Well it’s been a week since the operation and it doesn’t seem like Lex is getting too much better. He definitely seems in less pain as the days go on, but he’s not moving his head properly and his breath has started to smell again. We will probably have to take him back to the surgeon tomorrow. We are hoping it’s just a case of another round of antibiotics, but with his neck, who knows?

There are two really challenging things, apart from him being miserable which makes us feel useless.

The first is his speech – it’s even worse. It’s a little squeak often coming through his nose. Naturally this is to be expected because his whole palate has changed, but it’s even harder understanding his needs, and that makes him frustrated and we’re frustrated and no one seems happy with the end results.

Secondly, he is being a TURD! Mainly to his mum, but everyone is copping it, because of course, when you feel miserable you take it out on those you love the most. But sometimes he really really hurts my feelings. Naturally I’m the adult and have to be bigger than that, but he really knows my triggers and it seems to make him less miserable when he makes me miserable. Bloody kids I tell ya.

On the plus side, we have hit about a 95 percent success rate of him listening and doing as he’s told – so that’s been a huge plus. We were probably at 50/50 before, or 60/40, or sometimes not at all, so knowing he can hear is an awesome change in our little man – especially in potentially dangerous situations.

We can’t wait for this chapter to be over, for him to speak and to sing, for him to be healthy and happy. That’s it, that’s all we want.

Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea