way.

There are a number of things that hubby and I have had to deal with because of our height~impaired status.

I am putting together a list today in order to help smooth the way through life for our unfortunate offspring.

• You will never win a marathon, unless it is open only to pygmies and other people under 5 foot.
  Have you seen the length of most marathon runners’  legs? They’re longer than I am tall!
  

• Sometimes it will be hard to get served in fast food outlets.
  Try wearing platform soles, or failing that, keep a folding footstool in the boot of your car.

• Tall people will look down on you.
  Like cats, some tall people seem to feel that being at a greater height infers superiority.
  Oh. Are you tall? Well, except for you then.

• Get to like the word Cute.
  You’ll be hearing it for a loooong time.

And now for the benefits…

• Being naturally closer to the ground, you will be good at finding dropped coins.
  However, if you drop a note, make sure you wave it farewell. You will not be fast enough to outrun any long-legged marathon-runners in the area.

• The cheaper stuff is usually on the bottom shelves in the supermarket.
  Don’t ask me why, probably because a cat-like, 6”7′ grocery manager has assumed that short people can’t afford the expensive stuff.

• You will look younger for longer.
  From the back, at any rate.

• It’s a good excuse to approach attractive tall people.
  You won’t ever have to pretend that you can’t reach the top shelves in the supermarket.

• You might be pint~sized, but your brain needn’t be.
  Height doesn’t affect brain~power or creativity, so go ahead and take on the world!  We’ll be doing all we can to support you…

A Bump on a Log

Time for more firewood.

Mr Bump insisted on climbing up to the top of the huge pile of firewood that we had delivered today.

I didn’t mind, but I was just worried about his little feet in those not~so~practical, but ever~so~stylish sandals.

It’s either fashion or safety, and we chose fashion today.

Usually he wears socks with them, too.

Yep, Mr Bump is a fashion icon in the making.
Georgio Armani should watch out.

The new label is Bump Designs.

Don’t worry too much about the foot safety, though.

He still has all eleven toes.