Screaming fingers, family reunions & new toys

Well- I got to take Ira in for his twice weekly check on his new fingers this week. He is well known at the Orthopeadic clinic, we are always greeted with ‘Oh it’s Ira!’. We get pretty special treatment and get to see Jane and Bernie(the wounds expert).


His fingers have not healed as well as we hoped. Benj has had the awful task of cleaning and bandaging each day- at which Ira howls, grimaces and cries. It is heartbreaking and I really don’t know how we get through it. Yesterday, Bernie squeezed the tips of his fingers and he screamed blue murder, went bright red, then purple and then the screaming subsided into sobs. It is the hardest thing I have yet to experience as there is nothing I can do to make it alright. His eyes are searching for relief and all you can do is tell him how good and brave he is. He gets through one excruciating experience- and then we’re dealing to the next hand. I hate this part- and just hope with all my heart that it will be some of the worst experiences he will go through.

He is scheduled for the first operation on his head on the 23rd of April! We are afraid that because he has a cold, this might interfere. Lots of warm clothes and heating for now.


This Easter holiday we were lucky to be able to attend the O’Reilly family reunion! What a blast- seriously, we had so much fun. Mum being one of 8 has a rather large family who we don’t get to see enough of. So, we made the trip up to Taranaki, first road trip with both Ira and Edie in the back, car FULL of everything- and- the kitchen sink, and off we set. The one good thing about Ira still getting his milk through the tube, was that we could just hook him up with his feeds as we were driving. This didn’t entirely avert the need to make stops for stretches and ‘treats’ for little Edie Birdie however.


New Plymouth was lovely- the mountain served to blast a chill through the evening air- and we probably contributed to Ira’s cold turning to a cough- but all in the name of family and fun. Edie loved playing with her cousins and we just loved catching up with my aunts and uncles, wives, husbands, sisters, children, grandchildren, friends. We sang two nights away around a huge bonfire and had the privilege of cousin Eug putting on a gig into the wee hours. It was just a special time, hard to leave.



Hooray- some new gear! We finally got ourselves organised and bought some new toys. Ira's new waka is an Exersaucer which he seems to really enjoy taking for a spin. We also got a special Bumbo seat which should help with his sitting up. He's come alive with these new playthings! Now, if Edie would just let him actually use them, he'll be sussed.


That's all from me

Maria