UPDATE
JANUARY 2004
Hello! It's me, Elsa!
Here's just a note to
give you some news.
When I was 5 months old,
as I used to always turn my head to the left side, and my skull was
getting out of shape, I made a short visit to the osteologist (osteotherapist),
and he discovered I had a congenital torticollis which ached and made me
cry sometimes without anybody in the family knowing why. He consequently
reshaped my skull and my little head is now getting rounder. These
visits are quite expensive (50 euros) and, of course, are not refunded
at all. But, thanks to them, I am no longer suffering and am almost no
longer crying any more either. Since then, I've been a wonderfully calm
little baby.
At 6 months of age, my
weight is 5 kilos 160 (a little more than 10 pounds), I am 64
centimetres and my skull-circumference (SC) is 39 centimetres.
My parents have bought a
U-shaped seat which, as you can guess, is designed to help me get to the
seated position – but this is not a complete success yet! It was rather
expensive (65 euros), but the allowance we get is made for that kind of
expense, isn't it?
I'm beginning to catch
things and bring them to my mouth, I'm smiling more and more often, and
I even sometimes burst out laughing when they tickle me (on the lower
part of my tummy) or when they kiss me in my neck!
I don't sleep a lot
during the day (a little nap now and then), but the important thing is
that I sleep at night for about 10 to 12 hours.
I still drink my 4
bottles a day, thickened with vegetable soup, cereal gruel, vegetable
and meat baby-food so that, even if I am not yet quite used to eating
properly with a spoon, my food is quite varied.
At 7 months, my weight is
5 kilos 680 (a little more than 11 pounds), I am 65 cms long and my
head circumference is 40 cms.
My muscle tone is getting
better and better, but not enough yet for me to be able to sit on my
own. But I am no longer angry when they put me on my tummy; I try to
turn my head both sides, propping up on my arms, but this is very
difficult: for I am not a very big girl! My first tooth is cutting at
that time and at the same time I am having a small bronchiolitis – but
not a very serious one. Just a few calls for a little lung-physiotherapy
(or: breathing physiotherapy), and that's all!
At the moment, my parents
are very happy because I am rather well: I do cough a little, due to
some phlegm but, with some good nose-washings, everything gets back to
normal. Anyway, I almost never complain!
Because of bronchiolitis,
I have eaten less this month so that, at 8 months of age, my weight is
5kilos 880 (not quite 12 pounds), I am now 65.5 cms long and my head is
41 cms. I'm cutting my second tooth – together with a small bronchitis
to go with it!!
In December, I'm having
an ear test under general anesthetic (I was then a very patient baby who
waited for 12 hours without eating), and they came to the conclusion
that I had cerous otitis on both sides. It is not painful but, due to
that, I am missing 40 to 50% of my hearing. So, they set "diabolos"
in my ears (a small device in each ear to widen the auditory meatus).
This should solve the problem – at least we do hope so. We'll be seeing
the specialist (nose, ear and throat doctor) in three months' time.
Concerning my heart,
there is no emergency: yes, I'll have an operation to stop the
inter-ventricle connection, but we'll be waiting for me to put on a
little more weight (maybe when I am 1 or 1 ˝).
I have also had an eye
check-up: no problem.
At 9 months of age, my
weight is 6 kilos 210 (a little more than 12 pounds Ľ), I am 68.5 cms
long and my head is 41.5 cms. I am just beginning to eat a few spoonfuls
of cottage cheese or stewed and mashed fruit.
I am also beginning to
have nice siestas in the afternoons.
I am becoming a very
lively baby, and am making a lot of progress: I am very attentive when I
look at things or people, I twist and wriggle when someone talks to me
or looks after me, I can hold my rattles and shake them, I know how to
make a lot of different noises with my mouth and vocalize a lot. But on
the other hand, when I am on my back, I remain as such, even when I put
my feet up to show that I'm happy. I don't yet know how to turn around.
At Evreux Young
Children's Medical and Social Centre (CAMSP, Centre d'Action
Médico-Sociale Précoce), where I've been taken care of by a
psychomotricity lady-therapist since last August, a complete functional
re-education check-up was made, and they took my measurements in order
to have a seat especially made for me, which will allow my back to be
properly held. Which should help me make a lot of progress, as my hands
will then be free to play. I'll get it in two weeks' time.
Moreover, since the
beginning of January, I've been having physiotherapy to stimulate my
body globally, I'm still going to the "swimming-babies" classes at the
swimming-pool with my elder brother who is then having a hell of a good
time! For the moment, I just stay in my parents' arms, but I do like
being in contact with water.
Well, that's all now, till next time for some more news!
January 2004
2004 started quite well with a good month
of January : at that time I'm 10 months old, my weight
is 6 kg 620 (=about 13 pounds) and I'm 70 cm tall. But
in February, well, … that's another story, for in I am
again with bronchiolitis, together with cutting 3 teeth
at a time! Within just one day, I'm throwing up all my
bottles and even having short fainting fits.
Consequently, I'm taken to the paediatrics emergencies
and in less than 3 days, I've already lost 400 gr. I'm
very weak and they give me some oxygen and a perfusion.
I'll stay in hospital for 4 days, having lung
physiotherapy twice a day; but I go on throwing up my
bottles and losing weight (Mummy will later understand
that I also have gastro-enteritis, but nobody had
thought of changing my milk!).
Back home, I have to stand very heavy medication (Augmentis,
Motilium, Gaviscon Babyhaler…). Mummy quite quickly
drops Motilium and Gaviscon because I just hate them, I
spit them out and they don't even prevent my vomiting.
No, there definitely is something else, so Mummy changes
my milk to a "diet" milk and, after a few days, I do
feel better! Apart from my burning buttocks (thanks to
Augmentin!), I'm getting back to some strength again and
some weight too (I've lost 500 gr. – 1 pound).
February 2004
At the end of February, I'm back to my
original weight and liveliness, so that my parents are
able to go skiing with my brother – and an easy mind. As
for me, I'll stay with my Granny – skiing will be for
some time later for me
And there we are, it's already April 2nd
2004, and I'm blowing my very first birthday candle
(blowing? Well, that's a bit too difficult for me, but
Sabine, my child-minder, has made a birthday cake with
one candle on top, put the cake in front of me and taken
a photo – just for future generations to know!
Mummy would have been so pleased if I could have reached
those 7 kg for my first birthday but, just to tease her,
I only weigh 6 kg 970! All the same, that's not so far,
you see!
On the other hand, I am rather tall (71.5 cm) and my
head-circumference is still growing (43.5 cm).
I go on being everyday livelier, getting more and more
interested in things, and my Dad is really a great
favourite of mine and keeps making me laugh all the
time!
BUT, tooth No. 6 is then cutting and, guess what? Of
course, you know: Yes, bronchiolitis again! And yes, I
do know the physiotherapist quite well now: In fact, as
soon as she arrives, I start crying! Although Laurence
is quite nice and helps my lungs expectorate my mucus.
When I can talk, I'll say thank you to her – but by that
time maybe she'll have already retired! (Mummy, please,
now you stop it, making me say all that lot of
nonsense…)
Apart from that, it has been decided that I would keep
my child-minder (my nounou) next year, rather
than go to nursery-school: there will still be time
enough for me to go to community places (don't forget
that I'm often sick) and indeed I do love it at Sabine's
with my "little" buddy Lina who is a fortnight younger
than I!
May
2004
As a good start for the month, I have chickenpox (all
the kids at my nounou's have it too!), and I'm
quite a sight! I'm completely disfigured with pimples.
Two days later, I have a secondary infection with a
temperature of 40°C. My Dad and Mum are starting to be
afraid, because I'm to get heart surgery on June 4th
– and for that, I must be in good health!
With all that, my progress is quite slow:
but one must not forget that I've had very little rest
with my health problems since January.
June
2004
At the beginning of June,
I'm perfectly well and Mummy is ready to go to hospital
with me for 10 days – a hard time for my brother but,
well, I simply couldn't do without my Mum near me!
On June 2nd
in the morning, we are ready to go to Marie Lannelongue
Hospital (in one of Paris suburbs), one of the best
hospitals in Europe for heart surgery! Except that, on
that very day, I'm starting a cough – and Dad and Mum
know all too well those premonitory symptoms of a dental
bronchitis!!! Well, here we are, going all the same. But
when we get there, the nurse immediately tells us that
Mummy will not be able to stay with me, as there is no
room for her!!! But Mum says that she just can't think
of leaving me alone, explaining my case and situation –
so that things eventually get to be settled and Mummy
can stay with me! On the Thursday, I'm undergoing
several tests (blood-test, lung X-rays, echography, ear,
nose and throat check-up,…). But I'm still coughing and
having a temperature of 38°.5 C in the afternoon. No
doubt: one more tooth is cutting! So that, in the
evening at 7 p.m., the doctors are deciding that Elsa
will not be operated : no risk is to be taken at all!
And there we are : things will have to be started all
over again. We go back home, and Dad and Mum resume
planning surgery for mid-August!! As soon as I'm back
home, I'm feeling much better, even if I go on coughing
a little!
