Manny (previously Thomas) the Duck

Yes, you heard right. Thomas the Duck, not the engine. That is what William chose to call his new duck. He has been playing with it with Hope and Ellie all day. Thomas has had TPN and drugs with William and has been everywhere with him today. The surgery to form an illeostomy and insert a gastrostomy went very well, thanks to red felt and Velcro, and Thomas was well enough to join William in bed before morning. We popped to the Build a Bear factory this afternoon as Ellie wanted to spend some pocket money on bits and bobs for her bear. There we found a ruck sack so Thomas can have his TPN in a ruck sack just like William's and a little bag of medical things, including the dreaded blood pressure cuff. William really hates this and calls it 'arm of squidge'. We even found a Thomas sized wheelchair so Thomas can sling his TPN ruck sack over the chair like William does.

*Update to this blog - As he was playing with his duck at bedtime, William decided that Thomas was not a good name for a duck afterall and renamed him 'Manny'. Manny does go better with the names of his other favourite cuddly toy - Nester. Manny is currently sitting watching William play with Thomas the tank engine.

So far, it is a 'nothing right day' and Wills is in a very funny mood. His stoma output is pouring. We are just a week and a day from Ellie's birthday and a week and two days from William's and hoping every hour that Wills stays well enough to be home for them. It looked certain he would be in recovering from his gall bladder removal but Birmingham want to assess him for transplant first. This means, we will be home until mid August as long as William stays well!!! *

Manny the duck is going to be a very special friend for William. Huge thanks to Post Pals and even bigger thanks to the family and friends of a special little boy called Nathan. Nathan sadly died of cancer and the Chemo Ducks were donated to Post Pals in his memory. There is more about Post Pals in yesterday's blog.