To look at Georgia now, you would never know.
You would expect that the pain she suffered would show in some way. I don't know how, but I expected her to always carry the horrifying experience with her. Up till now, there is no trace of it. Maybe it is because I carry it with me. It's probably more because I carry enough for both of us! I prefer it that way.
I don't think Josh has any lasting memories of any of it really. I am pleased about that. He is young enough to forget, or not totally get the gravity of certain situations. I would be devastated if he remembered her going into respiratory arrest. It was frightening to us, imagine how it felt for a 3 year old.
After Georgia was released from hospital, I was just waiting for the next drama to happen. When it didn't, I felt a bit lost. I know it sounds stupid, but I felt like I had nothing to fight anymore. So what I did instead was re live everything that had happened. I started to drive everyone insane with my constant chatter, I repeated myself all the time. It was my way of dealing with it.
That is one of the reasons for this blog. I don't have to drive everyone crazy, I can write it here and then it's done.
This way, our journey is forever told. It's a comfort to me to know that I have shared it, as awful as it was.
I know we are not finished yet. I know there is more but my little family is doing well, for now. We are happy. Happier than we have been for a long time. It has put things into perspective.
Before Georgia's surgery, she had a nasal brushing done to test for something called PCD. Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia is a respiratory disease that would cause the symptoms she was showing. Blocked nose, coughing, constant chest infections and colds. The nasal brushing is just a tiny little brush that looks like a cotton bud for a Barbie, being brushed round the inside of the nose. It doesn't hurt, it just is very uncomfortable and made her eyes water.
Unfortunately the test needs to be done when the patient has no virus, Georgia always had a virus!
Obviously, the first test was inconclusive. So we travelled over to Southampton again to get another test. Again, they couldn't diagnose.
Our lovely PCD nurse, Amanda, gave us a course of antibiotics to give Georgia. This was to try and get a good brushing and hopefully get her diagnosed.
Again, this shows the determination of the staff. Amanda was brilliant (and still is), she had a feeling that Georgia did have PCD. She finally took Georgia's case to a meeting of all the PCD specialists. We finally got the diagnosis.
PCD is still in the research stage. To treat it, Georgia is on constant antibiotics (to stop any infection) and I have to do daily physiotherapy.
My GP once told me that he thinks physiotherapy is a load of rubbish that was made up to get money out of people. Well he is wrong. If he saw the difference in Georgia since starting physio he would eat his words.
I am not saying the physio is easy. It's awful. I have to hold a little mask over her nose and mouth for 5 minutes a time. At the moment I am only doing it once a day but I will have to do more soon.
Georgia screams. She thinks I am trying to stop her breathing. On top of this, I worry that I am putting more stress on her heart. It's a vicious circle. It's good for her to cry as it builds up her lung strength, it's bad for her to cry as it puts pressure on her heart.
I now have a nasal spray for her too. It shoots a small spray up her nose to unblock it. It seems to be doing the trick. She quite likes that too, it's not as bad as physio.
I read an interesting theory. If you are not interested in the science of it, then skip this last bit!
The cells that are created when you are conceived, are cilia. As Georgia's don't work as they should, they created her the wrong way round. The heart is the first thing to develop. Maybe PCD is the reason for all of her problems.
Rob is a carrier of the PCD gene, so am I. You need both parents to carry it. Josh was lucky, Georgia wasn't.
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