Elise had a much better night last night. She slept from 9pm-7am. I was able to talk the nurses into leaving her alone from 9-midnight and then she went back to sleep each time they came in after that. The doctor came in while she was still asleep this morning and said if we got all the tubes out and she was able to go to the bathroom and tolerate the meds without vomiting, she could go home.
The nurses and doctors were very good about letting her sleep in this morning, but when she woke up they pounced on our room. First, the doctor for the epidural came in and pulled that out. It was easy. Then the nurse came to pull the catheter (which also went very well) and Elise immediately wanted to go to the bathroom. She was able to make it to the bathroom with help from me and the nurse, and sat there about 15 minutes and did her business :) She kept saying how much she felt like "a real person again". Then we got her back into bed and she ate some breakfast and started drinking so she could go potty.
We spent a couple of hours watching iCarly and making art. At one point a harpist was playing by the nurses station so we opened our door so we could listen. We also had a special visitor. We were told to watch out the window for a visitor to arrive and sure enough, a helicopter flew by the window and a little while later Santa knocked on the door. He brought some Air Force men and women with him who were carrying boxes of toys. Santa talked with Elise for a little while and then pulled out a toy for her and said good-bye. Then each airmen came in and told me Merry Christmas. When they left, Elise said "Mama, Santa IS real!" It was hard to argue with that!
Soon the urologist came in again and made the decision to pull the tube from her incision. She was really scared about it, but he was actually very good with her and had it out very quick. At a certain point he told her to count to five and it was out by 2. What a relief! The only thing that was still hooked up was her IV in her hand. Then we spent a half hour playing Bingo. The game is broadcast over the TV and if you win, you call in. Elise did win and after all the games were done, they brought the prize cart up to our room for her to pick something out.
After Elise took another trip to the bathroom and passed the potty test, her nurse came in and told us we could go home today. Elise was very worried about getting the IV out so the nurse came over and looked at it and took it out. She was free!! Scott came and picked us up and we were home by 4:30. It's very painful to watch Elise walk, but she insists she will do it herself, so she hobbled into the house where grandma and grandpa and Eliot and Adrienne were waiting. Grandma and grandpa had made her a bed in the recliner. Dinner was also waiting for us and my floors had been cleaned (remember we left after being home 3 days for a snow day?) and all the laundry was done. What a wonderful treat! Thanks Linda :)
Tonight, Lilly came over to make sure her friend was OK. It was so nice for them to be together and a great distraction for me- thanks Tammy for taking the time to help Elise with her project :)
Our plan is to just take it day by day. The recovery time is 4-6 weeks. She goes in January 6th to have her incision checked and then will go in March 4th to have "the tube" (VCUG test) to see if the surgery worked. Until then we recover from this and keep taking our daily meds and trust that this is God's perfect plan and hope that His timing is the same as ours and that the test will show that she is completely healed. Thanks for praying us through! You can't imagine how many times I opened my computer to read and re-read all the kind thoughts and words of encouragement from the past few days. You truly have an impact on me and I am blessed to have each of you in my life.
The nurses and doctors were very good about letting her sleep in this morning, but when she woke up they pounced on our room. First, the doctor for the epidural came in and pulled that out. It was easy. Then the nurse came to pull the catheter (which also went very well) and Elise immediately wanted to go to the bathroom. She was able to make it to the bathroom with help from me and the nurse, and sat there about 15 minutes and did her business :) She kept saying how much she felt like "a real person again". Then we got her back into bed and she ate some breakfast and started drinking so she could go potty.
We spent a couple of hours watching iCarly and making art. At one point a harpist was playing by the nurses station so we opened our door so we could listen. We also had a special visitor. We were told to watch out the window for a visitor to arrive and sure enough, a helicopter flew by the window and a little while later Santa knocked on the door. He brought some Air Force men and women with him who were carrying boxes of toys. Santa talked with Elise for a little while and then pulled out a toy for her and said good-bye. Then each airmen came in and told me Merry Christmas. When they left, Elise said "Mama, Santa IS real!" It was hard to argue with that!
Soon the urologist came in again and made the decision to pull the tube from her incision. She was really scared about it, but he was actually very good with her and had it out very quick. At a certain point he told her to count to five and it was out by 2. What a relief! The only thing that was still hooked up was her IV in her hand. Then we spent a half hour playing Bingo. The game is broadcast over the TV and if you win, you call in. Elise did win and after all the games were done, they brought the prize cart up to our room for her to pick something out.
After Elise took another trip to the bathroom and passed the potty test, her nurse came in and told us we could go home today. Elise was very worried about getting the IV out so the nurse came over and looked at it and took it out. She was free!! Scott came and picked us up and we were home by 4:30. It's very painful to watch Elise walk, but she insists she will do it herself, so she hobbled into the house where grandma and grandpa and Eliot and Adrienne were waiting. Grandma and grandpa had made her a bed in the recliner. Dinner was also waiting for us and my floors had been cleaned (remember we left after being home 3 days for a snow day?) and all the laundry was done. What a wonderful treat! Thanks Linda :)
Tonight, Lilly came over to make sure her friend was OK. It was so nice for them to be together and a great distraction for me- thanks Tammy for taking the time to help Elise with her project :)
Our plan is to just take it day by day. The recovery time is 4-6 weeks. She goes in January 6th to have her incision checked and then will go in March 4th to have "the tube" (VCUG test) to see if the surgery worked. Until then we recover from this and keep taking our daily meds and trust that this is God's perfect plan and hope that His timing is the same as ours and that the test will show that she is completely healed. Thanks for praying us through! You can't imagine how many times I opened my computer to read and re-read all the kind thoughts and words of encouragement from the past few days. You truly have an impact on me and I am blessed to have each of you in my life.
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