I’ll be taking part in the ABP Humber Coastal Half Marathon on 16 September 2018.

I’m hoping to raise at least £250 to support North East Lincolnshire Down’s Syndrome Family Support Group – who have really helped us, George and lots of other local families.

Please donate to my JustGiving Crowdfunding Page and help make it happen:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/philip-jones?utm_id=2&utm_term=Z9QYVeE5E

Thanks for your support.

We’re showing our support for World Down Syndrome Day by wearing odd socks today. Chromosomes are shaped “like socks” and people with Down’s Syndrome have an extra chromosome. Different is OK.

George was discharged today.

We’re cautiously optimistic that we don’t have a return trip to Sheffield too soon (as happened last October).

We’ll keep a close eye on him over the coming days and all of our fingers crossed he stays well.

Thank you for all your well wishes this past week or so!

George is getting better.

Three days ago his infection markers were over 250 and now they are 17.

I’ve finally got to cuddle him after four days at home keeping our eldest quarantined for chicken pox.

Our parents on both sides have stepped in to help us out (thank you parents).

Caroline has been patient and amazing. She’s not been home since 2017.

Sheffield is a three hour round trip.

The hope is as soon as George can come off the oxygen, he can be transferred back to Grimsby Hospital where he can finish his intravenous course of antibiotics and make a full recovery.

For now, I’m happy just to hold him.

We haven’t shared any pics of George this time he’s been ill as he looked so poorly it didn’t feel right, but we’re very proud to share this one now he’s improving so much.

He’s amazing.

George had a settled night.

They’ve weened him off dopamine which was maintaining his blood pressure and have taken away most of the tubes and cannulas.

It’s fantastic news that his blood pressure is back to normal, this means he’s no longer in septic shock. He’s still having just a little oxygen, but it’s minimal so his breathing has vastly improved too.

He’s sore from having the ventilator down his throat but he’ll be given paracetamol regularly to make him comfortable.

Although we still don’t know the the underlying cause of the infection, his bloods show that his infection markers are coming down, so one of the many antibiotics are obviously working.

He will be moved out of Intensive Care and onto a regular ward today.

He’s an amazingly strong boy and we are so proud of him.