Kickin' It Into Recovery

We are not out of the woods yet, but we are improving throughout last night and this morning. Madeline has eaten two small meals and kept all of the food and oral medication in her stomach. This is great progress.

Wednesday was the surgery, and they call this Day 0. That makes today Day 3. I hold the Jesus story as a sign of hope, "and on the third day, he rose...." I am holding the power of Jesus as the resurrected one and great healer. God continues to show up as gentleness, healing, and hope through our friends, your prayers and messages, through the medical staff, and through sheer presence in our ICU room. I find myself praying God's presence for other's in ICU, including one patient who celebrated his 13th birthday this week.

 

Madeline is still experiencing lots of pain and was registering at levels 7-9 throughout the night and into this morning despite an excellent pain management routine. We received another nurse today, so we are giving thanks for the expanding nurse team: Josh, Tracey, Callie, Luke, Jody (CN), and now Victoria. These people are incredible. Focused yet personal. 

 

There are a few highlights of the last 12 hours. We planned to fall asleep at 9pm yesterday evening, but Madeline was all of a sudden very chatty with me and Nurse Callie (who offered to warm up her Sloth, who was recently named Levi). Madeline talked about her last memory before surgery and the presence of new sensations in her face and forehead. She also requested to watch a show....We watched an episode of Jessie and Kickin It (The shows made Madeline feel better, but I began feeling nauseous listening! Clash Royale was yet again my distraction).

 

In her chatty stage last night, Madeline asked for her phone. I had to say "no" and can thankfully blame Dr. Troup and the neuro/PT/OT teams. Unprompted she said, "I haven't had my phone for three days, and it is kind of nice." I want to bottle those words, turn them into vitamins, and feed them to her for the next five years. I might even want to take a daily dose myself. Imagine if we could bottle this stuff and release the need to have our phones?!?! (Or is this only an issue for Madeline and me?)

 

After taking an oral medication, Madeline continued to grow in alertness and stuck her arms out for a hug. This meant the world and was probably one of the largest muscular actions she has taken besides using the toilet and completing a swallow study (yesterday - results seem to suggest she needs to strengthen her throat muscles and continue the thickened liquids diet). The best part of the evening was when Nurse Callie came into the room and offered to warm Levi; Madeline again extended her arms for a hug with Callie. She also gave Nurse Callie a smile. Callie seemed to be overjoyed by the gesture, also. Madeline is clearly having access to more feelings, including joy, sadness, and anger. This is all an upgrade from the pure anxiety she felt a few nights ago. I must admit that when she gets angry and directs it at me I feel some relief - it is a sign of her fullness and fierceness returning. Madeline and I primarily live at the intersections of joy and rage; kindreds for sure.

 

She is also eating more. Last night she ate mashed potatoes and fed herself a few bites. This morning she ate a portion of a Chick-Fil-A mini (nothing like Chick-Fil-A as your first real bite of food). She is also drinking her liquids from a straw, and in the first hours of this morning she has sipped more ounces of liquids than she completed yesterday.

Finally, Madeline began asking for people this morning. She FaceTime with Ruby (also known as Wuby) from Bethany Beach and my friend, Chuckles, from Holland. We also talked to my sister, Kari. Madeline is looking for connection (beyond her dad) but after 2-3 minutes on a call, she is wiped. Ruby was a gift as she walked around her house and let Madeline see her siblings. Mary, Ruby's sister, gave a huge hello which prompted tears. Madeline just wants Ruby to come to visit her at the hospital. Hopefully she can connect with the Core Four tomorrow or next week.

 

Today is a bright day. We celebrate eating, awareness, and connection. If Madeline can get up and move around, she might move to a general pediatric room. The goals before going home are pain management (revelation 21:3-5), a shower (Psalm 51:7), and the must-do number two (Deuteronomy 23:12-14). 

 

Thank you for your ongoing interest and prayers for Madeline. I cannot help but believe they are central to the act of recovery. Blessings to each of you today.