April 2008 - Recently got over chicken pox. She coped reasonably well with only one trip to hospital for a quick check up, as she was vomiting with the illness. Spots are still showing even 5 weeks on.

Bethan had her check up at Birmingham Children’s Hospital this week. SATs were 78 and the Consultant said that her heart function was good. However he is going to call her back for catherisation (inserting pressure gauges into her heart to check blood flow) later this year. Depending on the results, stage 3 operation may be sooner than we think. Although she is coping on a day to day basis, she is blue in face / fingers a lot more, and is heavy breathing after just walking around, so perhaps it’s starting to get around to ‘that time’. Although we are confident that it will all go well, we do worry about the next operation. In the first round of operations in 2004, she was a little baby and we didn’t know her. Now she is a personality and very much part of the family. We’re dreading taking her down to theatre on the morning of the operation, and later that day when we see her for the first time in I.T.U. with all the support around her. However get this one out of the way, and we should be able to relax for many years to come.

June 2008 - Just returned from Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Beth was in for 3 nights having her catherisation. They also stented a lung artery and closed off a ‘stray’ vein. Despite all our preparations (e.g. playing doctors and patients with her; reading a book called ‘Ben goes to hospital’ with her several times) she still ‘kicked off’ with everyone who tried to touch her. I think the only medic that succeeds in having no tantrums is Dr Gallagher at Worcester Hospital. Bethan does not like being touched by anyone in a uniform! Must get those stickers ready for stage 3, to give to the doctors - “I examined Bethan and survived!”. Dr Giovanni told us that stage 3 will be within the next 6 months.

Beth’s colour has been a lot better this week since the procedure - nice toddler colour a lot of the time.

August 2008 - Been to see the Surgeon, Mr David Barron. Beth is scheduled for stage 3 in September sometime. He says we’ll probably be in hospital for around a month as it can take a while for Bethan’s body to adjust to the increased blood pressures in her lungs following the operation to re-plumb the lower body veins onto the lung artery (The Fontan procedure). This is why she’ll have a chest drain in for a good 10-14 days after. So, holiday to Southwold at the end of the month then we’re into the thing we’ve been dreading for 3 years. Looking forward to October!!

May 2009 - Have finally a date for Bethan’s operation - 20th May - at last!

Typical! - does she want to dress up as Stephanie? No, she wants to be Sportacus!