After only three days, the doctors decided that Esme was stable enough for them to begin reducing her sedative and gradually bring her back to consciousness. Although drowsy, barely able to move for all the machines and tubes she was attached to and refusing to have her hearing aids in, she managed to use her iPad to begin communicating again, the first thing her asking for being some chocolate biscuits, much to Meryl and the nurse's amusement and after that, she asked for her 'best friend'. Five days since her operation and Esme wore her hearing aids once again before she was moved from the ICU back to her room on Paediatrics, already disregarding the typical statistics for transplant recovery and she was thrilled when Alicia was finally allowed to visit, bringing Bea along with her.
"Look Alicia and Bea I jump up and down without run out of puff!" Esme told the pair excitedly, jumping round in circles.
"Esme, just stop for a minute." Meryl laughed, shaking her head fondly at her niece and greeting the visitors. Esme did as she was asked and stumbled backwards, though managed to stop herself from falling. Still grinning, she ran at Alicia who picked her up.
"I did keep fighting like you said. I did keep fighting for mummy and for you." She told Alicia. "And my new heart make me better. I wanted be strong like you." She buried her face in Alicia's shoulder and squeezed her tight.
"Well I think you've put me to shame with how strong you've been." Alicia told her. "Are." She corrected herself.
"Right, that's enough of that for one day, you soppy pair!" Bea interrupted cheerfully. "Are you going to open these presents or not?"
"Presents?!" Esme shrieked, scrambling back down to the floor. Bea handed her a large, pink bag with flowers on and Esme plonked herself down on the floor in the middle of the room to look inside. She gasped in delight as she pulled out a number of presents from the bag – a heart-shaped trinket box containing some sparkly hair clips, a cuddly parrot which Bea told her was to go with the rest of her pirate costume, a DVD of songs performed in sign language, a purple zip cardigan which despite the warmth of the hospital room, Esme insisted on wearing right there and then and last but most definitely not least, two packets of chocolate biscuits. She was incredibly grateful for her presents which she showed by thanking Alicia and Bea both with a hug and a chocolate biscuit each.
"Esme?" Meryl spoke. Esme looked at her questioningly. "Are you going to tell Alicia our news?" She prompted. Esme's eyes immediately lit up and she ran over to sit on Alicia's lap.
"Auntie Meryl move to Holby and I live with her." She told Alicia eagerly. "When I more better we go to Ireland for holiday then come back to Holby."
"Just to sort things out." Meryl clarified. "It shouldn't be for much more than a few weeks but we're going nowhere until the doctors say we can. It's going to be a tricky enough few months being in and out of hospital but we'll get there." She said positively.
"It's nice in Ireland." Bea said to Esme. "You'll love it!"
"Have you been?" Esme asked unknowingly. The adults laughed and Esme looked around in confusion.
"That's where I come from." Bea elaborated warmly.
"Ohhh." Esme said in realisation before chuckling at herself. "You come visit me, Alicia? When we in Holby?" She asked, turning back to Alicia.
"As long as that's alright with your Auntie Meryl." Alicia responded. Meryl agreed. "Perhaps you and I could go out sometime and I don't know, feed the ducks? Go to the park?" Esme nodded keenly.
"That might be nice, it'll give me a chance to do the shopping!" Meryl commented.
"Though not for a little while yet." Alicia added quickly. "We don't want you getting poorly when you've come this far. It'll have to be home visits for a while." Esme shrugged in satisfaction.
"Best friends for always?" Esme asked, extending her hand with her pinkie finger raised.
"Best friends." Alicia agreed, linking her pinkie with Esme's.
"Hey, what about me?" Bea piped up.
"Hmmm…" Esme thought for a moment. "We be second best friends." She decided, offering her other pinkie to Bea.
"I'll take it." Bea replied decisively, also linking her pinkie with Esme's.
"We be best friends for always."
Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who has read to the end. I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It has been such a joy to write as I have been able to use knowledge from my own experiences of working with children who have Special Educational Needs, particularly those who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and sign language which I think is really important to show how effective other ways of communicating are. Another element of the story which has been taken from my experience is Esme's heart transplant. Her condition – Tricuspid Atresia – is what I had as a child and just like Esme, I received a heart transplant (though I was a few years older than her) which is the reason I am here, able to write this story and do a job that I am so passionate about so special mention to my donor and her incredible family. Also a little nudge to those of you who are not already on the organ donation register, get yourselves signed up as there are far more people in need of a life-saving organ than there are donors.
I am very sad that we have reached the end of Esme but it really has been a blast and you never know, I may write some more stories in the future which she may feature in along with Alicia, Bea (who needs to hurry up and get herself back to the ED!) and Ruby, of course. We will just have to wait and see!