Ivy has had her third infusion.

The cannulation was…awful, to say the very least. Actually, the stick was not hard at all, once it was in but the lead up -  after last time, was traumatic and no amount of talking to the girl helped me to pry her arm down into the required position.

In the end I had to wrap her (she hates that) and almost lie on top of her (she hates that) and forcefully hold her arm down (I hate that) while the doctor popped the vein and slid the cannula in.

Once it was in and the little girl saw the flash back of blood she instantly relaxed.

“It’s done”, she said, almost in surprise that the doctor had gotten it in first go.

I kissed her and cried the big heavy tears of a person who has just done something she didn’t want to do

and she wiped those big heavy tears away and I wiped hers and everything was right with the world again.

Our nurse was like a gift from the heavens.

He (yes he) had looked after Ivy on that fateful night almost three years ago when two thirty weekers made their entry into the world and into the NICU.

He gavaged her first meal and he remembered her.

The total lack of anything last time was replaced with a care and kindness for Ivy usually reserved for her when she is with her favourite nurses on the medical ward,

which we have not seen the inside of for almost six weeks.

He took her temperature and noticed she was hot and that her very fast heart was beating faster still and that her breathing was up to 42 breaths per minute and he asked had Ivy been ill.

My response in the affirmative and then a quick retort of the paed being away led him to say;

“I will page the paed’s reg and he can come look at her”.

He pre medicated her accordingly (with Neurofen and Hydrocortisone) and then he told me the paed had recharted her to have the Intragam infused slower again.

Oh happy day!

The infusion went smoothly.

Last night, the sweats started and her heart rate was very fast but there was no temperature spike and she slept well.

She is a bit achey this morning but all things considered, I think it’s progress, on all counts.

Wouldn’t you say?