Noah's Going Away Party

Last night Noah had a nuclear medicine scan where he was fed some milk containing a radioactive liquid (sounds dangerous hey!) and then had to lay flat on a scanning bed for an hour while he was scanned to see if there was any evidence of aspiration. The man doing the scan (who I had to make small talk with for an hour) said it's very unusual to see aspiration during that time and we didn't see any with Noah.

We then had to go back down this morning for another twenty minute scan to see if he had aspirated any liquid overnight. The guy wasn't really giving much away, but from what he could tell and without a doctor doing his report on it, there was no evidence that it had happened. Saying that, it doesn't mean it doesn't ever happen.

We headed back up to the ward where we packed up all of our gear and collected all our bits and pieces from pharmacy that we needed to take home, and gave Noah his last neb before we left. As I was taking this photo his paediatrician Dr B. came in and said 'what's going on here, a party or something!?'. I told him I was capturing the moment before the great escape and yes we were having a party!!

Just before we left two Clown Doctors from Hobart arrived on the ward and came into Noah's room to visit. They were hilarious guys. I told them we had been in for 17 days and one said to the other 'how long is 17 days!?' and the other replies '17 days is THIS long' as he rolls out a toilet roll, ripping off a really long piece of toilet paper and tying it around his neck.

Kobe was quite scared of them and kept his distance which was funny. They were lovely with Noah and were blowing bubbles, dancing around with Di, poking their tongues out at the real doctors and just acting like idiots to get a laugh.


They asked Noah if he liked music, and I said that he did and next thing I know they are breaking out in a song and dance.



After they left one of the real doctors came in to say goodbye and remind us what time to come back in the morning for another test. I told him how lovely it was for him to arrange a going away party for Noah and invite the clowns in just for him ;)

We gave the doctors and nurses as big box of chocolates to share and a card to say thanks for being so great over the last two and a half weeks. The head nurse we gave it to was very funny and took them from me and then very loudly said 'thanks so much for this lovely card Noah, I'll make sure everyone reads it' as he put the box of chocolate behind his back trying to hide them, so he didn't have to share :)

Kobe is acting here like he is excited to be leaving, but really he was quite sad and didn't want to go. He is really going to miss being up there every day.

This morning an awesome little feeding pump arrived by courier from Sydney. It's very portable and you can attach to Noah's wheelchair. Hopefully having the feed running constantly, rather than giving him five larger feeds during the day, will stop the chances of him vomiting and possibly aspirating again. Di and I spent some time at home this afternoon reading the manual and trying to work out how to use it, and it's actually really easy.

Noah seems happy to be home, just like the rest of us. It's been a very long two and a half weeks but we were blessed in so many ways. We were so lucky to have our own room with a view, we were blessed to be given meals at the hospital as they are usually only for the patients, we had awesome doctors who found the right treatments quickly and really cared for Noah, we had fantastic nurses who did their jobs really well and made it fun to be there, we had lots of visitors which made the days go faster, Aaron's work were very understanding and were happy to have him arrive late at school in the mornings so he could drop the boys off at school and also let him leave early, so he could pick them up, we had good friends drop off meals and treats and babysit the boys, I had internet access thanks to some awesome friends who know how important it is for me to keep in touch with the world, and had lots of people send well wishes in cards, texts, phone calls, emails and messages on facebook.

As much as we loved the nurses and doctors, I told them as we left that I hope we don't see them anytime soon. It's so nice to be home as a family again...at least for one night. Aaron is off to Melbourne at 5.30 am tomorrow for his annual three day school 'footy trip'. He is really looking forward to it, and I'm happy that he gets to go and have some fun especially after the last two and a half weeks we have had, although I'm not sure having forty three teenagers to look after in Melbourne, is my idea of fun!

I on the otherhand are hoping that the boys and I have a nice quiet weekend of just relaxing and being together.