We're home

[celestin1170]

Just wanted to let everyone know that we are home. We came home on Saturday. Keri is doing ok. She has had alot of pain in shoulder where they took the bone for the bone graft. She's having a real hard time with not being able to bend. It's been a frustrating few days, and alot of tears from both of us. As long as she is lying down, she feels great. No pain, and she talks and laughs and rolls back and forth. But, as soon as she gets up she starts hurting and her stomach starts to feel upset. She won't hardly move her head and will not bend at her hips. She'll only move her arms the least amount possible. She does everything very stiff. It's hard to tell her how to bend at the hips to sit because I don't know what it feels like to her. It's very frustrating because I don't know what to do for her, and I'm so exhausted myself that I feel like the walking dead!
I think the surgery itself was the easy part. The healing after is the hardest I think. If anyone has any suggestions for us, I would love to hear them!!
Talk to everyone soon.

Kim

[Mary Lou]

Welcome Home!

Yes, sometimes I think the surgery was the easy part. You will get through this tough time, I promise! For about the first week or so after surgery I too was a walking zombie. Some nights Jamie would wake me every 20 minutes asking me to help her roll or to adjust the pill behind her back, etc.

Do you know why her stomach is getting upset? Are her bowels moving? Is it the pain medicine upsetting her stomach?

You asked for suggetions. Hmmm. Is there someone who will sit with Keri for even half an hour so you can go for a walk or take a long bath just to relief some of your stress? Can you give her a chair that sits up higher preferably with a high back and with arms so she doesn't have to reach down so low? Jamie found a high back, hard wooden rocking chair with pillows to soften the back to be her favorite spot to sit. How much is she walking? I know it is hard, but the more she moves, the better she will feel.

Jamie just told me to tell Keri to take it slow when trying to sit down or stand up. It does get better and she will get use to the new way of moving/thinking.

Good luck. Talk to you soon.

Mary Lou

[jc3]

hi kim
i know exactly how you are feeling. I have been there and i HAVE to tell you it DOES get better. I promise! The first few days at home are really hard. My nicole was walking so stiff also and bearly walking at the beginning. To the point that i was very worried that she would get a blood clot or something. She seemed to have recovered alittle slower than the others, but when she was ready she finally did everything. She wouldn't get in the shower for 3 weeks in fear of getting her back wet i was spongebathing her. She also walked like a zombie and the only place we finally found her comfortable during the day she would sit on the couch with pillows in back of her and her feet up on an otterman. If she was there she was fine, but once she had to move forget it. It was painful. She wouldn't sleep in her bed thanks to susanna's suggestion we put her on our big couch and that is where she slept. Where ever you can get her comfortable is where she should stay.
I know now it is hard to believe that it will get better. Someone told me that you can't judge the improvement from day to day, but week to week you will see an improvement even if it's alittle bit at first and that was so true.
Hang in there, there's better days ahead - we've all been exactly where you are and feel for you.
keep us posted on how she is doing
Jennifer

[SarahH]

Hi Kim, I havent been where you are just yet, but I thought that Id let you know that I am think of you and your daughter. I hope your days ahead are brighter and you both can get some much needed rest.

[celestin1170]

Thank you everyone for your encouragement. Yesterday she spent quite a bit of time out of bed. She actually sat up and watched an entire movie...lol. She's starting to do a little more on her own. Her stomach isn't bothering her as much now. She has been moving her bowels and I think that helped tremendously. She's also not taking her pain meds as much as she was. She says they really don't help anyway. (They sent her home on Tylenol 3.) I think they may have had something to do with the upset stomach.
She's starting to eat a little bit more. She seems to like one of our highbacked kitchen chairs with a pillow behind her back, but every now and again she will sit on the love seat. She is sleeping in her own bed. We got her one of those big body pillows that we prop behind her.
She hasn't had any problems taking a shower, thank god.
I'll continue to keep you all posted on how she's doing. Thanks again everybody for all your support. I don't know what i'd do without all of you.

Kim

[jc3]

hi kim
glad to hear things are sounding a little better. I think it just takes alittle time getting used to being home. My nicole used a pillow everywhere she sat for a while, she even brought one in the car everywhere we went when she first started going out, it really helps.
keep us updated
Jennifer

[blairf83]

I also had to tote a pillow everywhere. Even reclining a little felt odd for a while, and any sort of a firm surface felt bad... It didn't hurt, but felt very strange to the point where I actually got a bit sick to my stomach from it.
Glad to hear she's getting along a bit better.
I didn't really use my arms normally (or even turn my head much) for a few months unless I focused on it strongly. But now I'm back to normal...