A

dam was born in March 1997 at The Royal Hospital for Children in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and everything seemed to be fine. As the weeks passed Adam's jaundice did not go away and I repeatedly took him to the baby club and our GP, who all but laughed and called me a first time mother!

Eventually I demanded a referral to the hospital and that's when the FUN began. Every time I turned round another doctor would be there to stick another needle into my child. I really did feel like lifting him up and running out of the hospital, but I guess I knew it was serious this time. After a week of intensive tests, biliary atresia was diagnosed and talk of the Kasai began. They didn't know whether to do the Kasai because Adam was 12 weeks at this stage, but they decided it was a try and Adam was booked for surgery. I went with Adam while they sedated him and leaving my wee baby there was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I passed the next 4 hours in a daze and if someone asked me now what I talked about, I could not tell them. All I could think of was my baby. I remember the surgeon telling me all about the operation and at the end asking did I have any questions. My only question was "will I get my baby back?" I think at that point that was all that mattered to me.

Adam's surgery went well, although no bile ducts were found and the surgeon said he did his best to place the Kasai at the right point. After surgery he went to Intensive Care Unit and did not need the ventilator, which was great. Six years on I can still see him lying on the wee cot with his wee mouth shaking and attached to all sorts of wires -- not that I noticed the wires, I was just glad to see my baby again!

After another 2 weeks in hospital we came home and with every little temperature we were back at the hospital. We soon got to know all the nurses and doctors! Adam had a bad time with the new formula and when we added the Duocal it went in one end and out the other, so Adam's weight became a problem. We don't have a children's liver specialist here in Northern Ireland, and I was not happy with the dietitians here, so this time I demanded to go to Birmingham in England to see a specialist. Things improved no end after that. They put him back on normal formula etc. and most of his tests came back in the normal ranges -- Yeah!!!

Adam is doing great today. He gets blood tests every 6 months and they all come back in the normal ranges, except the platelets which can go up or down. They are low, but not dangerously low. He really is my miracle and although I wouldn't have asked for him to be born with BA, I thank God every day that he is doing so well and I know in that respect we have been really lucky. Adam has the sticky out veins on his chest but his tummy is not big and so far no ascites etc. He is a real star and goes to the hospital all the time so the student doctors can look at him and try to guess what is wrong. I believe the more doctors that see BA, the more children will be diagnosed in good time for the Kasai.

To finish I would just like to thank you all there at CLASSKIDS. It has been my lifeline in the past and I'm sure it will be again in the future!