Day Thirty Four

1. Fighting Spirit

A picture can sometimes paint a thousand words. This picture shows why Wills is my hero and keeps me positive along this journey. This was taken yesterday at 5pm. Wills was feeling rubbish, pouring copious amounts of green water from his stoma and completely washed out. You can always tell he is feeling really rough when he has his hands behind his head like that. It is something he has done ever since he was a baby. He once had the crash team running when he became critically ill very suddenly with a line infection. Thankfully, he picked up quickly when they had pumped him with IV drugs and fluids. The nurse looking after him said when he moved his arms from behind his head and rolled back onto his tummy was the moment she knew he was OK again and could take that sigh of relief. I think it's a stance he takes when his tummy is uncomfortable. 

I wasn't sure what to expect this morning but was met with him getting up and into his school clothes. His overnight drain bag was full and he still had a 'heavy tummy' but he said it was pretty normal these days and he wanted to go to school to get a part in his class assembly next week.

It is this fighting spirit that I am becoming more and more convinced is going to get him through this re-transplant! 

1. Making the most of an opportunity

ITV have been running a 'first novel' competition. The deadline is tomorrow. You need to send in 2500-3000 first words of your novel and a synopsis. I wrote earlier in the week about how I have had the story for 'Something Precious Inside' for some time now as it is based so much on things we have experienced since William was born and we have spent so much time in hospital. What it lacked were strong characters and I spent a lot of time this week getting to know them. At this moment in time, I have 1500 draft words and a draft synopsis. It's going to be a long night! So, I apologise for three very quick posts today. I am keeping my promise and commitment to these three pieces of writing a day but I really need to be working on this novel. It may be a huge, long shot that I could get somewhere in this competition but if life has taught me anything over these last ten years it is that you have to make the most of absolutely every opportunity it throws at you.

2. An amazing surprise 

I can guarantee that there will be interesting and exciting posts here over the coming days. I know this for a fact because today I had the most amazing phone call! I have been writing something pretty special which I can very nearly share with you but not quite. All will be revealed on Saturday at the Christmas lantern parade and light switch on in Torquay. A few weeks ago, Wills and I made some tentative plans to be there. Then, my dear friend, Julie, had that horrific news about her son and our plans were put to one side...only not quite. Julie and I spoke yesterday and I told her it would be impossible to come as William's TPN for the week is now here and I don't drive so have no way at all of getting it to Devon. Well, Julie's awesome husband spoke to the Green Star Man (you don't know him? Well, watch this space) who spoke to Devon's other super hero, Luke Tillen, founder of the amazing Torbay Holiday Helper's Network (THHN), who spoke to me to say... that we can get to Torquay for the weekend and stay in Luke's wonderful hotel in my most favourite place in the whole world, thanks to the happy memories we have of the first holiday we ever got to have as a family, after William's transplant and thanks to the utterly awesome THHN.

So, when I have written my other 1000 words, tidied it all up and sent it the opening of my novel, together with loads of love and hope, I need to pack. As we will be away for five days when there is as good a chance the phone could ring as any other day, I am going to pack the things we need for our break into the transplant suitcase. It's huge so there is plenty of room alongside the things I have packed in there already. Just in case, it will be good to have it all with us. It will give me a good chance to give it a dry run too and see if there is anything fundamental that I have missed.

I will share our adventures in Torquay as they happen here so do keep visiting and see what we are up to and what it is I have written that is so important to me...my friends...and to Green Star Man.