Where has August gone? What happened to the summer holidays?

Theo is now back home with us and appears to be doing well.

The hospital dietician has given us a new hypoallergenic non milk formula which has vastly improved his vomiting; only after 12 months of me harking on about how Tabitha required soya as she was fully diagnosed with cows milk allergy...it simply isnt funny.

Theo's kidney failure has been attributed to a combination of factors. Dehydration (caused by consistent vomiting and diuretic frusemide), dehydration leading to poor cardiac output - kidneys not getting sufficient blood supply - and some of the rather important cardiac drugs - captopril and digoxin having side effects which include kidney problems.

Unfortunately there was no 'specific' diagnosis which means there is no way of knowing if it is happening again. Because Theo showed no real symptoms, I am very concerned that it could happen again and we would not notice. We will notice though, because now I am more paranoid than ever about how many wet nappies he produces and whether he is sleeping more than usual.

He requires regular blood checks now for this until the medics are satisfied his wee body is coping again. The digoxin has been dropped for a while but this obviously has consequences for his heart function so we cannot be so confident that his cardiac output will remain so good - roll on the next echo and then we can be reassured.

Without the vomiting, we dont need to consider a Nissens Fundoplication any more (this is an operation to clamp the top of the stomach to prevent the ability to vomit. it is irreversible and presumably horrible when you have a tummy bug). We are still hoping for a gastrostomy though as it will make feeding him the formulas and medicines so easy and free up his face.

The last few weeks have knocked me for six, as the saying goes.