Journal Entries
wap test
Posted Dec 17, 1999
believe it or not this was posted from a wap phone!
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Latest reply: Dec 17, 1999
Christmas Music Party
Posted Dec 13, 1999
It was the Bignall's Christmas party today. We arrived horribly late, due to oversleeping, but they had saved lunch for us. Bernadette was able to play in the Christmas Cantata, which was good fun as usual, but she had to feed and change Charlotte while Michael Jeffrey's new Millenium Symphony was being played, which was a shame. Needless to say, I couldn't play, but it was fun to listen to in any case.
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Latest reply: Dec 13, 1999
I had a slight accident...
Posted Dec 6, 1999
I was cycling to the train station on Friday morning. I looked behind me to see if there was any traffic coming up, because I was just about to cross over to the other side to get to the station. Suddenly, my bike was right up against the kerb, making balancing very difficult. I'm not entirely sure what happened next, but I suspect I must have turned the front wheel into the kerb because the front wheel locked and I was thrown right over the handlebars onto the pavement. I put my hands up to break my fall, my helmet hit the edge of the kerb and I clunked my chin on the ground, then I rolled over onto my back in order to get out of the road.
I lay there for a few seconds, wondering if I was badly hurt. Two cars stopped and the drivers got out to see if I was OK. I managed to stand up. My legs were fine, and I didn't seem to be dizzy or anything, so I assumed my head was fine. But my hands hurt - my left was quite badly grazed - and both my arms ached badly.
I was able to assure the two drivers that I was OK, and didn't need a lift home. I almost considered carrying on to work, but good sense prevailed, and I wheeled my bike home, stopping at Sainsbury's for some milk. I knew already that I had at least sprained my arms, because I couldn't move my hands or my right elbow without a lot of pain, but I thought it might only be a sprain.
I got home, and flopped on the bed for a little while, while Bernadette fed and changed Charlotte. Since the pains weren't improving, and my elbow was feeling particularly bad, we decided I ought to go into A&E. Bernadette had to drive, which was scary for her because she hasn't passed her test yet, but she managed fine. A&E was quiet, and it didn't take long to be seen.
After about three hours of waiting, X-Rays, doctors and nurses, I emerged with a definitely broken elbow, and a full cast from knuckle to shoulder. It pretty-much incapacitated me all weekend - not only the cast but the fact that both my wrists were still very sore, and I couldn't do anything strenuous with them at all - I couldn't even tie my shoelaces.
This morning (Monday) I went back to have more X-Rays. They've taken the cast off, but given me a sling, and, because they still can't tell for sure if I've broken my wrists, both wrists have velcro splints to keep them immobile as much as possible. I can take them off occasionally to exercise them, but when they're on, I can't do a huge amount. Lucky I'm only a one fingered typist, really.
There's two lessons to learn from all this:
1: ALWAYS wear a helmet. I believe that if I hadn't had a helmet, my injuries would have been much worse, possibly even fatal.
2: When your wife tells to to be careful because of the high winds, listen to her!
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Latest reply: Dec 6, 1999
It's fun being a daddy
Posted Nov 5, 1999
I had to take the day off yesterday to look after Charlotte while Bernadette had a driving lesson, and I got the chance to feed her for the first time. 
We also took her to the Opera Group in the evening to show her off, which is always nice. She was very good.
Of course, she made up for it in the night, being up every hour or so, so I'm slightly tired this morning.
But it's worth it.
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Latest reply: Nov 5, 1999
Charlotte
Posted Oct 11, 1999
Charlotte was born this morning, 11th October at 10:55am. She weighed 7lb 8oz and was 50 cm long. (As I said to the midwife 'That's half a metre!')
Bernadette had an exhausting delivery. Her waters broke Sunday morning at 8:30, and she was in labour since then. She relented and had an epidural for pain relief, which completely blocked the pain, but still allowed her to feel the contractions, and move around as she wanted.
They gave her syntocin to help bring on the fuller contractions, and she needed an episiotomoy (sp?) but apart from that, she did all the work herself. They almost did a venteuse delivery (where they use a suction cup on the baby's head to help bring it out) because she still wasn't fully dilated at about 9:30, but when they got all the gowns and gloves on, and had laid out all the equipment, the consultant examinged her and found that in that time she'd finally dilated the last little bit and said that she might as well go for a normal delivery. Bernadette was very relieved, if completely exhausted.
Charlotte is completely beautiful. I've got some video right after she was born, and some photographs which I'll no-doubt put up shortly. She cried quite a bit to begin with, which is always reassuring in a new baby. She stayed awake for the first few hours, looking at everything, taking it all in. I dressed her for the first time, and put on her first nappy. I then tried to claim that I'd discharged all my nappy duties, but Bernadette didn't agree. Tonight, before I came home, she made me change her first nappy (the meconium one, which all parents will know). Still, at least it didn't smell.
Bernadette has fed her once already, but she hasn't seemed to want any more. This is quite normal for early babies (she was two days early according to her scan dates, and we think they must have been correct, since she was still covered in vernix when she emerged.
In conclusion, Bernadette and I are deliriously happy with our lovely new daughter. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes.
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Latest reply: Oct 11, 1999
Jim Lynn
Researcher U6
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