Where the decision came from...
Charlie was born with left-sided microtia, and the option of ear reconstruction has always been open to him from a young age.
When Charlie was six, he was referred to Neil Bulstrode at the request of his audiology surgeon, to ensure that the placement of his BAHA Attract would not create scar tissue that could affect a future reconstruction if Charlie ever chose to pursue one.
Since then, Charlie has spoken with Neil every three years to review his options and talk through how he feels. Each time, Charlie’s answer has been the same: “No — I like my ear just the way it is.”
At the age of 14, Charlie came to me and his dad and asked if he could have an ear reconstruction. It took us a little by surprise, but I didn’t show that to Charlie. Instead, I asked him what had made him start thinking about it, and we had an open, honest conversation about his reasons and what the surgery might involve.
Charlie shared that he had been thinking about his future, and how he didn’t want to feel he had to explain his microtia to people in college, work, or later in life. I made sure he understood that reconstruction would not improve his hearing, and that he may still need to use a hearing aid — but ultimately, the decision was his.
Both his dad and I felt that Charlie had really thought this through and was making an informed, mature choice. So we took the next step and added him to Neil Bulstrode’s waiting list at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I told Charlie that it was ok to change his mind at any point.
Planning the journey for reconstruction...
Once we received a date for Charlie’s surgery, the reality really set in and the planning began. I found myself full of questions, and struggling to find many answers.
That’s when I decided to start documenting and sharing our journey — in the hope that it might one day help another family who finds themselves in the same position.
Here is the very first video I created which covers how much time needed off of school, time off of work, speaking to his teachers for an early leave pass to avoid busy corridors, no PE, train tickets and rail cards and a packing list:
Here is a list of some of the things we packed:
- Towel each (it turns out they provide towels at the GOSH hotel, and after surgery Charlie is not allowed to shower until home so he didn’t need a towel)
- Shorts (Pack a few for your child as it is warm and Charlie suffered from feeling too hot a lot)
- Joggers
- Button up tops – or in Charlie’s case no top as he was too hot so no need to pack too many
- Pants / Socks (I packed too many socks as he wore the surgical socks for few days)
- Dressing gown & PJs for myself
- Lip balm (essential!)
- Pot noodle (easy food and you can make it in the parents kitchen)
- Laptop to occupy me
- Cards from family
- Nintendo Switch (I brought this and card games etc, but didn’t need them They have Uno, other games, PS4, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, TV, etc, plus an amazing team who come sing and do magic. Plus Charlie didn’t feel up to it most of the time)
- A blanket for an extra under layer for the parent bed to get more comfortable
- No fizzy pop – doesn’t sit well with their stomach
- Snacks – chocolate melts!
- Shampoo, conditioner and body wash for myself. There’s a shower in your bathroom on the ward
- And of course things like toothbrush, make-up etc etc…
February 9th, 2026
Day 1
We travelled by train from East Yorkshire to London King’s Cross, changing trains three times along the way. We set off at 10am and arrived at 1:45pm. I booked our train tickets in advance for around £25!
Charlie’s pre-op appointment was scheduled for 3pm, so we walked from the station to Great Ormond Street Hospital, which took around 20–25 minutes.
When we reached the main entrance, we took the lift up one floor to the main reception desk, where I spoke to the friendly members of staff to ask where we needed to go next.
We then walked along a few corridors and took the lift up to Magpie Outpatients. The appointment itself lasted no more than 30 minutes. During that time, we talked through the operation again, swabs were taken from Charlie’s nose and mouth, and his height and weight were recorded. They also answered my questions about wearing his glasses… they said we would need to go to the opticians and ask them to remove the arm from the glasses whilst it heals and to avoid it rubbing. They also mentioned that they save part of the rib for stage 2 reconstruction by creating a little man made pocket in Charlie’s chest, store the rib in there, and then do a light cut to get it out. How cool is that!
Afterwards, we headed to another department where medical photographs were taken of Charlie’s ears. These were for the surgical team to review and use when planning the procedure.
Once everything was done at the hospital, we made our way to Western House at Great Ormond Street Hospital — just a five-minute walk away. When you first walk into the room, don’t be surprised if the beds aren’t made. Fresh sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers and towels are all provided in the wardrobe. We quickly made the beds, had a short rest, and then headed out for some food and a little shopping — making the most of being in London before surgery the next day.
While we were out, I received a phone call confirming Charlie’s fasting instructions. His surgery was scheduled for around 1pm, so he needed to stop eating at 6am and could drink clear fluids until 10am. We were also asked to arrive at Woodpecker Ward for 12pm, and they kindly reminded us that Charlie should bathe or shower either the night before or the morning of surgery. There isn’t any shampoo or shower gel so you will need to bring your own.
February 10th, 2026
Day 2
We checked out of the hotel at 10am as requested and made our way to the hospital’s main entrance. Just inside is ‘The Lagoon’, where you can buy sandwiches, hot meals, snacks and drinks. Charlie didn’t mind me grabbing some breakfast as we had two hours to fill, so I went for the 7-item breakfast for £3.95 – which even came with a free slice of toast. You can get a smaller portion, for example, a couple of sausages and beans for about 65p per item. Sauces were 10p per sachet. Drinks, lunch food, sandwiches, fruit etc were all reasonably priced! There is a decent selection and the food was really lovely.
Once again, I asked at reception where Woodpecker Ward was, and the gentleman kindly asked a member of staff to escort us there. When we arrived, I explained to the nurse that we were early, but that wasn’t an issue at all. They checked us in, gave Charlie his hospital gown, socks and wristband, and even offered him another drink, water or apple juice.
They then showed us to our own room, where we waited for a while. During that time, they checked Charlie’s blood pressure, temperature and heart rate. A little later, a member of the anaesthetics team came to speak with us. She explained that now Charlie is older, they would usually offer to insert a cannula in his hand to administer the anaesthetic. However, Charlie said he would prefer to go to sleep using the gas mask. She reassured him that this was absolutely fine, but explained that as he’s older and bigger, it can sometimes take a little longer for him to drift off this way.
Neil Bulstrode and his team came in to see Charlie, and we signed the consent form. Neil asked if we had any questions, and when I mentioned the indent in front of Charlie’s microtia ear, he talked through the options and said he would see what he could do during the reconstruction. He also explained that Charlie could have another round of fat grafting to his cheek at the same time, if he wanted to. I was really pleased to hear that they would be keeping part of Charlie’s microtia ear and attaching it to the new ear. This gave me comfort that his original ear wasn’t gone forever, but instead used to help create the new one. They kept his ear lobe.
Once they left, Charlie changed into his gown and socks, ready for theatre. At around 1.30pm, we were walked down, and within a few minutes Charlie was asleep. After giving him a kiss on the cheek, I made my way back to the room to collect our bags before being taken up to Panther Ward on Level 6, where we stayed for the remainder of our time in the hospital. On the ward, you can go to the parent kitchen for your child’s breakfast as it is up to the parent to sort that. Charlie often wanted me to buy him a hot breakfast from The Lagoon instead. They provide lunch and tea for your child. There’s also a ‘breathing space’ just outside of the ward doors for parents to sit, relax or maybe make phone calls.
We had our own ensuite room, which was lovely and a good size. My bed was the chair in the far window – it turns into a bed. I have to admit, it is not very comfortable, but one of the nurses gave me an extra pillow to pad it out.
Time ticked by whilst I waited for Charlie. I spent the time updating family and friends, and I visited The Lagoon at 4pm to get some food.
At around 6pm, Neil Bulstrode and a few members of his team came by to let me know how well the procedure had gone. He did explain that they had accidentally nicked Charlie’s lung membrane during surgery, but he reassured me it was nothing to worry about. It was quickly patched up, and he said this can occasionally happen because of how close the ribs are to the lungs.
A few minutes later, I received a call from the recovery room asking if I’d like to come down and see Charlie. I dashed to see him, and his new ear, and when I got there he was still very drowsy and had a slightly raised blood pressure and temperature. Not long after, the nurses brought Charlie and I up to our room on Panther Ward.
His ear looked amazing, although it was very swollen. You could clearly see the size and outline of the new shape. His chest looked fine too, with just a small dressing covering the incision.
During the evening, Charlie was sick three times, felt warm (although his temperature remained stable), and was in some discomfort. I imagine throwing up caused additional pain to his ribs in that moment. It was really hard to see him cry, in pain, and feeling unable to help him. I gave him reassurance, an ice pack for his forehead, and helped him as much as I could. It was agreed to try additional anti-sickness medication, set up a morphine pump that he could control by pressing the beeper as and when needed, give paracetamol via IV, and start a bag of fluids to keep him hydrated. He had only managed to eat some ice cream when he had returned, so they decided to keep him nil by mouth until the morning.
Thankfully, by around 2am he had settled and slept through until morning. It felt like having a new born baby again: barely sleeping, constantly checking on him, caring for him, and being gently woken by nurses coming in and out. I think I managed about four hours’ sleep in total. It was hard.
February 11th, 2026
Day 3
The team came in at around 8.15am to check on Charlie and review his ear. It looked fantastic. The swelling had gone down significantly, and you could now clearly see the full framework and shape of the ear.
Charlie still wasn’t quite himself, he was very quiet and sleepy. His lips were dry but thankfully I had packed some lip balm. When he needed the toilet, a nurse and I helped him up. He took a dose of morphine beforehand and slowly made his way there. On the way back, it was suggested that he sit in a chair for a while. I think his blood pressure may have dropped at that point. Once seated, he said he felt very sick and as though he might faint. Thankfully he wasn’t sick. I fanned him and gently wiped his forehead until he drifted off to sleep in the chair. He managed to stay in the chair until around 2pm, but I think part of the reason he stayed there for so long was because he was too scared to stand up and move – because of the potential pain.
After a sleepy morning, Charlie perked up a little in the afternoon. I spoon-fed him all day as it was easier with the way he was positioned, and he struggled to push himself upright. I also held his drinks for him, letting him sip through a straw to make it easier. The staff were brilliant — always attentive and nothing was ever too much trouble. Physio came to see him and a play team who were dressed up also came to perform magic or sing songs but Charlie didn’t fancy it.
By the evening, Charlie was back on his phone, chatting away to his friends and the lovely play team on the ward had brought him an Xbox and PS4 to play on in bed. He was really pleased with how his ear looked. But then quite suddenly, he had pain in his ribs. He felt short of breath and became upset. I pressed the buzzer and the nurses quickly came, giving him morphine and an ice pack for his ribs. He soon settled again and then slept through the night.
12th February, 2026
Day 4
The next morning, Charlie wasn’t feeling great. It felt like he had taken a step backwards, which was hard to see. He was uncomfortable, still hadn’t had a bowel movement, and seemed low in mood and very sleepy. He spent most of the morning sitting in the chair, dozing. He didn’t eat or drink much and actually had a wee accident in the bathroom, so I helped change him.
By the afternoon, he had turned a corner and was feeling much better. He declined any morphine, saying he didn’t feel he needed it, so from that point he was just taking paracetamol, antibiotics, cream on his stitches and laxatives. He stayed awake all afternoon and into the evening, and even managed a small walk out of his room and back!
Things started to feel like they were looking up and Charlie was more confident in getting up or adjusting his position when sitting.
February 13th, 2026
Day 5
It was our final full day before heading home — all being well. Charlie was awake quite early, and I wasn’t far behind him. He still hadn’t needed any more morphine and seemed comfortable.
Neil Bulstrode’s team came to see him at around 8.15am, as they had done each morning. They were pleased with both the results and Charlie’s progress. Shortly afterwards, the nurse removed the cannulas from both of his hands.
Charlie then slept for most of the morning, probably a mix of the early start and his body still recovering. The plan for the afternoon was to encourage him to get up and walk around a bit more. I was slightly anxious about this, knowing we’d have the walk to King’s Cross Station when it was time to go home and Charlie hadn’t walked much yet.
A face-to-face appointment had been booked at GOSH for the following week to check his ear and rib site. I did ask whether this could be done via video, but unfortunately it needed to be in person — meaning another journey back. A further follow-up appointment was arranged for May, which will be via video call.
Once we are home I may pop a new update on here. The staff have been amazing, and his ear looks fantastic! Huge thanks to Neil Bulstrode and his team.
Here are a few more pictures from our stay, including pictures of the parent kitchen that you can use and where you get the child’s breakfast from:
If you want to ask me any questions then please feel free to email me: tina@microtiauk.org