One week down

Is it Sunday already?  Somehow this week has felt like an entire month, while also going quickly so I  had no time for anything.  I was delusional, thinking that Emma would bounce back from this surgery as quickly as her ear tubes, or g-tube closure surgeries!  I thought I would have "vacation" time this week.

After arriving home on Wednesday, Emma made a little progress each day.  She had more energy each day, and her appetite steadily increased.  She's very limited on what she can eat without chewing.  Mainly she has smoothies and meal replacement drinks, soup, apple sauce and mac and cheese. 

We have a busy schedule of medicine, to manage pain, oral rinses, because she can't brush her teeth, and antibiotic ointment for her incisions.

Emma has managed to watch several movies this week, as well as doing some coloring and reading.  She's keeping busy inside the house.  The weather has been the best we've had all year, and I know Emma is sad to not be able to go to the pool, which opened for the season yesterday.  However, it's not going to be the whole summer (I hope)!

One of the main restrictions she has had is that she still has drains in.  These are tubes, about 1/4" in diameter, inserted under the skin just behind her ears, and down in to her cheeks.  They are draining excess fluid and blood from the main surgical site, in to two plastic bulbs, that act like suction.  They are pinned to the shoulders of her clothes to stop them hanging or getting caught.  We are going to see her surgeon on Tuesday, to hopefully get them removed.

Going back to school is still up in the air.  She has 3 weeks left of school.  I've ruled out going back this coming week, which leaves two weeks.  I have a few hesitations.  First, she is still very swollen, especially on the left side.  Second, since her cheeks were fixed tight, to allow for stretching, her top lip is still way high, so she has a permanent fixed grin, which is not ideal for "fitting in".  Lastly, she has not seen herself yet.  We have offered a few times, but she is adamant about waiting.  I'm not sure she can avoid a mirror indefinitely, but I would like to have her hair done, so she feels normal.

So, we still have a ways to go, but we see the smile on Emma's face and it is like a ray of sunshine!