March 11, 2012

We're home!

     I can't explain how good it is to be home. It's already nine am and Josh and Amaya are still sleeping. Amaya only needed one dose of pain med.'s before bed. We decided to let her sleep in our bed last night. We're all much more relaxed, comfortable and content in our home. Lidie was so happy to have her toys, her own bed and to take a bath in her own bathroom. Those little things really matter. Amaya also seemed much more relaxed.
       We got the word that we could leave the hospital at ten and left the hospital yesterday at about one. Before we could leave we had to get our prescriptions filled (for pain, an antibiotic, and a stool softener). The antibiotic is just in case she develops any signs of infection. Before we left Zach, one of the assisting surgeons came in and showed us how to make the turns on the fixator. It looks like a long Allen wrench. We'll be starting the turns on Monday(to begin lengthening). It doesn't look too complicated (we make four turns thought the day;four quarter turns in the same direction. After we make a turn the fixator clicks to let us know we made a turn). He suggested we put a dot of nail polish on the top, so that by the end of the day that dot should make a complete turn. If the dot isn't back up, we'll know that we didn't do all of our turns. He also reminded us to put the bar into the fixator at night (to help keep the leg straight) and to remove it during the day (to allow her to bend her knee). He also reminded us that she can't bear any weight on her left leg (because of the work on her hip) and to not let her put her heal down (because of her bedsore). He also answered some questions for us; told us that the fixator weighs about two pounds, is made of titanium steel and carbon fiber, told us that the pins are screwed into the bone and are a part of her bones, and strong enough for us to hold to lift her leg. He changed the bandage on her incision on her hip and the gauze on her pin sites. I got to help with the incision on the hip and saw the incision (it's only about three to four inches long). He said the pin sites and the incision all look great. Amaya isn't having anymore leakage from her pin sites. He also wanted to confirm that we had physical therapy in place before we left (our first appointment is set for Monday at 1:30). We have our follow up appointment with Dr.Nelson next Monday the 19th. The day before when we talked to Dr.Nelson he said that we didn't need to worry about daily pin site cleanings (that it didn't show that that helped prevent infections). He did stress the importance of daily physical therapy, he said over the weekend we needed to do some exercises with her, but that most of the hard work would happened at physical therapy. Dr. Nelson will be gone this week on mission work, but if any concerns arise we can call his office and speak to one of the assisting surgeons (and if need be they can contact him).
     As we drove to get Lidie from my cousin Amanda's house Amaya sighed and said "I just want to be with you,dad and Lidie in our own house." Lidie was so anxious to see us, she was outside waiting for us when we pulled up. Amaya decided to get out of the car and pushed herself around in the wheelchair. My aunts met us at my cousins house and delivered some food to help get us thru the next week. They were amazed at how well Amaya was doing. My aunt Inez told Amaya that she was her hero. Amaya wasn't too sure about being called that. Lidie showed Amaya the fish that she picked out for us (the girls are so excited to have a pet!). After a short visit, we left for home. It was so nice to know we were heading home.
     After we unloaded the car (we had accumulated so much stuff in one week! Plus our luggage for the week) we got Amaya settled on the couch. I started to get some food for the girls and putting food away. Amaya's grandparents and uncle made a quick stop to deliver a welcome home cake. Uncle Cody said goodbye, he was on his way to the airport to fly home to Sacramento.
    After they left we tried to get back to old routines (dinner, baths, and bedtimes). Amaya isn't allowed to shower until our follow up appointment with Dr.Nelson. Amaya stayed up until nine (it took her about an hour to get ready for bed; put a nightgown on, benadryl cream on her back (she is very itchy and is starting to make the area raw with her scratching), put a diaper on (in case of accidents), screw the bar into her fixator, then carry her down into bed. It was quite exhausting! Josh and me are trying to find the right balance of tough love and compassion (is there a right way?!).

This is the tool we use to turn her fixator rod to lengthen the bone.

Amaya painting a cloth flower that Katie from Child Life brought for her (they helped keep her distracted;put on Movie Day, brought games and crafts for her, created sticker charts to celebrate when she takes her medicine, etc.).

Getting ready to get into the car. She was nervous about getting into the car, but excited to be going home.

The cake her grandparents brought her.

Lidie at the pet store picking out a pink beta fish.

Here's our fish. Even though he's a male the girls are calling him a girl. Lidie named it pudding tornado bigfoot shiny rain Savannah Jimenez Potter. Amaya calls it Shinyrain. 

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