Recovery at Home

I have a MUCH greater respect for nurses.  It's hard to keep track of 10 different medications, given at different times.  And, if I got it wrong, she could have serious consequences.  Aaaak!

Elisabeth went home three days after surgery.  She had a lot of medications. I made a chart.  Set timers.  Set the alarm clock.  Woke up in the middle of the night.  Took care of her.

She took every med like a champ.

She loved being home again.  Within an hour of driving up in the car, she needed her hair fixed.  Southern girl for sure.

She let me detangle all of it.  She felt so very much better.  After an afternoon nap, she wanted to go outside!!

That's the picture at the top.  Elisabeth Grace.  Three days post-surgery.  Her head was a little swollen over her ear.  She had a mark on her forehead from the clamp that kept her little head still for all those hours.  But, otherwise, the same as ever.  Smiling on the front driveway.  Soaking up the sunshine.  And healing.

One week after surgery, her friend came to visit.  Elisabeth was very unhappy that she couldn't run around in the sprinkler with her.  She couldn't understand the need to be still.  I was thrilled that keeping her still was the problem.  What a wonderful problem to have!

She took prescription pain meds for about 10 days.

She took Advil for another 2 weeks.

Every day she got a little bit better. The paleness left her skin.  The energy came flooding back.  Her concentration tripled.  She wanted to read, do art projects, play with her siblings, go to museums, ride her bike, and do everything a 10 year old girl should be doing.

She needed rest.  We knew she needed it when she'd say "Shhh!  My head stings!!"  Time for the pain med, and a break.  But, I was amazed at how quickly her energy returned.  How much she was smiling.  How clearly she was thinking.  How strong she had become.

And no seizures.  Not even one.

I didn't realize how much of a cloud seemed to be hanging over our house before the surgery.  I thought we were hiding the stress well, and the kids didn't know.

Well, about 2 weeks post surgery, we realized.  We were laughing and joking and running around, almost giddy.  That high you get when you stay up past midnight, and everything's funny.  We realized our lives weren't as stressed anymore.

That we weren't constantly watching our child for danger and falls and blackouts.  That we were acting like a normal family.   It almost seemed to good to be true!

That's when we had the scare.