Early this morning I woke up several times as the wind was pretty fierce around here, but by 0400h is seemed totally quite again. Peering out it must have cleared for a bit as I caught a glimpse of ‘plane overhead.

Today I do the sponsored abseil down Bristol Royal Children’s Hospital where we spent so much of our time with Freddie. I am doing the abseil with three others – Charlotte and Emily Rowe and Hannah Smith. All of are from Paignton.

Neither Rachel or I could sleep so we woke early and decided to get on our way. At 0645h we left home to set off up the M5 on a well worn path back to Bristol. This is the first time we have been back and I guess many memories and other things will get in the way. I am fairly happy to return though maybe Rachel is not so keen. Either way, we have signed up to the abseil so cannot back out now. It is nice for me that she is coming.

It is dark when we leave and the storm has started again. There is heavy rain on the motorway, with a lot of surface water about causing a lot of spray. Driving is not too bad though as there is little traffic about, but on the way we pass the remains of three accidents that must have happened overnight.

It thankfully clears by the time we arrive, which is about 0900h. Once we parked the car (last time we had passes so it was easy) we trundle down St Michaels Hill. We used to take Fred down this route occasionally but it is very steep and the old flags make the pavement rather tricky with a pram on a 45° incline.

We arrive at the entrance and see the CLIC Sargent team setting up. We have a chat with one of the girls and head off to the canteen.

We do this with trepidation, as it all exactly as it was eight months ago, although then we had Fred with us of course. Same porters on the front desk. Same old staff training posters in the lobby and the animated Wallace and Gromit machines look to be out of order again.

Up in the lift to Level 5 – where Ward 34 is and where the canteen lies. The canteen has only a short queue and the same staff are at the counter. Same prices too of course.

At the head of the queue is the ward sister for W34 – Kate. She looks rather surprised to see us finding a table and chair and so we have a quick hug and chat. She is off to a meeting… same old… Great to see her though. We tell her that Rachel is expecting so that is another good thing, and so she heads off whilst we chat to the canteen staff.

They seem pleased to see us again and remark that I must have eaten many breakfasts in my time there. Rachel, wisely, used to keep the fry ups to a reasonable amount per week.

It still tastes the same so that is comforting. They said they remembered coming in to Freddie’s cubicle on Halloween doing Trick or Treat on the kids. They were wearing their chef’s whites which are actually marked black and white like a Friesian cow. Of course Fred had his on too at time and I thought it was nice for them to remember that, so long long ago.

As the time of the abseil came we went back down to the foyer and met first with Hannah and her parents and sister. It was quite sheltered in that part of the hospital but to look up and see the edifice we looked at each day in a different light was a bit strange for me.

Next to arrive was Charlotte and Emily, with Dawn and Paul, followed by my mum and dad and brother. Wayne, Adam and Tim appeared immediately afterwards so the crowd was set.

At 1015h we went of offload our sponsorship forms and monies in the CLIC gazebo and to register. Once done we were kitted out with the harness and with all dangly bits removed from our clothing we had a quick briefing.

Once strapped into our webbing pants Charlotte decided she really needed the loo, although this was not to happen for a long while much to her discomfort. Even the instructor changed the subject so as to avoid unbuckling her again.

We went up in the lift and emerged on to Level 7 where the Bone Marrow Transplant ward is. We spent just over a month on that ward, and made the journey up the service stairs to the flat roof a little sombre for me.

At the top is a glazed “watch tower” type structure and we watched the other abseilers prepare to go over the top. This was not necessarily a good idea, but gave us a chuckle at their facial expressions before we realised we would be there in a few minutes.

The call came for Charlotte and I to come out onto the flat roof and so we did, where two other instructors waited. It was fairly blustery up there and it had started to spit with rain a little. It was going to be a long day for them as there were 104 scheduled to do this and nearly all will be inexperienced I guess.

There is a low parapet wall of about 18” where you sit on, with your back to the drop whilst they clip you in and run through the routine once again. It all sounds rather simple at the time – too simple.

Then its up on your feet and stand upright on the parapet wall. I am dreadful at heights really, but I tried to think that if it were only a 10 foot drop I should still feel calm.

Lean back, soles on the coping stone, and gradually I am at 10°, then 20°, then 45° I reckon. The tricky bit is the first step off the top so you are then on a flat wall. Whoever laid the bricks did not do a good job as the joints are quite wonky.

Once done I hung around for a few seconds whilst Charlotte came over the edge, and we bumped our way (fairly gracefully) down. As I did so I could recognise the colour of each floor level which was helpful, if not a little sad.
A bit of chaotic leg waving near the bottom and back down to dry land.

It was great to see mum and dad and Rachel there and so I quickly de-harnessed myself to enjoy the occasion a bit more now. Shortly afterwards Hannah appeared in to view, and then settled herself into position on the wall. A bit of a wait and Emily appeared at the edge and came down alongside her.

Again they came down and one point I thought they were racing each other.
Once all back on the ground it was a great feeling and that we had managed to raise somewhere in the region of £1500.00 for CLIC. Bargain.

We got our t-shirts and champagne as we had hit the fund raising targets and headed off into the foyer to disperse.

Rachel and I then went up to W34 where we met Kate, Jamie, Helen and Rachel who were working. It was nice to speak with them. A few new faces of staff too.

The ward looked to be full as usual and the familiar noises came back to us. The crying children; someone having an NG tube poked up their nose and the general “grotty feeling” sounds from the patients. We caught a glimpse of a few parents in their rooms, incarcerated like we were as some appeared to be barrier nursed because of infection.

This time we were looking in and they looked out, their lives on hold I suspect – wondering who we were and what all the jollity and noise was about.

The weather had cleared on the way back and so the journey was more relaxed than the one a few hours earlier. We got home and decided to have a spot of late lunch in the zoo which was good. It was quite with only a few cars, and only us at one stage in the restaurant.

Time for a bath now I think, as my arms are aching a bit.