Ice-cream, joggers and loos...

I must comment on how fabulous the ice-cream is here - and there is an Eis stand on every corner, even more fabulous. It is probably just as well that the climate hasn't gone beyond 18 degrees otherwise I would be indulging every hour. Lucia took her first lick yesterday and hasn't looked back. Meanwhile I think we have seen every member of the Graz community out jogging - this must be the jogging capital of the world - although they don't look particularly happy about it...and then there are the loos - fantastic wherever we go. I never thought that this would be high on my priorities when visiting another country, but I have been more than impressed on this front. Each cafe, resturant, platz all have very clean, modern and empty amenities. Ofcourse with all these 'ups' there are some 'downs' - the people of Graz stare, not just glance or briefly check out Lucia, I mean stare for a minimum of 2 minutes and within the boundaries of safe personal space. I thought I was fairly hardened to this but apparently not, so we have had to seek out appropriate 'please don't stare'phrases. But once again this was over-ridden at the w-e with 2 separate incidences: one from a young Christian man in the main Platz, with impeccable English, who asked if we would mind if he prayed for Lucia and the other from an older lady on a very packed tram who also wanted to pray for Lucia. She seemed to understand that these people were friendly and compassionate and when I asked how her legs were feeling she said that the man had asked baby Jesus to make them better, and that baby Jesus had listened and made them better. There is an icon of Madonna and Child in her room and when we got home she said 'thank you Jesus'.

So over the w-e we tried to encourage more exercise and leg-stretching hoping to alleviate the pain at the back of her legs. The skin is still very raw and tender but she seems to be a little better - Prof DS reminded us that she has sampled abóut 25 new tastes and that it may well be a reaction. We reduced tube feeding to 250ml at dinner and late night feed - her wieght on Mon was the same, so this is great news. She was once again awarded the 'champion' and 'soooper'comment!

For the last 2 days it has been very intense therapy each morning - an hour of OT, then physio and then speech. Initially she was very reserved (i imagine she is therapied out!) but has warmed up to the idea of interactive games. At the play picnic both today and yesterday she continued to sample a few new tastes, but observes all the other children very intently. And last night we decided to eat at home (no mean feat with only one saucepan and a hotplate!) - we made mashed potato, a sausage smorgasbord and a salad...Lucia consummed a couple of small sausages(over a 1,5hr period) and a tablespoon of mash - happy days! And tomorrow we have been instructed to cease all tube feeds - so this will be our first tube-free day ever!

Other children on the programme are experiencing lethargy, mood swings etc. due to reduced feeds but Lucia seems to be coping very well. She sleeps a good 11hrs each night and certainly is enjoying life without the vomitting and pain. So as we come to the half-way mark in the programme I can honestly say that it has been a great success so far. Tony and I are thrilled with the result to date, and last night's family supper was a special event indeed.