Our beautiful daughter Jessica was born in September 2011 with a severe heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. This was diagnosed at her 20 week scan and we were initially told that she was unlikely to be suitable for surgery. However, a pioneering in-utero operation at 28 weeks to enlarge a hole in her atrial septum was carried out and she was able to make it to term and get through her first open-heart surgery at just eight hours old. Jessica underwent five more surgeries during her life. Her final surgery - the Fontan procedure - took place in December 2017. She initially made a good recovery but sadly passed away suddenly on 14th April 2018 at the age of 6. This is the story of a little girl whose half a heart overflowed with love. She was, and will forever be, our little miracle and brought joy to all who knew her.

Wednesday, 26 December 2012

First Christmas at home



We had a bit of drama in the run-up to Christmas when Jessica had croup one night and we called an ambulance as she was really struggling to breathe and her sats were dropping.  Thankfully it was short-lived and her sats had picked back up by the time the paramedics arrived but we ended up blue-lighting in to hospital where Jessica was given a dose of steroids which helped sort things out.  By lunchtime we were all back home again, and Jessica has been fine ever since (just a little bit of a cold at the moment).   One of her front top teeth has now finally made an appearance (although another molar came through first!) so she now has five teeth and has been sleeping better since the second molar appeared.  She is also getting more confident with standing up and has now worked out how to sit back down again!


Jessica has thoroughly enjoyed her first Christmas at home (as have we all!) and it was so lovely to be able to take her to the Christmas service at church this morning.  She has had so many presents and lots of lovely toys, clothes and books and enjoyed spending the day with Grandma and Grandad who also spent Christmas Day with us.  Favourite presents so far are the stacking cups that Santa left in her Christmas stocking, a talking nursery rhyme book and a toy piano from Mummy and Daddy.   Jessica loved unwrapping the presents although it was very slow at times as every time she tore a tiny piece of wrapping paper off she handed it to Mummy or Daddy to put in the bin!  She wasn’t too impressed about wearing a paper hat for Christmas dinner and whilst she enjoyed the turkey, most of the Brussels sprouts ended up on the floor!

 
Overall, it has been a very lovely day and a much nicer Christmas than last year (although everyone in the hospital made it as nice as it could have possibly been, it just isn’t the same as being at home!)

Hope everyone has had  a lovely Christmas too and peace and blessings to you all for the year ahead. 

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