This week we left the intensive care unit and went upstairs to the LTV unit (Long Term Ventilation). Having spent over six months straight (yes, Christmas Day) in PICU I feel we were ready to move on. If you*d asked me four months ago to go up to LTV unit I would have laughed in your face.

In PICU mostly lots of good things happen, but also occasionally some unfortunate things. Being exposed to children and babies being very ill and sometimes dying near you is not pleasant but this is the reality of being in an intensive care unit. We as a family have now become almost immune to anything – the fact is when you are in such an environment for so long (especially early on) you are so mentally fragile that you just don*t have the capacity to worry about anything else, or engage a parent you see in the unit about their situation, your sole focus and priority becomes your child - its a brutal reality brought about by circumstance.

Going to LTV on Tuesday was like leaving a family behind because when you are in PICU week in week out caring for your child you get to know all the doctors, nurses, surgeons, cleaners, the dietician, the physiotherapist - you absorb the vibe, you almost feel like you are part of *the team* and for myself, who works from home, on my own 99% of the time, it was like being in a *proper* work environment where there was banter and I learnt new things.

Now that Luke has been stable for a while I really feel it*s great he*s ready to go upstairs as it*s truly a giant step forward to finally getting him home, but we will never forget what the people of PICU have done for Luke and his family.

Sorry for the long absence. I have had another stomach bug, but apart from that I have been doing really well and Mummy and Daddy have been busy taking me out and preparing to take me home!!!!!!! I have been out in our new, bigger car which has been really fun. Mummy and Daddy are hoping I might be able to move to Dorchester in the next couple of weeks and then maybe get home by the end of next month!!!

I celebrated my first birthday yesterday. I had an amazing day, being the centre of attention with all my lovely nurses in PICU. They got me a lovely cake, nurse Millie made me an amazing card and we had a brilliant party. It was definately my best day so far! Today I move up to the Long Term Ventilation Unit which is the first step to getting home. It is quite exciting, but I will be very sad to say goodbye to all the nurses and doctors in PICU which has been my home for much of the past year. I will definately keep popping in to see them though because they have been so brilliant to me and my family.