Charity Begins At Home

Just when I thought my blogging here was done…

Ella proudly adding us to the Ronald McDonald giving tree

When Oliver passed away we knew we wanted to do something to give back to those who’d helped us on our journey.  In March, super Nanny, aka Paul’s mum, completed an abseil off Fort Dunlop building in Birmingham and raised over £2500 for ward 8 at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

We decided we would fundraise for Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham as they’d provided us a second home, where we could be less than 5 minutes walk from Oliver and where we could stay as a family. It costs RMHC £25 to house a family each night, so in staying there almost 8 months it was the least we could do try and give back to this amazing place that never asks families for a penny.
£5000 was the target and we thought we’d never achieve it, but with donations from friends, family and work colleagues we made it! One of the kindest acts, was by Jen Darby who was a student nurse during Oliver’s stay on ward 8. Jen had grown fond of Oliver and to help decided to run the Nottingham half marathon to help raise funds. Jen’s not shy to admit she doesn’t enjoy running, but in doing so helped raise around £700.

So today, we returned to the house for the first time since emotionally packing up our car with everything we’d accumulated over an 8 month stay and headed home for the last time in March.

We officially opened Billesley room on the 2nd floor, where Ella proudly cut the ribbon.  We were also presented with  a keepsake plaque to take home.
Thanks to generous colleagues at Arqiva, we also donated lots of household goods to help the house such as dry food and cleaning products.

So next time you’re in McDonald’s and you see the collection boxes on the tills, that’s what they’re for…to help families stay close to their sick children in hospital…so please give generously.

If you’d like to donate to Ronald McDonald House Birmingham you can still do so via Oliver’s page here

Thank you again!

Fran, Paul and Ella
Xxx

Something’s Brewing

Hi guys

It’s been a boring couple of weeks really with not much to report.  The highlight has probably been moving into a bigger cubicle!  I was in the smallest cubicle before and just to get out and play Mummy and Daddy had to move my cot and pump stand so I could play on the floor…but now I have a big room with a nice big window!

I went back to theatre again last Thursday to have the stitches taken out of my cornea transplant in my right eye and had some more amniotic membrane in my left eye and they’ve partially stitched my eye shut to protect it and hopefully that will help the bandage contact lens stay in.  The opthalmologists think I have the lost the sight in my right eye but they’re monitoring it closely to make sure the infection has gone.

I’m getting nowhere with my feed and my stoma losses are still high and randomly even higher some days.  I’ve had a few viruses too so am currently needing oxygen,  so even when I’m free from my PN,  I’m still confined to my room.

Playing while I have my nebuliser

Ella was here most of last week because it was half term so it was nice to see her, when she wasn’t gallivanting round the ward that is.  Mummy and Daddy have swapped round this week so I’ve been with Daddy so far this week and Mummy will be coming to switch with Daddy tomorrow.  Daddy thinks I’m getting poorly as I’ve been really sleepy and my blood pressure is really high too so the doctors are keeping a close eye on me. Jane,  my consultant,  is on service this week so I’m in extra good hands!

I love my Daddy!

As well as Nanny doing her abseil, my other Nanny Julie is going to do a skydive when she goes to Las Vegas in March.  She will be doing this to raise money for Ronald Mcdonald House as they are fantastic and Mummy, Daddy and Ella spend more time there than our proper home.  We are very lucky to have a Ronald Mcdonald House near the hospital as it means they can all stay near me.
You can sponsor Julie here www.justgiving.com/Julie-Goodwin3

Anyway, time for more sleepies

Oliver
X

Back at BCH

Hi everyone

I’m writing this from Ward 8 at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.   I was meant to be spending the weekend at the seaside but instead I came here 😐

Me at Rotherham

I went up to Rotherham for my ECP on Thursday but they were worried about my rash as it had got worse on my back and tummy so me and Mummy had to come back down to Birmingham after just one session. My rash got worse very quickly and the doctors were worried it could be chicken pox as I had spots as well as a worsened rash.  Because I’m so immunosupressed chicken pox could make me very very poorly so the doctors have to be extra vigilant.  I’ve had lots of blood tests but the consultants think it’s a flare up of my GVHD so I’ve been having big doses of steroids all weekend and they’re going to try and get me some magic stem cells too.

Look at my poor skin!

Luckily I’ve been able to escape from my tiny cubicle and spend some time at Ronald Mcdonald House with Mummy and Daddy. Yesterday Mummy cooked roast beef and I tried some gravy and custard.

Ronald Mcdonald House is amazing as it’s a charity that provide accommodation to families who have a child in hospital and definitely much better than sleeping on a camp bed on the ward.  It also means we can stay as a family so on Friday night Ella stayed with us too and Oliver was very pleased to see his big sister!  Next time you’re at McDonald’s make sure you put your change in the collection box on the counter as this all goes to this fabulous charity.

Having Sunday lunch at Ronald Mcdonald

It’s been nice to see some of my old friends like the cleaners,  doctors and nurses but I want to go home now!