Dinosaurs and Fire Engines

Hello hello dear friends. Well, we are back from another tootle to the JR and everything seems surprisingly positive. I wondered whether to give you another exciting blow-by-blow account of our trip to the hospital, or to provide a shorter, blander medical summary. In the end I have opted for neither and hearby present the most recent adventures of Baby A in the form of a humorous song to the tune of the hymn 'He Who Would Valiant Be / To Be a Pilgrim.'

Baby A would valiant be, 'gainst all disaster
Kicking me is something he has duly mastered
There's no discouragement, for his spinal indent
Is quite a low segment, which is a good thing

Baby A, he will not hear more dismal stories
Still some fluid in his head; not enough to worry
Feet and kidneys look alright, Walking will be a fight
With braces he just might, which is a good thing

Oh dear I have to go, for an MRI scan
Lots of time in a small space; this much I can't stand
Still boldly I will obey! If it will help Baby A
He is a boy by the way, which is a good thing

I think that sums up our experience in the hospital. Essentially, everything looks good, surprisingly good - if the spinal defect really is that low (very low lumbar-sacral or sacral-only region) which the MRI should be able to tell, there's a chance he might be able to learn to walk unassisted. Very exciting!

The boy thing is great news as it has meant I am able to buy romper suits featuring dinosaurs and fire engines, which I reeeeeally love but would not be appropriate for a female Baby A.

Anyway, what's going on in the non-Baby A part of my life? Well I am on placement which is turning out to be really good fun. I am at St Michael and All Angels, New Marston. The placement has variously involved - praying (lots), drinking coffee (lots), talking to loads of lovely people, going to school assemblies and helping a group of children rehearse Shakespeare's Macbeth (in which I read the lines of Malcolm and ended up being hailed King of Scotland, to my surprise.) I think I could get used to this vicaring thing.

Well, it's 12.40 already and I'm going to Phillipa's for 1.30 and I need to eat my lunch first, so I will leave it at that for today. Next time, perhaps some more theological reflections on Holy Week. Or perhaps some more humorous hymns. Or perhaps a textual party for my Blog's first birthday. We shall see.