Quick update while my chubby little guy is napping.

Surgery is done. It's over! We stayed in overnight and came home yesterday morning. I cannot describe the relief and accomplishment I feel knowing it's done, and we made it. It was so so hard seeing my little guy in hospital, scared, and sick after the anesthetic. I did my best to be strong but had a few minor meltdowns at crucial points. Daddy had to take him in to be put under the general as I broke down crying just walking into the little waiting area when it was almost time to go in. I don't know if that's my own residual trauma and fear of operating theatres or just a normal Mama response.

There was a lovely moment when we were called into recovery. I sat down in a chair and he was placed on my lap for a cuddle. He was whimpering and crying a little and I can only assume the baby I'm currently carrying heard the voice of his/her big brother- because there was a flurry of kicking all of a sudden! It was lovely. I snuggled him in close to my belly so he could feel the familiar feeling of 'our baby' kicking away, and told him Mama was here. It reminded me of meeting him properly for the first time in recovery after the c/s. I had a fleeting thought that it would be easier for me to be the one in the hospital bed at this point, than to see him this way.... but I pushed those thoughts aside.

The afternoon was the most difficult part. As the morphine wore off he became increasingly upset and was very sick from the general anesthetic. Poor Dad was vomited on twice.... and had no spare clothes to change into. (I considered packing them but thought we'd be fine... silly me!) It was at this point they decided to hook him back up to his IV to get some fluids in and flush out the drugs. He slept beautifully for me during the night. I was very very grateful for that. I just wanted him to rest!

The difficult parts? Having nurses waking him frequently during the night doing obs. Luckily I was able to soothe him easily... I think he knew it would be a good night to co-operate with me. Sharing a ward with 8-10 other patients and their parents.... some people are very noisy and inconsiderate! Being heavily pregnant and caring for my big baby in hospital..... very hard. I'm quite sore but that's really the least of my worries.

In the morning, I was delighted to hear my little man calling out to me - not crying, just making noises.... and I look up to see him STANDING up in his cot, on his cast..... smiling at me. Awesome. He's already moving around normally and not having any trouble adapting to the weight of it on his leg. He can't walk on it, because it's too heavy and a bit unstable. But he's fine and we're grateful.

The treatment is a bit less extreme than we'd originally thought so I'm very excited about that. He had his achilles cut, as well as a little one under his foot to release the tightness. Also a small incision in his calf again for the tightness of the tendons. Surgeon says his foot went straight to a neutral normal position. Great news. After 2 weeks the cast will be removed and provided he is happy with the position of the foot, we go straight into a single-legged brace/boot type thing. I AM SO EXCITED. Only two weeks? I was expecting a very long casting process........ so this is fantastic. Then we have a review at 6 weeks and go from there.

Thank you everyone for your support..... I just want to jump for joy. I'm so proud of my little boy. He's been so brave, and I'm just so happy that this chapter is finally over. Onwards and upwards from here!