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Hi, this is my blog while I am away. I am gonna try and keep it up to date as much as I can but some days I have to sleep lots, and some days not much happens. Sometimes Mum and Dad will be doing the typing so please excuse their spelling (they are not too clever). If you wanna leave me a message go on facebook and search for me - Toby Hawkridge - then we can chat!
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Post date: 16/12/2011 Location: Choccywoccydoodah, Brighton
2 months post op What a mega suprise! Mum and Dad picked me up straight from school and took me to my fave Choccywoccydoodah.
Nice cuppa choccy in the Boudoir , then I walked up the shop holding hands with Mum and my bestie Daveed. To my complete surprise when I got there the street was full of people clapping me! Then the choir sang a wicked Choccywoccydoodah song to me. Its gonna be released on iTunes soon so you can all get and its raising money for my trust. Click play on this pic to here just a snippet of the song. Keep an eye out on my blog for the link so you can get the full version. Thank you Choccy crew for all my gifts and for making me feel so special, I really love you all - very special friends xx
Christine & Christine thank you for making my christmas one i’ll always remember for ever. Good luck with the shop in London
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Post date: 13/11/2011 Location: Primark, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead
POST OP DAY 44 We have been home for a few days now. Dad has set up my gym at home and I’ve had a couple of physio sessions with Penny (my NHS physio).
Today we went out shopping. We only took my sticks out in the car as my frame has been banned (except for at school). My sticks slow me down a lot so by the time we got to the shops i decided that we would walk along just holding hands. That worked well and Mum and Dad loved it and we did some pretty fast walking. However there is a problem - if Dad wants to go one way, Mum wants to go the other, and I want a new jumper holding hands no longer works; so what’s to be done? Go shopping on my own!
These are my very first steps which Dad just about managed to catch while we were in Primark. Yippeeeeeee! I can do it! And the best part is I now get to choose my own clothes - result!
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Post date: 04/11/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 35 Sad day. Last day of physio with my friend Mad Mike. I did a good session with him today. I’m gonna really miss you Mike - you have changed my life for ever, and not just because you made me walk. We’ve shared some great times and some hard times together. I’ll never forget you . . not ever! I hope you can keep helping other kids for as long as you can. Looking forwards already to seeing you again next year. I’m sending you, Margaret and Posey lots of love and hugs xx
My friend Charlie left for home today. Good luck mate.
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Post date: 03/11/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 34 (Evening) Mad Mike, his wife Margaret and their dog Posey came to visit us at our hotel tonight - it was a great surprise for me coz I did some great physio today. Posey was so cute (I want one). Thanks for coming Mike.
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Post date: 03/11/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 34 Had a good session in physio today. Did some more practice on my sticks and some standing tall and some stretches. My feet hurt quite a bit coz i’m stretching my feet in different places - that makes me a bit grumpy sometimes.
We had a go at tackling the stairs today. It was a lot easier going up than it was coming back down.
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Post date: 02/11/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 33 Today I’m going out with just my sticks. Mum has plans for some souvenir shopping before physio, i just need some lunch - man my belly is rumbling.
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Post date: 01/11/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 32 So Dr Parks says 3 months and i’ll be walking. I dont think so - I’m gonna try today. I almost let go! May be tomorrow!
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Post date: 31/10/2011 Location: Lafayette Square, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 31 Tonight we went back to Lafayette Square for another Halloween celebration. Great fun and we also had a trip aroung the park on a horse and carriage.
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Post date: 31/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 31 Today we had a meeting with Dr. Park. He says i am doing really well and on target to walk sometime between now and 3 months time. He’s such a really nice man. I told him “thank you for changing my life” - he smiled.
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Post date: 31/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 31 I’m starting to get on great with my sticks. This is me balancing and walking along a beam
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Post date: 31/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 31 This is me and my physio Mad Mike on Halloween in the physio department at the childrens hospital. Everyone got dressed up and i collected two huge bags of treats.
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Post date: 30/10/2011 Location: Busch Stadium, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 30 Today we went into the Downtown area to see the Cardinals parade the World Series Trophy. There were half a million fans out on the streets. The atmosphere was fantastic. We saw all the players come by and waved at our favourites. We stood right in front of the local radio station, they were throwing out Angry Cards t-shirts and I caught one. As it got dark there where loads of fireworks in the stadium. We are so lucky to have been here at this time!
COOL DAY!
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Post date: 29/10/2011 Location: Lafayette Square, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 29 OH WOW, CARDINALS WON THE WORLD SERIES This City has gone absolutely nuts
Getting better on my sticks all the time.
Went to a halloween festival today at a really nice place called Lafayette Square. We did trick-or-treating in the shops. Even the dogs got dressed up
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Post date: 28/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 28 Here we go again looks like today’s gonna be as bad as yesterday. Dad thinks it’s a good idea to take the bandages off my legs - so i’m just gonna scream! He took them off anyway, and yes it did hurt and mad me shout horrible stuff at him. Once i had calmed down a bit it turned out he was right (damn) things are easier without them. I’ve done my stretches and walked 21 steps using just my tripods - no frame - I walked to Nanny who was on skype on the other side of the room. Then it was time to go to physio. The trip down to reception usually takes me 30 minutes to walk, today I did it in 5 minutes - wow my legs are starting to work.
Have to do really well in physio today coz Mike gets to decide if i have worked hard enough all week to get a weekend treat. It’s touch and go coz I was sooo grumpy yesterday. Phew Mike is well impressed with my much faster walking. I worked really hard, then i showed him my walking on the tripods. Before today i could only manage about 10 steps, I wanted to beat my 21 I did earlier - and I did it - 28 steps!
Cardinals won last night in a nail biting 10-9 game that went into an extra innings. Thats 3-3 in the series. If the Cardinals win tonight they are World Champs - fingers crossed
WHAT A WICKED DAY, WE ARE ALL SO HAPPY.
Hope you all have a nice weekend xx
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Post date: 27/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 27 Things didn’t go to well today. I dunno, my legs hurt, I was tired - and well i just kept finding myself in trouble. I guess i did ok in physio but everything else made me sad. It was a bit chilli so we went to see Johnny English at the cinema. That was funny. So last nights Cardinals game got called off coz of the weather - they’ll play tonight and tomorrow night instead.
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Post date: 26/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 26 Luckily Mad Mike hasn’t seen the potato head, but he’s in crazy mode - this means we’re gonna be working hard. Walking forwards on the treadmill, backwards, sideways to the left, sideways to the right. Walking on sticks and climbing up rope ladders. I dunno what he has for breakfast but i gotta get me some
Its raining in STL today so probably just gonna chill and do physio back at the hotel. Cardinals should be playing tonight but not sure it will go ahead in this weather.
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Post date: 26/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 26 A slightly quieter day in Physio as Mad Mike has Tuesdays off. Unlucky for Beth coz that means she’s gotta put up with me instead. I am struggling against gravity since my last op and its starting to get me down a bit (get it - it gets me DOWN). Today i’ve done some standing to sitting whilst making a Mr Potato Head and since Mike isn’t around I made a potato head that looks like him. Don’t tell anyone but i posted it on facebook . . . he’ll be mad when he sees it!
Beth gave me some tripod sticks to take back to the hotel - man they’re hard work!
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Post date: 22/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
Halloween Party We had a great early Halloween party. All the other kids were there. We played games, had nibbles, cake, pizza and sweets. it was good fun. I went as Green Lantern and got 2nd prize for my costume. Dad went as . . . well i dunno what it was but he looked stupid!
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Post date: 22/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 22 (Morning) I had Physio with Mike yesterday which made me feel a bit sore and tired. Dad took me on his own as Mummy wasnt feeling great. Dad said she was a bit exhausted - I know the feeling.
Any way today I’m feeling a lot better. I have done some physio with Dad - he seemed pleased. This afternoon we are going to have a early Halloween party at the hotel with my mates as some of them go home soon. I’ll put some pictures of the party on here tomorrow.
Mum & Dad want me to try and do some walking on my frame. I DON’T THINK SO!
POST OP DAY 22 (Afternoon) OMG that was very hard work, very painful, and a bit tearful too. I have been downstairs, outside, and then back up to our room on my walker. I did my best and I got some good steps in with my heel down but it hurts to get my legs straight with my weight on them (I’m not getting any skinnier out here). Mum & Dad made me work so hard but I did get an ice cream for my work. I’ll try and go to the party on my walker again later.
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Post date: 20/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 20 (Morning) Today I have my 2nd op. Dr. Dobbs is going to lengthen my heel cords and my hamstrings. Now that the SDR op took away alot of my stiffness in my legs this op will mean that with alot of hard work i will be able to put my heels on the floor and lock my knees out so i can stand up straight.
Arrived at the hospital at 8.45. We had to wait a while coz my mate Callum was having the same op before me. Eventually the nurse gave me some silly juice and then Buddy and i went to sleep for a bit.
POST OP DAY 20 (Afternoon) Well that didnt take very long, i had a nice snooze and now I’m hungry! My legs have bandages on them in 4 places and they are a bt sore especially when Daddy moves me. I feel well enough to go back to the hotel which is a good job coz the man in the bed next to me who had an operation on his ear is snoring soooo loud - I gues he cant hear himself through the bandages he has on his head!
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Post date: 17&18/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 17 Back to the grind stone! Mike said I did my best physio yet. I did 2 lots of 4 minutes on the treadmill at 0.7mph - then i was pooped. I spent an hour in the hotel gym with Daddy in the afternoon then played with my mates after teatime.
Also today i went to get my hair cut American style. I had lightning coz that how fast i’m gonna run!
POST OP DAY 18 Ok, ok, so i should have went to bed earlier. Sorry Mum. It was tough going in physio today, a little bit tired but also . . . i did walking with just sticks! Oh yer, oh yer, i think im getting there. It really hurt my legs and it did make me cry a bit but Marilyn (todays physio) says that when i’ve had my next op it wont hurt my legs at all - result!
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Post date: 16/10/2011 Location: Scotts Trade Centre, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 16 Ah the weekend. We went to the absolute most awesome Circus show in the world, seriously this thing was BIG! Hundreds of clowns, trapeze artists, prancing horses, Elephants, dancers, zebras, fireworks and an amazing show with 16 beautiful Tigers in it. It lasted for 3 hours and it was just the best. Oh yer and guess what - it was free - gotta love this place!
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Post date: 15/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, Downtown St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 15 Look out Sam & Tom - I’m loading up these babies just for you!
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Post date: 13/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 13 (Morning) Up early for 9am physio. Loads of traffic this morning. Weather is a bit overcast today. Cardinals won last night to go 2-1 up in the series, they play again tonight and tomorrow night - they need to win 2 more games to go to the world series, dad says thats good.
So this is me on the multigym. Mike says this is really good for strengthening the muscles that i never really used before my first op and am going to need after my second op. I like using this gym coz i get to lay down.
Gonna have a lazy day (except for when i have to do physio again later) then I’m going to play with my friends in the bar and watch tonights cards game - Go Cards!
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Post date: 12/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 12 (Afternoon) This is me and Mike working hard - well i’m working hard and Mike’s getting all excited, teehee, he’s great!
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Post date: 12/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 12 (Lunchtime) Went to meet Dr. Dobbs - He’s gonna do my hamstring and heel cord surgery. That seemed to go well, Mum and Dad did most of the talking
Then we went up to the kids playroom at the hospital and Superman was up there calling the bingo numbers for hospital tv - hard to believe but its true.
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Post date: 10/10/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, Downtown St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 10 Hello everyone. I’ve been working hard in physio and I am also now using the gym in the hotel twice every day. Today in physio i tried for the first time to walk on my own - Man that gravity stuff makes standing up hard work! I kept trying but it didnt really go to well - never mind ill try again tomorrow and my physio Beth says that standing will be alot easier after my second op on the 20th.
This picture is of me and some mates I have made at the hotel. We had a cake to celebrate Joe’s 5th birthday
Left to right : Amaan, Callum, Eliza, Jessica, Me, Ben, Luke, Joe
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Post date: 07/10/2011 Location: Forest Park Zoo, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 7 (Morning) Physio was at 9.00. Bit early for my liking! Had a great session. Mad Mike had me on the multi-gym pushing hard against my own weight. It was great - I had flat feet and I could feel my leg muscles working hard - love it.
POST OP DAY 7 (Afternoon) Mum and Dad took me to the Zoo coz i’ve worked so hard this week. It was easily the best zoo i have ever been to and get this - it was absolutely free, everything like museums and public attractions in STL are free - its great, i’m gonna live here!
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Post date: 06/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 6 (Morning) Got up early to go and play with some friends i have made while i have been here. got downstairs for breakfast but my back was aching too much so i came back up to my room to lay down for a while so i was good for physio at 1pm.
POST OP DAY 6 (Afternoon) Had a good time at physio. My physio is called Mad Mike. He really is mad! I did some good work today. Starting to like the treadmill.
Check out my flat’ish feet. They will be better and my legs will be straight after my 2nd op on 20th.
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Post date: 05/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 5 (Morning) Another good nights rest. Porridge for Brekky. Up early for a physio session at 08.30 which went well again. I was able to do some walking on my walker today. My back is getting better all the time.
POST OP DAY 5 (Afternoon) Oh yer i’ve been let out of hospital. Gonna chill and watch the cardinals. Go Cards! Ha ha I’ve had the giggles for at least an hour - gonna be sick if it carries on!
<< This is me riding around the hospital yesterday. I get another go tomorrow :o)
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Post date: 04/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 4 (Morning) Great nights sleep, I’m feeling brill. I did really well in physio this morning and managed to wheel myself a bit in the wheelchair. Physio is fun. Tomorrow i have Mad Mike for physio, that should be a good laugh - i’ll tell you about it tomorrow.
POST OP DAY 4 (Lunch time) Hello. I’m eating my lunch now. Just a minute ago i went to the play room to play and the i came back to the room toe eat my lunch. Next i’m gonna play on my baseball game. Then I’m going on skype. Then physio again, then a trip to the roof garden where the helicopters land. I’m sooo busy!
Hi to all school mates - missing you!
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Post date: 03/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 3 (Morning) Kept Mum and Dad awake a lot last night - oops! See I’ve been asleep for almost 3 days and I wanted to be awake - they didn’t. My back aches a little from time to time so i just get Mum and Dad to turn me over. Feeling ok and I am gonna try my wheelchair later.
POST OP DAY 3 (Afternoon) So after complaining all night that i wanted to sit up i finally get in my wheelchair and it hurts real bad. Stayed in there for 25 minutes but it was too much and i went back to bed. One good thing today - lunch - i got to eat proper food, well peanut butter and jam sandwich, yummy. I’ve had 1 hours physio today, it was really tough. I tried not to cry but it hurts and i’m really weak. Bailey, my physio , is really nice so that helped. Tried standing but it aint happening - not yet! I’m off for a sleep.
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Post date: 02/10/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 2 (Morning) Still on loads of meds and this headache is upsetting me. Nurse says that the drugs will start to run out later, been awake a bit more this morning.
POST OP DAY 2 (Afternoon) No more meds = no more headache. Hooray! I have been awake for the last 3 hours. I’ve had a drink and some dry cereal and I’m feeling much better. I got Mum and Dad running around doing stuff for me every 2 minutes, wonder how long i can make this last.
I have to stay on my back or side for the rest of today then tomorrow they will let me sit up and maybe some physio. Mum and Dad have been reading me some of your messages. Thanks . . . I love you too xx
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Post date: 01/10/2011 Location: PICU, Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
POST OP DAY 1 (Morning) Not happy - at all. I still have a mental headache and hiccups. Luckily its only bothering me when i’m awake and that only about 20 minutes every 4 hours. I’m still in PICU.
POST OP DAY 1 (Afternoon) Just been sick, yuck. They are moving me up to a different ward later coz I am out of any danger. Still got a headache but hiccups are gone. I have been sleeping loads and I’m gonna carry on sleeping until tomorrow. Sweet dreams.
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Post date: 30/09/2011 Location: PICU, Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
12:30 I dont remember this. Mum says I was away for 5 hours. This is me in PICU (Intensive Care) after my op. There’s lots of machines and tubes taking care of me and giving me meds for pain and stuff. Dr. Parks has been to Mum and Dad and says that the op went really well and there were no problems.
Mum says that I was asleep for the rest of the day and all night. They gave me so many drugs that i dont remember this at all.
During the night i got hiccups and a really bad headache - this upset me a little, but only in between sleeps.
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Post date: 30/09/2011 Location: OR, Children’s Hospital, St. Louis USA
Arrived at hotel really early. Met with Dr. Parks again and then started to get ready for my operation. I met lots of Doctors and Nurses. I was a little bit scared but then the nurse gave me something to drink that made my head go all funny and made me laugh a lot. Dad says it was like i had been drinking beer - but when Dad does that he starts singing - so it cant have been beer.
07:30 The nurses came to get me for my op. Buddy and Sleepy Bear went with me. I didn’t mind and they made me laugh some more. If you have to go have an operation you shouldn’t worry coz its gonna be okay.
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Post date: 29/09/2011 Location: Childrens Hospital, St. Louis USA
Well seems like the fun is over. This is me at pre-op. They x-rayed my back and then they marked the spot for
Dr. Parks. Early to bed tonight as we have to be back at the hospital by 05:45 tomorrow. Not looking forward to this at all.
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Post date: 28/09/2011 Location: Scotts Trade Centre, St. Louis USA
Ohhh Yer! Mum and Dad took me to WWE Wrestling. All my favourite stars from off the tele were there and I even got to meet a couple of them.
Mum liked the wrestlers too!
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Post date: 25/09/2011 Location: Cardinals, Busch Stadium, Downtown St. Louis USA
We dont get any football out here and Dad’s not coping with that too well. Its the end of the regular baseball season out here and it turns out that the St. Louis Cardinals are pretty good - so Dad says. They are playing today against Chicago Cubs and Dad wants to go - I DONT!
I love it - theres loads for kids to do and its family stuff everywhere, lots is free too.
The weather is hot and sunny and the ‘Cards’ are playing really well and won, there was fireworks at the end. Dad says that this means they might get into the playoffs and we can come again if i’m well enough - Yipee!
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Post date: 23/09/2011 Location: My bed room, Marriott Hotel, Downtown St. Louis USA
Everyone meet my new friend.
His name is Buddy. I made him at Build-A-Bear at the mall today.
He has some cool clothes and he also has a travelling bag, a basket, water bowl and a passport so he can come home with me.
You’ll be seeing alot of Buddy!
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Post date: 23/09/2011 Location: Galleria Plaza Shopping Mall, St. Louis USA
It was Mums idea to go shopping - surprised?
Anyhow it turned out okay. We found a fantastic place to eat called The Cheesecake Factory. I tell you everything out here is huge - couldn’t finish my Corn Dogs or my milkshake but the cheesecake didnt stand a chance!
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Post date: 22/09/2011 Location: Marriott Hotel, Downtown St. Louis USA
So we’ve arrived at The Marriott Hotel last night and its great. This is my room. 2 beds! We also have a lounge and a small kitchen. If you wanna see me getting ready to come here and flying out from Heathrow you’ll have to watch Choccywoccydoodah from 10th October on Good Food channel coz Dad forgot to take any pictures - what a Dumbo!
The hotel is very nice and all of the people are really lovely - I like the way they speak.
Gonna see if we can find the pool today
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