A FINAL POSTING FROM DILANDear All,
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for sending me all the good wishes over the past 11 weeks. It's been a real help to me and my mum and dad to know that so many people have been there with us every step of the way. I'm looking forward to seeing you all here at home soon.
All my love,
Dilan(& Jen and Gareth) xxx
4:15 PM
So here we are DILAN'S HOME ! Yes after 79 day's Jennie and Gareth have reached the end of thier ordeal, I don't think any of us can really believe it but is true we have been round there this evening and they really are there as the picture shows. Dilan passed her last checks and tests this morning, and weight in at 4lb 3oz. The call came at three thirty this afternoon.
I started to read some of the first days entries today and it really brings home how far Dilan has come in those 79 days, one of the first things was 1.5ml of milk an hour, she now takes 60+ every four, everything has come on in that sort of size, amazing.
I don't think any of us can imagine the emotional roller coaster Jen and Gareth have been on, but assuming that mine was even a quarter of thiers I will never be able to express how proud we all are of them both of them in way they have presented and handled themselves through out.
As some maybe aware there was one LARGE down just after arriving at Bury which I don't think we will have heard the end of, as in our opinion the situation that arose COULD have had a devistating effect on our baby, and the hospitals response since has been very arrogant and bad, however since then, overall, the staff there have been wonderful, and Dilan s early homecoming bears witness to this, so I can only say a huge thank you to Dr Evans and ALL his staff.
So thats it, here we are at the end of what seems to have been a long long journey, thank you all for your support and for taking the time to read this Blog every day, your comments and thoughts have been received with great thanks from Jen, Gareth and all the family members.
And so onward to, not the next 24hrs but to the rest of Dilan Sophia Ward's life...................
Dave (Proud Grandad) 12 Sept 2006.
Things are on track and all is well still, Dilan has now passed the magical 4lb @ 4lb 2oz, Other Grandad has new pics on the photo site from yesterday, so really up to date, take a look , Mother, Father and Baby are all moved into the "Going home room". Who knows what I Maybe saying tomorrow !! As we come, Hopefully, to the end of our long road, I would like, tonight, to Mention one of Dilan's carers at Bury, May-lin, she has been a tower of strength to Gareth and Jennie during the hard times and a real tonic during the fun times, and there have been some, I single her out today solely because she is unable to see Dilan come to "home time" as her father is very ill in the far east and she has been there for some weeks and will not be back in the near future. May-Lin, Jen and Gareth, myself and all the family thank you from the bottom of our hearts for you and your teams unstinting support for Dilan, and we now send you all our love during your families difficult time, I know you read this Blog when you can and rest assured Dilan WILL come and see you on your return. Of course there are others I want to mention and when that time comes I will, but for now onward to the next 24hrs................
Dilan has ventured into the outside world ! Well outside her world, which has consisted of the special unit, this evening we have had dinner in the hospital resturant with Dilan by our table in her pram, she is now off all her monitors, pipes, drugs etc. and really is looking like a baby ready to go home, spot checks on her vitals show all is well and no problems, feeding is normal, and this is why Jen and Gareth have been allowed to take the pram in and walk her around, the next step will be a night or two in a private room with no assistance from the staff, unless an emergency happened, and this will be followed by HOME ! So lets all keep everything crossed that Dilan stays well and that by the end of the week I MAY be able to write my final posting. Still one day at a time though so lets move on to the next 24hrs............
