Day 3 Coming Home

On Friday November 25 we had been in the hospital just 48 hrs and the nurses came in to tell us we could go home! What?!? We were told we would be there 3-5 days! We couldn't believe we were already going home. Eli woke up happy and ready to play. His eyes were puffy but not swollen shut. He was doing great! The nurses told us that the neurosurgeon's nurse practitioner would be down to change his bandage and give us some instructions for at home.

Reading some books while waiting to be discharged.

When the nurse practitioner came in to change his bandage we asked her about us going home early. She said that usually with most kids by this time in the process his eyes would've swollen shut. The fact that they hadn't and that he hadn't been on much pain medication except Tylenol were both good signs for his recovery and that there was no need for him to stay. Instead of putting another turban on when she changed his bandage, she just put a piece of gauze over the incision and then a net stocking over that to keep it in place. The nurses told us when our one week post-op check up would be and then said we could go.

Teagan showing Eli his new car. They were just hanging out until we got our stuff packed up.

Since we've been home Eli has done awesome! The first morning his left eye was pretty swollen, so much so that he got a black eye, but since then the swelling has continued to go down! Until a few days ago he did seem to freak out if he was left all alone in a room and he's still not comfortable rolling, but he is loving playing in his exersaucer and his bouncy seat. He has even started sitting without any support.

One week post-op. (age: 6 1/2 months)

We have our one week post-op appointment tomorrow morning. We're looking forward to hearing what the doctors have to say. We'd like to thank you again for all of your prayers and support! They definitely did not go unnoticed!

Day 2 in Hospital/Thanksgiving

Eli woke up on Day 2 in the PICU a little swollen but not bad. The doctors had told us that each day would progressively get worse so to be prepared. Dr. Iskandar came to check on him and he said that he would get a new turban because his was getting a little snug. He also said that he could move to general care. After that he proceeded to have more wires unhooked and by 11:00 am we were moving rooms.
Our families started showing up and we discovered that someone had provided a Thanksgiving dinner for anyone on the 4th floor (the floor we were on). It was a full spread, including dessert. It was nice to all be able to sit down and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal together. While we were eating lunch we had left Eli in his room to take a nap. I checked on him a couple of times right after I had laid him down and he was asleep each time I checked. I went and told the nurse that we would be in the lounge if she needed us and explained that Eli was sleeping (later she told me she had checked on him not long after that and he was sleeping). My brother even went in the room to get something a little later than that and he was sleeping. As soon as I finished eating I went to check on him again and when I walked in he was still asleep but his turban was on off and so was the gauze that was protecting his incision! So I went and got the nurse to ask her if she knew what had happened and she didn't. She went with me to check on him and after seeing him she said she would call someone to come and redo his turban.

Waiting to get a new turban.

It was the first time we got a really good look at his head. And just as the plastic surgeon it was pretty lumpy bumpy! When the doctor came to redo his turban Ryan was just joking around and said something about giving him a chin strap so he couldn't get it off. The doctor took him seriously and gave him one!

With his new turban...chin strap and all!

As the day went on his swelling did get worse but he didn't seem to be in much pain. The nurses continued to give him Tylenol but he hadn't had Oxycodone since 4:30 am. The whole day he was such a good baby. He would play in his bed for awhile and then he would want to be held and play with Ryan or I. He loved having all the family around and getting to interact with everyone.