The Little Lion - Rory's Story

Recently Pete shared a great video of Rory walking completely on his own; not holding somebody's hand as he has had a preference of doing over the past 8 months. We're both unbelievably proud of the progress he's made recently in terms of his walking. The length of his stump and lack of knee makes using a prosthetic far more challenging than most amputees, as he has a straight leg to contend with. It has meant his walking progress has been much slower than that of a typical toddler; not quite snail pace, just Rory pace. But he's really turned a corner recently and is building up his confidence at walking without holding a hand or another aid. Well done Rory!  However, as we know, progress never happens in a straight line. Just as we feel like we're getting somewhere an operation comes along and Rory is now legless for potentially 4 months - which is an incredibly long time when you're 2 and a half. I'll explain why... Back in May last year Rory underwent rec...

Over the last month we've had a handful of check-ups with Rory's consultants; we've seen his main Paediatric Consultant who oversees his general health and we've caught up with the Plastics team for a review of his skin graft. We've also had sessions with Physio from both Grimsby and Sheffield.  Medical Update Generally, Rory is doing really well! Developmentally he is doing excellently for his age, which was a relief to hear - there is always a worry in the back of our minds as to whether the meningitis will have any long term affects on his mental abilities. Fortunately there are no indications whatsoever that this is the case, although we'll obviously watch this as he grows. Rory is able to hold himself up and balance on his one leg, which his physios say is a great achievement for any 9 month old, let alone one with pretty much one leg! Although we are still trying to encourage him to crawl, it's looking more and more likely that he will skip crawling al...

 This month's update is... no update! I was conscious that I haven't really shared any news recently and to be honest it's because there isn't much to say.  We attended Limb Reconstruction Clinic last month, where we met some of the prosthetics team and the other doctors working with Mr F on Rory's care, but other than a bit of a catch up and a few more questions there wasn't really much to report back on.  Next month will see us meeting with Grimsby Physio (as Sheffield have handed over to them now), the Burns/Plastics team for a check up on his leg, and a catch up with Sheffield Paediatrics for an update on his overall medical picture.  Other than that, we have finally been able to live a 'normal' life! It feels great to not be burdened by hospital appointments, and to at last be able to focus on the ordinary happenings of a seven month old.... sitting up, babbling, and the minefield that is weaning.  I want to take this pause to address a major challe...

It's safe to say that 2020 has been a pretty terrible year for a lot of people, us included.  Rory's arrival has been, for us, one shining light in the middle of chaos and gloom.  Since early November we've seen photos of Christmas decorations popping up across social media (again, us included), partly because during lockdown there's little else to do on a weekend, but more so because I think there's a shared feeling that the sooner we get Christmas over and done with, the sooner we can wave goodbye to 2020 and happily welcome in 2021. I'm certain that none of us actually believe that we'll wake up on the morning of the 1st January and Covid will have disappeared for good and the economy will have boomed overnight. But there's something about the ticking over of the date that inspires a level of optimism. "We made it through 2020. This year has got to be better." For our family, the turn of the year doesn't just signify a change in date but...

Disclaimer One:  I should start this and every post with a disclaimer that any of the medical facts I discuss are mine and Pete's interpretation of what we've been told by doctors and nurses. They may not necessarily be 100% accurate as we have been overwhelmed with information, but they are our best attempts at understanding the extensive details of Rory's illness and recovery. Disclaimer Two: This post contains some upsetting photos that up to now we haven't shared. Please be prepared to see some graphic images of Rory's leg injury and of him on ICU.  Rory's Story. The beginning.  The first nineteen days of Rory's life were wonderful. After an eventful but not overly traumatic birth we brought him home from hospital a couple of days later and, in the midst of the Covid quarantine, enjoyed daily life as a family of three in our cosy bubble. Rory met a handful of close friends and family through the window as per quarantine guidelines, and on a couple of occ...