First day at school

William started school today! My little baby now at school. When the girls started I felt really old. Today, to be honest, the main thing I am feeling is how much I am looking forward to my day times and being able to get on with my work and my theology and vocation course without feeling guilty that I am not giving William enough attention. It will be lovely to have time to give every different ball that I am juggling some decent quality time. Daytime for work, after school for the children and evenings to finish work and relax - weekend as family times! I suppose I could also have felt relief that William has made school age as there have been people who didn't think he would. I don't feel this as, apart from some very scary line infections, I have never doubted that he would still be here. Indeed, now I feel more hope that he will be here a whole lot longer with the transplant.

William loved his morning at school. We were picked up by 'T' who will be his personal taxi driver! William was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of school so comforted himself a bit with 'blankie' on the way but it had to go in the bag when he got there. In the classroom, William enjoyed drawing 'a boy sleeping on the moon' on the table (paper was stuck all over it). The teacher asked him what a little bit was with two circles aligning each other - William considered for a while and then declared it was his bottom! We had to agree, it looked like one. William read a whole book to the teacher and I. She was so impressed she said he will join a mixed age primary school reading group as he is so advance for his age with reading. William wants to read and is easy to teach. With all he goes through, books are a valuable source of entertainment and distraction for him. After reading, he made up a story of his own about a fire engine who got stuck in the sand. It was then outside playtime. They have a lovely play area. William picked a tomato to smell at snack time afterwards. We then sang songs and William did the weather board. William found one of his favourite library books in the classroom 'honey biscuits' a lovely story about a child making honey biscuits with her grandma and where all the ingredients come from. He shared it with his teacher so you can guess what he convinced her to do with him tomorrow! There was just time for some playdough and starting a maths game before we had to see the nurse to show her William's lines, illeostomy and gastro-jejenal tube. Our gastro nurse specialist is at the school this afternoon to teach them all about line safety, his pump and TPN etc. We have had to adjust his times so William is on TPN all day at school to make things a bit safer than flushing him off there. It was then home time.

William did so well on his first day that he will be going in full time from Thursday. I am in with him this week before our lovely Sue takes over next week. William's current school is a special needs school because he is pretty high need with all he comes with right now. After his transplant we will sit down and discuss whether he will remain there or go to mainstream school with Sue. Talking of 'transplant' the art installation was very interesting. I will talk about that tomorrow.