Tuesday 27 September 2011

Welcome to Munich - Part One

There is a famous poem called Welcome to Holland and here is a link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Holland

I hadn't heard of this poem when my son was 3yrs old.  Although he had already had two seizures, his consultant referred to them as febrile convulsions and any other concerns I had were put down to typical 3yr old behaviour.  I had no reason to be aware that such a poem existed. 

I had rushed to his nursery twice from work to find him surrounded by paramedics, seemingly unconscious from the administration of diazepam that stopped him convulsing. Oxygen mask on and ambulance waiting, it shook me to my core. Consultant said that convulsions were very common at his age and recommended a good dose of sunshine to help boost his constitution (I guess!!).  At the time I had a nagging doubt but put my faith in what she said.

Now what follows is going to be slightly longer than a poem.  It's complex and it's difficult for me to recall.  For it was a trauma and it was the beginning of something that completely changed my life.

I had been a single Mum for about four months and my Dad and my step mum agreed that it was what myself and my son needed so they generously paid for all of us to fly out to Kefalonia, the beautiful Greek Island.  The film Captain Corelli's Mandolin had just been released and two nights before we were due to fly out we went to see it.  I remember driving home in a thunder storm, mind full of romance, Nicolas Cage and a longing for the clear blue sea and the smell of olive groves.  I was, for a while, lifted and joyful at the prospect of it all.

My little man was just as excited.  Suitcase packed, Buzz Light Year had just about been squeezed in.  I woke him at 5am which was pretty easy as he was was, and still is, not keen on sleeping.  With shorts on and bucket and spade in hand we walked around the departure lounge at Gatwick.  He was grumpy and seemed a little more unsettled and hyper than normal but I put it down to the early start and excitement.

Five, four, three, two, one......"Thunderbirds are go" we shouted as the plane flew down the runway, my little man loved it, sitting by the window.  Then he closed his eyes and said he was sleepy.

To be continued......