7 Weeks On – 27th Dec 2011

It has been yet another fascinating week recovery wise for Robbie, and a week also filled with a few mixed feelings for us as his parents...

At the outset of Robbie’s dystonia I found myself in the position where he had been diagnosed with a condition I was totally unaware of, and as I spoke to other people who have experienced the condition the common theme amongst them all was both the length of time it had took to reach a diagnosis, plus several also talked of having no prior knowledge of the condition, as such I had decided I wanted to raise awareness of the condition to the general public, this I decided to do via a couple of sponsored events I became involved in trying to raise funds for the Dystonia society, and also through the local press, and a small item on our local regional news... in the run up to Christmas the local reporter who I had dealt with throughout the whole process called and asked for an update, and obviously as we are currently seeing such improvement at this time the reporter asked if we minded doing a follow up to his story as the first piece had been post DBS, little did I know this story would hit the front page of the local press, and a fantastic piece was put out (which I am advised should be available on the Fife Today website later today 27/12/11)

So this was the positive side of the story, however at 8am the following morning the national press called and asked if they could do some photos etc as they wanted to feature Robbie’s story, I now understand what they mean about the press hounding you for a story (I am sure I spoke to around 10 reporters that day), and sure enough the following morning Robbie was featured in all the UK national papers (The Sun, The Daily Record, The Star, The Scottish Daily Express etc) This was really quite breathtaking to see all these pictures of Robbie plastered across all the daily tabloids and know we were getting the awareness out there, however they failed to hit a couple of actual points I wanted to get across about how this success had come through his DBS, and they also forgot to mention the great work the Evelina Childrens Hospital have done... and the Dystonia society never got a mention, all of these points were covered but the tabloids seemed to decide these were irrelevant ?

Also, and maybe more importantly so, I think I had an awakening with all this coverage about how would Robbie feel about this, just now he just takes it in his stride and gives a kind of disinterested smile when you show him the articles, but I have this concern at the back of my mind will he still want this attention as he gets older... I am left with this feeling that this whirlwind of attention just got so out of hand so quickly and the actual story and message you want to get out to the public just gets lost on the way, as these reporters clambered to get the story out first, it seemed to be the case they wanted the bare bones of the story, and they put the rest together themselves (Lesson learned – If I deal with the press in future it will be on my terms and I will not be pressured into giving them bullet points and leaving them to fill in the gaps)

Most of these items can be viewed online (Just type Robbie Ovenstone into google and there you will find it)

Anyway rant over about the press, and back to Robbie, Christmas was absolutely wonderful and we all had a ball. Robbie was first up around 6.30am he came into our room, shouting “It’s Christmas” and sure enough his little sister Chloe was only seconds behind him, his teenage brother took slightly longer to appear (as you would expect from your average teenager) and off we all trotted down the stairs to see if Santa had been, sure enough on opening the living room door the room was full of neatly stacked presents with three corners of the room being occupied with gifts for Robbie, Chloe and Rhys respectively. The excitement clearly shown on all of their faces would have touched anyone’s heart and all set about getting into their presents... this was good to see as previous to the DBS Robbie always needed a hand to open his presents, this year though the story was oh so different, he got right down to business and got in about his presents with much less trouble than in previous years. Indeed he finished the unwrapping long before his little sister, something which has never happened before.

Robbie is getting more skilled on a daily basis and seems to be developing improvement in his fine motor skills more and more every day, some of the muscles which were affected with the dystonia which he now seems to be able to control are coming into play more and more on a regular basis, he really is doing fantastically well, main areas of improvement are stability (he seldom stumbles and falls now, where as he used to really struggle to walk or even stand without falling), he is also feeding much better having much more control when holding a fork or spoon (although still can be a bit messy sometimes) as for the next conquest, I believe he wants to manage stairs however still not 100% confident to let the reins go on this as yet, and we still insist he asks one of us to be with him when he challenges these to go to the toilet (not necessarily to hold his hand anymore, but certainly to be there behind him in case of a fall) He really is going from strength to strength.

He is also becoming a bit more independent when walking and gets frustrated when you ask him to hold your hand etc, by simply replying “I can do it myself” so good to see him determined to manage unaided, albeit we are still a bit away from him managing alone, and distance still seems to tire him out.

Certainly I now understand it takes time for the brain to adapt to changes in the settings of his implants, and I can now fully understand how his body needs to learn to use the new control he has over certain muscles, and these changes all take time and practice to show improvement, which is an ongoing process, certainly what I am aware of most is this little lad is slowly getting more mobile and confident on a daily basis, and ultimately he is still heading in a positive direction, something we haven’t seen in several years, this really is like watching a miracle slowly unfold before our eyes, long may it continue, this has now given our son a new confidence and self belief and is making him a much stronger person, regardless of where this journey eventually leads us we will always be there to catch you should you fall. We love you Robbie

6 Weeks on – 18th Dec 2011

We are now into the sixth week since Robbie’s implant and again a further busy week has been had, it kicked off with the local press taking pictures of Robbie and some of his classmates in order to announce the fundraising the school had done for the Dystonia society to the local community. This should appear in the local press later this week.

Other than this we have had a mountain of school activities to attend for both Robbie and his little sister Chloe, who have now had their nativity plays, school Christmas dinners etc, so there have been several distractions to keep us all amused and to add to the already high spirits that the lead up to Christmas always brings. Just this week’s school parties to go then the holidays are here... so all good on that front.

Anyway back to the matter in hand, as per last week’s blog where I explained Robbie had been back to get his DBS settings changed, we have been astounded by the changes that have occurred by this settings increase, all in a very, very positive way... Robbie has progressed immensely since this change and is now walking in a way which he hasn’t managed for many, many months, no longer is he walking two steps and falling over, hanging on to whatever he can reach instead he is walking much steadier, and seems to be able to balance much easier... to watch him doing this and improving these skills again is heart warming to say the least, and a deeply emotional experience for us all to see this wee man improving each and every day... the strange thing is we never saw any change for the first couple of days, and then he seemed to show an improvement one morning with his left leg becoming less stiff, and he has steadily progressed from there... part of me wonders if this was his confidence growing once the leg seemed to loosen off, then again it could have simply been it taking a bit of time for him to learn to use his leg again.... either way it is truly miraculous to see and witness.

In a similar fashion since the change his hand control seems to have improved further yet again, and he is managing to hold a pencil etc in a very much, less awkward manner, this has allowed him to have much more control over handwriting, drawing, colouring in etc and as such he seems very much less frustrated, and able to get on and do his schoolwork. (We are getting some really good feedback from the school and it seems Robbie is doing really well with his work at this time)

Overall this is by far our best week yet since the op, it really is turning into a really positive experience, and I will repeat to any reading this that may have the opportunity of the op and be in two minds, to go ahead and get it done 100%...

They have basically given this brave little soldier new mobility which he was definitely loosing had the complex motors team not arranged for the procedure to happen, side effects are minimal, his hair has now grown back in and seeing the scars is difficult, pain has pretty much been non existent (that said I still think it is taking him a while to come to terms with the battery pack in his chest – I think it is because he is so conscious of it being there still)

The only other downside is Robbie is patiently waiting for an opportunity to lie down in the bath, he cannot immerse the scars in water for the first two months post op, he can and does have a shallow bath, but can only get wet from the belly down, he was in the bath the other night and announced he is "dying to lie down in the bath" all will come in good time, unfortunately mid January in Robbie's case, this made me chuckle.

Most of all it is good to see Robbie getting better, and believe me it really is good to hear and see him fighting and arguing with his siblings (surely a sign he is feeling much better), he is happier within himself, he will readily go and join in any games where for a long time he just wanted to watch, on reflection this may well have been due to his lack of mobility stopping him from joining in, not now though he is right in the thick of it all, don’t get me wrong we sit watching him with great fear in case he bangs his head or chest but to be honest we realise we cannot wrap him up in cotton wool anymore and he needs the freedom to play and learn again, and he certainly is doing much better.

Uncle Robbie also got to feed his little new niece (Josie) this week, and managed with no issues whatsoever, this was something he would have really struggled with post DBS.

Unfortunately Robbie has picked up a sickness bug over the end of the week, which has slowed him down Fri/Sat but he seems to be past the worst of this by now (Bit like his Dad when he is unwell he feels really sorry for himself – could be a guy thing)

So there ends this week’s update, it really has been an amazing week and we feel this week has been the biggest step forward to Robbie’s progress by far, again all is good in the Ovenstone household. DBS we owe you the world.

Can I also just give a quick special mention to Alison Birkin who has been a true inspiration and rock for me to lean on over the last year or so through the bad times and the good, it is good to share with someone who has been there – thanks Alison, indeed I thank each and every one of you all for the support, kind words and encouragement you have all given during this time.

I also cannot forget to mention my wonderful family who are truly my reason for being, I simply couldn’t ask for a better Wife, children, brothers, sister and parents without whom this time would have been so much harder to face... Money and possessions are nice, but give me my little happy family over these things any day, as long as we can eat, keep warm and have a laugh, cry, play and be happy together then I now realise (years down the line) this is the true route to happiness.

5 Weeks on – 11th Dec 2011

Been rather an eventful week overall, it transpires that Robbie’s Xmas play at school was to be premiered on Thu 8^th and Fri 9^th December, unfortunately Robbie’s first review at the Evelina was also planned for Fri 9^th at 10am, hence we had to leave for London on the lunchtime of the 8^th... this obviously meant he was going to miss both shows, this was a real shame as the school had sent all the kids home with a CD with all the songs on in order to allow the kids to learn the lyrics, maybe a bit extreme but I had copied this and it played every time we were in the car and eventually we all learned the words, so it seemed such a shame to miss out on his show. I discussed with the school that Robbie wouldn’t make either of the shows so they suggested we come in to view the final dress rehearsal on the Wednesday afternoon, so along we went like the proverbial guests of honour, and we got to see the full production from the front seats. It was a wonderful show and we must say a huge thank you to the school for allowing us the honour to not miss out on the show. When you sat and watched the play and the encouragement and support the school staff gave all the children you really see why I cannot sing the schools praises high enough.

Another area I would like to touch on whilst on the subject of the school is that just the week prior to Robbie’s op they decided they would have a “dress down Friday” for the children, the deal with this was the children get to go to school in their casual clothes, and each pay a pound for the privilege, I had spoken to the Headmistress prior to the event being announced and she had asked how we would feel about the proceeds being given to the Dystonia Society, we of course agreed to this and the princely sum of approx £340 was raised, to which the school have donated the remaining funds to make the figure up to £500 !!! Excellent St Maries RC Primary... The local press are taking photos tomorrow (Mon 12th), and Robbie and I will be delivering the cheque in person to the society on our next visit to the Evelina early January.... What a fabulous school !!!

Moving on to the day of travel, train tickets had been bought in advance, unfortunately the weather in Scotland took a very unusual twist and we encountered the worst weather forecast we had seen in many years with gales being the problem, we set off to the station with much concern about the trains being cancelled, it transpired all the local trains were cancelled and as such the long distance trains were the only services running, this meant what we thought was going to be a straight through train with seat reservations and no changes was now going to be a service which had changes, and no seat reservations... as the local trains were all cancelled there was an abundance of passengers waiting to use the long haul service for local connections etc and in light of the fact we no longer had guaranteed seats, we had the wheelchair with us etc I decided taking the train was going to be a major headache, so back we trooped to the car to face the 450 mile journey in the high winds... really a bit tiresome but we made it by 10pm Thursday night to London.

On the Friday morning Robbie had his review meeting with Margaret and Sarah, this first review was primarily a catch up to see how Robbie was doing, establish if any changes had happened as a result of the DBS and also a chance to ask any questions that may have come up since the surgery. Margaret decided she was going to adjust the stimulator settings as both had been set low after the op, this was done without any issue and as expected Robbie felt no discomfort from this happening, time will tell if this makes any further improvements as again the brain has to get used to the new settings and this is when any changes will happen, so fingers crossed on this front, but again a wait and see situation. Sarah had a look at Robbie’s battery pack stitches as he has complained of these being a bit “sore”, she decided she would give the wound a clean and remove a few of the stitches to allow further healing, and to take some of the pressure off the stitches which naturally tighten over time, fortunately I went off to the Savannah ward to pick up a travel expense claim form whilst this was being done hence missed this part, when I returned Robbie seemed quite happy, so my take is it wasn’t too traumatic an experience for him. I feel the battery pack is quite cumbersome and large and as such this is going to take a while for Robbie to get used to. The stitches on his head are now breaking up naturally as they are supposed to do, and he will often present me in the morning with a stitch that will have come out of his head whilst sleeping!

The review lasted about an hour, and all went without any issue, then it was back to the car to head home again, still I feel the worst part of this whole experience is the having to leave home as we all get a bit upset when we are heading off, that said it is for one night only, hence this is not really a major problem, and the benefits of the improvement in Robbie are well worth the short term upset caused to the family unit.

Now we have firmly locked away any thoughts of his next review in January as we ramp up the Christmas excitement, with school Christmas dinner, panto, xmas parties etc to look forward to, not of course forgetting that eagerly anticipated appearance of the big man with the white beard on the 25^th of this month, indeed all is good and bright in the Ovenstone household... Santa did come a bit early with a present for Robbie and Chloe in the form of Tikka and an as yet undecided name pair of budgies... much to Robbie and Chloe's amusment... hard to believe two weeks today and it will be christmas day :)

4 Weeks on – 5th Dec 2011

Here we are then 4 weeks since the DBS surgery, and still things seem to be moving forward albeit at a much slower pace now (not 100% sure if improvements have slowed down, or it may just be the case I am with Robbie 24/7 so I may not be noticing the changes as much)

Robbie is now back to school full time without any issue, and indeed is even looking to get his pre-arranged 2.30pm finishes moved out till 3pm like the rest of his class. In order to allow the school to arrange a support teacher for these hours, I guess we will probably be looking at the New Year for this to be arranged. Robbie originally had these early finishes implemented as he grew very tired in the afternoons due to his dystonia, however since the op tiredness seems to be less and less of an issue, and as the weeks have passed since the op his stamina has improved.

Another area I have failed to mention in previous blogs since the op is his speech, prior to implant Robbie would often wander off into a daze during conversations and was very easily distracted, and it was the case his talking was quite slow and very quiet, like he was taking a long time to think how he was going to answer before doing so, and the quietness seemed to be attributed to low confidence, however since the op his speech has become much clearer, and these pauses seem to have substantially reduced in the time being taken to answer anything that may be asked of him, and the volume of his voice seems to have increased also suggesting his confidence levels are on the rise... all good stuff...

Robbie’s upper body and posture has continued to improve with both arms and hands again showing much less dystonic posturing, and his skills on co-ordinating both arms together is also much improved... It now seems Robbie is becoming accustomed to his new found movement abilities in his upper torso and is learning how to use these abilities gradually more and more every day.

Unfortunately he is still having major problems with one of his legs where in his words he states “My Knee wont bend when I try to walk” this is still preventing Robbie from having the total independence he is constantly striving to reach, that said we are back to the Evelina (London) on the 9^th Dec (Friday) so I will make this a topic of conversation then, I am still confident as adjustments to settings, physio etc are made over the coming months there will be some improvement still to come... It is still very early days.

Just the one gripe this week, and that is the local health board physio and occupational therapist, neither of whom I have had much success in contacting since the op, despite both having a copy of Robbie’s discharge report. Did get a breakthrough on this on Friday when the occupational therapist eventually returned my call 3 weeks after I originally tried to contact her... She is going to give Robbie a school visit on Wednesday this week, and is also going to chase the local physio to arrange to see Robbie again and look at his needs in relation to possible physio. Again for a second time I am seriously considering a letter of complaint to my local patient relations team here in Fife, one thing I have learned throughout this ordeal is if things aren’t moving quickly enough don’t be afraid to stand up and be heard about it, it does get results and often starts things moving a bit quicker... we will give these people a week and then start the complaints process in the absence of contact from either party.

Robbie and I are off down to London on Thursday for his first review on Friday, not really sure if the DBS settings will be adjusted, initial indications from the team at the Evelina were the settings would probably be left unchanged if any improvement was apparent (which it certainly has been) however after speaking with several parents who I now have the luck of knowing whose children have been through the procedure all have advised their children’s settings were adjusted at their initial review... either way I am not really fussy as I know this team will do what they feel is best, I trust them all 100% and know they are doing what is best for Robbie, and at the end of the day they certainly know what is best practice.

Christmas is very high on the agenda in the household just now, which brings with it one very simple but significant example of how Robbie has improved, he can now come down the stairs every morning and open his own advent calendar unassisted, something he certainly wouldn’t be able to do pre-op due to the lack of control over his fingers, he now can and does with great excitement, speed and anticipation of the chocolate shape lying within... (three advent calendars is a bit excessive but hey we can put this down to allowing him to practice his finger movements, let’s call it physio J) This change may seem very, very small to some, but in my eyes is a massive leap forward to my wee hero, just wait for the presents on Christmas morning – oh the fun we will have then.

In summary all is good in the Ovenstone household, we are all feeling fantastic and we are so happy with how Robbie is progressing, since the surgery life has become much easier to cope with and everyone seems to have that extra little spring in their step.

Three Weeks On – 28th Nov 2011

It has been a rather good week overall, started last week when Robbie was working on some homework we had arranged for him via the school, my findings were rather enlightening on just how frustrating Dystonia can be, what I found very early in the outset of the week was Robbie could manage his work mentally without any issue, although his main problem seemed to be in being able to actually write down his answers, in essence Robbie knew the answers to the problems, but actually managing to write the answers down caused him great problems, and he found this very frustrating. At the early part of the week Robbie really struggled to get the answers down on paper, however really encouraging later in the week was he is finding this easier as the week went on. It is the case he now seems to have more control over his arm and hand movements, and his work improved dramatically towards the latter part of the week as he practised more and more.

We also attended a meeting at the school at the end of the week to see about Robbie going back to school, in attendance were his support teacher, and a couple of senior teachers at the school, and overall it was decided (as we had hoped) that Robbie would return to school on Monday (today), doing a couple of half days initially to allow us to gauge how he coped, then with a view to getting back full time later this week... I have to say Robbie’s school is a mainstream school, however they have been very supportive and accommodating throughout his time at the school, it really is a place where I can drop Robbie off in the morning and know it is a place where he is safe and cared for. They also have a support plan in place looking at ICT specialists, and Robbie’s day to day needs.

Overall I am now confident we are seeing changes in Robbie, he certainly is using both hands in a co-ordinated fashion more than he was ever able to do since the dystonia started, he has not complained of pain caused by dystonia since the DBS took place, (he did complain of a sore neck the other day but I think this was more to do with the way he was sitting on the couch rather than any dystonic pain), however walking is still proving to be a challenge, and Robbie still needs a hand taken when he walks although he is still trying to go unaided with little success thus far... that said he seems to be getting a bit more stable and we continue to push him where possible to keep him moving and we try and make him be as independent as possible, again though he is managing to get about a bit easier now than he was at the start of last week so again I do believe there is improvement being made.

I feel deep down this surgery has certainly benefited Robbie so far, and I am confident as he learns to find new ways to use those muscles no longer trapped in dystonic postures he will improve further, it is so exhilarating and miraculous to see Robbie improving day after day, after so many months of watching him deteriorate and getting worse, every small improvement is a true blessing and a major step in the right direction for us.

In summary, the benefits so far which are clearly visible to me now, would be the correct posturing of his right foot, which happened since the surgery took place and the absence of the dystonia related pain, again since surgery. Use of his hands and fingers is certainly improving, with much improved control, and much less in the way of dystonic posturing, he is using his right hand now something he never did before, walking is improving albeit much slower than the arms and hands, again this may be a confidence thing as when he falls he has great difficulty getting back to his feet. Charging and checking his battery unit are firmly Robbie tasks now although Mum needs to help him place the charger and use a scarf to hold it in place (maybe because he seldom sits still long enough to keep it in one place!)

So if you were to ask me three weeks down the line would I recommend DBS, I would say with absolute confidence YES... this is certainly the way to go.

Robbie’s scars are healing well, and pain from the surgery no longer seems to be a problem, he has had no pain medication for over a week now... most encouraging of all, he went to fight with his teenage brother Rhys over the weekend... surely a sign things are getting back to normal !!! With Christmas only 4 weeks away we are determined as a family this will be the best one ever

Two Weeks On – 22nd Nov 2011

Here we are then two weeks ago today we were very stressed, however two weeks since the operation now and things are much easier. 

Robbie is recovering well and the scars still are looking clean and healing well. Robbie hasn’t complained of them being sore much at all, although you can see him scowl and grimace sometimes when you take his right hand (his battery pack is obviously still a bit tender)

Our main focus has been to make sure Robbie is getting into the habit of charging himself every day as we are keen to ensure this just becomes a routine for him moving forward, and also making sure he takes a little exercise and fresh air daily to try and keep him on the move.

We are contemplating putting Robbie back to school next week, in order to get back into a normal routine, he got a lovely surprise from his classmates through the post the other day, when a big A4 envelope came through the post, and it contained about 30 handmade get well soon drawings from each of the pupils, some of the messages in the cards were absolutely fantastic to read out to him, and again as I read the cards out to him, all I could feel was that oh so familiar lump building in my throat, we were all really touched by this kind gesture from the school, it truly is unbelievable how many people are wishing the best for Robbie. We also picked up some work for Robbie to do at home whilst he is off in an effort to help him keep in touch with studies.

As for Robbie in general, it is still very early days but we haven’t seen many further changes as yet, but it is as I say still very early days, on the positive side the foot which he wears his splint on still seems to be much better postured than before his surgery, however on the downside he is still having a problem with his other leg staying very stiff and he seems to be really struggling to bend this, this is giving him major difficulties when walking and even more so if he falls as he really struggles to get up again... but as I say very early days as yet so we are not too disheartened. I think he is still a bit tender where his battery pack is placed in his chest, so again this will probably still be having an impact on his ability.

As for myself I have again felt a bit of a real mix of emotions over the last few days, probably down to my own impatience, and sometimes I feel there is a change, and other times I question myself if I am kidding myself on (self doubt is a problem), I am pretty sure there have been small changes, although being with Robbie 24/7 I know I am probably expecting far too much far too soon, and may well be the last one to click on as the changes are slight.

I have included a scan of Robbie’s x-rays post op clearly showing both the implants and power unit, I still find these remarkable to look at a week after I got them, and thought they may be of interest. After the op all parents are given an A4 laminate referred to as a DBS passport, it is basically an official notification from Guys and St thomas NHS foundation trust advising has a rechargeable activa RC deep brain stimulation implant, date of surgery, and then goes on to state the lead targets in the area of brain where they are positioned. The passport also gives some advice i.e. avoid contact or close proximity to magnets, no MRI svans to be done, and surgical advice guidelines for in the event of an emergency, the back of the passport contains the contact details for the CMD team for emergency contact. 

To be honest I have copied a few of these, one sits in the glovebox of the car at all times, one in his charger bag, and one is ready to be given to the school upon his return.

Overall he is still doing really well, and is still happy as ever

Post Surgery - Days 4-7 16th Nov 2011

A few days after surgery I would say the recovery seems very swift, and Robbie seems to be handling any pain with the minimum of fuss.

One thing I would advise is that the days seem very long, as you would expect whilst sitting beside any hospital bedside, I 100% recommend you take a few things to entertain your child into the hospital. Don't get me wrong the Evelina has children's TV at every bedside, well equipped playrooms etc, however TV isn't really Robbie's thing, thank heavens we had his i-pad with him which kept him entertained for several hours over the last few days... certainly take along a few books or toys to keep your child amused.

Over the weekend we got out for a walk, on Saturday we took Robbie in his chair, along the embankment, and on to the London Eye, (Just a word to the wise, this isn't as expensive as you may think, as Robbie was in his chair he got admittance as a disabled child, and an adult goes free as a carer) It is a nice gentle ride, and the attendants could not have been more helpful when getting on and off the attraction... Really good relaxing way to pass half an hour or so. After the ride we walked a bit further then headed back to the hospital as Robbie grew tired quite quickly. Sure enough after the walk he slept for a good hour or so, and I think this first trip out really done him some good, both escaping the surrounds of the hospital, but also getting some much needed fresh air.

On the Sunday we went for a longer walk, not realising till we were in the thick of the crowd is was the armistice day parade... Gee you don't realise how busy London can be till you are truly in the middle of something like this (a pleasant site to see none the less)... Jubilee bridge was also nice with lift access to the bridge for anyone who might use a wheelchair.

Prepare for quite a lot of medicine taking whilst in the hospital, at one stage they were running out of places to put cannula's in... post op Robbie had a cannula in his right arm, left arm, ankle and groin, that said these were pretty much removed individually over the course of 3-6 days after the op. As for tablets Robbie still continues with his regular 10 tablets a day (throughout the course of the day) on top of this he was given paracetamol (pain relief), chlorophenamine (relieves itching on the wound areas) and liquid lactalose (to prevent constipation).. all of the above were administered in tablet form, which Robbie managed without too much difficulty... on top of this of course Robbie was given regular shots of antibiotics through his cannula until      day 6.

On day 6 came the bit we had all been dreading the removal of the dressings, as brave as Robbie is swallowing medication etc, he has always had a bit of an issue with the removal of plasters, bad enough having to remove a plaster from his finger, we knew taking the plasters off his head and chest was going to be a bit traumatic for him... sure enough there were several tears during this process, I don't really know of this was purely pain, or a bit of Robbie being quite chicken hearted about getting this done, Sarah was very gentle whilst doing this, and took plenty time applying water etc to ensure minimal discomfort to Robbie, basically they had to come off, and eventually this was done. Once the original plasters had been removed a temporary dressing was put on, this will come off either today or tomorrow and then the wound is left open to heal... I dare say we will have similar problems to what Sarah had when this task has to be done.

The scars were actually bigger than I had envisaged they would have been, however being well above the hairline they will be well hidden as his hair grows back in (which it is doing very rapidly - and I am somewhat jealous of this fact)

The physio Kylee also came in to see Robbie on the Monday and had a quick look at him walking around, she did quickly make us realise we were perhaps being a bit soft with Robbie, and actively encouraged us to let him do a bit more for himself (It's a natural parent thing to help your child as much as you can, but sometimes it does encourage your child to kick back and let Mum and Dad do the fetching and carrying)

Jean Pierre Lin also came to visit Robbie to see how we were all doing, and took a short video asking how we felt through the process, and what was the worst point in the process, our answer was as you would expect the taking him down to surgery and the waiting during the surgery.

Robbie also went to x-ray on the Monday to get shots done for his DBS passport, which is an information sheet advising what he has done, who to contact in an emergency, pictures of his implants etc.

We were also guided through the charging process for the power pack in Robbie's chest which charges the internal battery which in turn powers the implants... A bag of charging tools is given to you on the day of surgery, and you are advised this cannot be away from Robbie at any time. The charging process is really quite easy, and manageable... my guess is Robbie will be doing this himself, as he loves gadgets and this had taken his interest immediately (Of course this will be supervised and there is a tool to check how charged the battery is)

We were also given details of Robbie's next three follow up appointments which fall at 1 month post op, 2 months post op and 3 months post op... so this is good to know these in advance and gives us plenty time to plan for these journeys in advance.

I think the important thing I have learnt over the course of this week is the DBS is not an instant fix, and this journey is going to be ongoing for several months, possibly a year or so till we see the full benefits of the surgery, there have been small changes however this may well be a result of the medications given, or simply the honeymoon period with the operation being so recent, so it really is a wait and see process, that said I am happy in that the follow up appointments etc will involve no further pain for Robbie, he is through his sore part of the process and he came through it with amazing bravery, he really has made Dad very proud and we are positive this will help given time.

On Tuesday we were allowed home, 7 days after the op... Robbie wanted this, in fact we all wanted this, it was difficult leaving our teenage son Rhys at home during this time, it was difficult me and Chloe having to go away home at night back to our digs, it was difficult for Mum and Robbie being left in the hospital all night... In general terms we are just not used to being apart as a family, and this was hard, but hey we got there and we are all back to our normal surrounds, and creature comforts, we are back together as a family again, with the usual fights, laughs and occasional tears, but most of all we are together and safe in the family home... now this is what life is all about.