Happy Birthday Little Zebra

It was Lucy's 11th birthday yesterday. This week her secondary school have been having the new starters in for a summer school. She went in Monday and Tuesday and really loved it. She was looking forward to going in yesterday as it would be the first time she'd ever been to school on her birthday. It was not to be, however, as she decided she didn't want to go to school after all. It wasn't compulsory so to avoid upsetting her we let her have her way.

We didn't plan anything special for her birthday as we thought she wouldn't be here and we are all going out for a big family meal on Saturday. So she had to make do with a birthday shopping trip for school shoes...at least that's one more thing ticked off the back to school list.

Her main present was a drawing tablet for her PC. It's a flat device with a pen, which when connected to the PC it allows you to draw as if you were drawing on paper. It really makes a different if you want to draw on the PC and she's really pleased with it. She really does love her art work and already has her unique style. I'll share something with you when I get the chance.

Today she didn't go into school again as it was her appointment with her Neuro Surgeon at the hospital. She had her scan about six weeks ago to see how things were going. She has had some pain and soreness in her neck so, although we didn't think there was anything wrong, we were anxious for this appointment. The Neuro Surgeon, Mr S. was very pleased with her scan. Everything was fusing nicely. He said the discomfort she had been feeling was probably due to the bone graft fusing and growing along with her other bones, so it's a good thing not bad. He's promised to send us before and after scans of her neck, but we will have to wait and see if they ever appear.

In other news we took Lucy for her cardio appointment last month. They were incredibly thorough in their investigations including an ECG and an ultrasound scan. The results were all good, she does not have any heart problems. Again, we didn't really think she had but all these tests are to help the geneticist in her study to find out which type of Elhers Danlos Syndrome that she has.

The tests are all done now so we will wait for the geneticist to call us back. I'm not sure what she is going to say. She was considering a diagnosis of Marfan Syndrome but that would mean she would have heart and eye problems and she doesn't. It can't be ruled out for a future diagnosis though as these problems can develop later in life.

We still have to contend with her stomach problems on a daily basis too. Maybe one day everything will just suddenly get better, I'm forever hopeful.

The next big step in Lucy's life is starting secondary school just two weeks from now!