Hallie is doing really well. They started allowing her clear liquids on Friday-- sprite, water, popsicles. Then we graduated to yogurt, milk, pudding, and ice cream by the afternoon. Saturday, while I was at my grandpa's funeral, they let her have chicken nuggets and macaroni, but her system didn't tolerate that very well. She was in a ton of pain all Saturday night, so I pulled her back and went back to the soft diet. She wouldn't eat hardly anything at all yesterday. We played around with her pain meds and today has been an incredible day for her. She is off all iv's, although they will keep her picc line in until she is discharged. She is loving her new found freedom. She is supposed to be up and walking 4 times a day and yesterday I barely got in 3 times, but I think she's been on about 25 walks today. She is eating everything in sight. I taught her how to get out of bed without pulling on her belly and she is getting in and out of bed by herself. I think she might be having a reaction to the Lortab she is on (it makes me wired) but I figure as long as she isn't itching and we are making this kind of progress, I'm going to leave her on it, although I did tell my mom to not let her have the dose right before bed or they won't get any sleep tonight! Her lungs are finally clearing up and she is not coughing nearly as much. As long as she does well through the night, they are going to release her in the morning. Then we will have a few days to rest up and adjust before we fly out on Thursday.
We are very anxious to be back together as a family. Little did I know when I was packing my 2 pair of pants, 5 shirts, and 1 dress that I would be gone for 5 weeks, with 2 funerals, about 10 doctors visits, a surgery and 9 days in the hospital! Luckily, my little sister has let me raid her closet frequently! Derrick flew back with Carson and got him back in school today (he's been off track). While Derrick was here, we saw each other in passing, trading off kids as we swapped places at the hospital. I am very anxious for us all to be back together, under the same roof. It's been a LONG 5 weeks!
Hallie's intestines are working well, but missing 7 more inches is really effecting her. It is going to bring quite a bit more challenge into our lives, trying to get enough calories into her so that she can get the nutrients she needs and I think I may as well give up on potty training. We are not going any where that doesn't have a bathroom about 2 feet away from us for quite some time! Hopefully, as her intestines adjust more, we will have fewer bowel movements, but right now 8-9 a day is common. I will take her in to the new pediatric GI doc in Reno next week and hopefully he will be able to help me figure out what I can do to help her get the nutrients she needs with so little bowel!
All in all, we are doing well. It is nice to have hope that we will be able to start putting our lives back together again soon. To be able to spend a quiet evening with Derrick and all 3 of my kids, sounds like heaven. We take it so much for granted those quiet moments, even with the kids fighting. Those are the things that I am looking forward to. We have been incredibly blessed throughout all of this. Our family and friends, in Reno, and Salt Lake, as well as those sending their thoughts and prayers our direction from other locations have been incredible. Thank you to all who have helped with Carson and Tucker, even Hallie when I could not be with her, especially while I took Tucker to the doctor and while I was at the viewing and funeral! All of the packages full of fun things to keep Hallie occupied have been lifesavers! What a challenge to keep her occupied in the hospital for that long! I am reminded of what I learned when Hallie first had all of her health problems-- the Lord does not give you trials without sending blessings to help you through. We have been incredibly blessed and are so grateful for all of the small simple things that have gotten us to this point!
Hallie with my cousins and aunt-- they brought my grandma up to the hospital yesterday and she had a party with all 7 of them to entertain her! Mom is a little boring after a week in the hospital!
Hallie eating "real" food for the first time-- what could be better-- chocolate pudding and milk!
Hallie and her purple popsicle tongue. Eating is such a good thing!
Hallie and Grammy-- my mom has spent as much time as possible at the hospital with her-- working around the death of her father and the subsequent viewing and funeral. Thanks mom! I couldn't have done it without you!
Hallie and I at the end of one of her walks-- she was so shaky that I had to carry her back the rest of the way!
Hallie with my cousin Amy and her little girl Kambree-- they brought lots of goodies and fun things for her-- even though Hallie was extremely ornery to them!
Hallie in her wagon. I put her in it to take her up to see my mom in a meeting-- she wouldn't get out of it the rest of the day-- she took naps in it and everything! I think she liked the sense of freedom without having to move her sore little body!
Hallie painting a few days after surgery. The staff at the hospital is great! Whatever Hallie asked for, they brought to her, since she was allowed in the playroom because of her influenza. Today they even brought in a Barbie and a coloring book that took up her whole bed when she opened it up!
Hallie going for one of her first walks post surgery. She has to wear the mask when she leaves her room so she doesn't get the other kids sick-- She wouldn't wear hers unless I put one on too! She was so funny-- she had an iv in her ankle, but you would have thought her whole foot was broken, the way she hobbled around!
Hallie post-surgery-- that wasn't a very fun day, although with her epidural, it wasn't as bad as it has been following her other surgeries.
Hallie right after she was transferred from recovery. She had to be on oxygen for a little while and then they were able to move it to blow-by-- basically setting it close to her face, but not actually directly into her nose. 
1 comments:
A pretty positive report... I am so glad. Despite the difficulty of the situation, she seems to be so brave in each of the photos. Glad she is on the mend and hope to hear she is hope soon!
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