After nearly three months of slow hand clapping and feet stomping to the cries of “we want more, we want more” from her loyal fans and followers, and without doubt the most dramatic costume change of the show, SJ’s back and ready for her encore! Not back in hospital mind, but back in the blogging game for a one-off special with an update of gargantuan progress for someone (previously) so teeny.

And here she is….ta da….

Quite a transformation from SJ v 1.0…

Finally, after 7 months of mechanical help with her breathing from ventilators, cpap machines, vapourtherm and a house full of oxygen tanks since coming home at the end of February, last week’s check-up at the hospital resulted in SJ being given a clean enough bill of health to come off oxygen once and for all. She’s now officially tube free and going solo like a regular baby!

And whilst the doctors and nurses from St George’s have made good on their promise to do everything possible to get Savannah home and healthy, it was time for me to make good on the promise/ridiculous idea I had back in the dark days of sitting by Savannah’s bedside in ICU to give something back to the neonatal unit. Not a ridiculous idea to give something back, of course, but just a slightly ill-thought-out plan as to how to raise the money to give back. Having signed up a 190 mile round London bike ride at Christmas time, roped in 5 other suckers to join me and not deterred by the fact 5 of the 6 of the new formed Team SJ (me, Les, Alistair, Charles, Ed & Jamie) didn’t even own a bike, there was no going back once we’d committed to the fundraising.
So, gathering at Lea Valley Stadium in the early hours of last Saturday morning, off we peddled, and peddled and peddled until a day and half later we arrived right back where we’d started from! Arriving back, sun burnt, chaffed in unmentionable placed, tired and relieved, Team SJ had succeeded in our mission!  And thanks to the amazing generosity of our friends and families who’d sponsored us (and turned out along the route to keep us going), we arrived back at the end of our 190 mile circumnavigation of the capital almost £10,000 richer than when wed set off, every penny of which is going to First Touch, St George’s Neonatal Unit’s very own charity. It’s a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of Savannah’s 120 day stay at St George’s but if it provides one new piece of vital equipment or funding to help any other families come out with a beautiful baby like we did, then all that chaffing, puffing and panting was worth it.

And just in case you missed the chance to sponsor us, it’s not too late…..

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/displaySomeoneSpecialPage.action?pageUrl=teamSJ

So that’s it for the encore, we’ll leave you with some picture of Team SJ, complete the lady herself supporting us.