Week Five Home
The beauty out our door!
Day 27 Home August 6th (Monday)
Occupational Therapy first thing in the morning. I think we both would have preferred to sleep in! Seth worked very hard at OT! The swelling was a little concerning to Billy but not alarming and it was recommended we just let the Orthopedist look at it on Tuesday.
We look for beauty and moments of peace where we can. I cannot express the gratitude we feel to be in a home that works for us. Em had not had even one asthma attack since we have arrived here!
Occupational Therapy first thing in the morning. I think we both would have preferred to sleep in! Seth worked very hard at OT! The swelling was a little concerning to Billy but not alarming and it was recommended we just let the Orthopedist look at it on Tuesday.
We look for beauty and moments of peace where we can. I cannot express the gratitude we feel to be in a home that works for us. Em had not had even one asthma attack since we have arrived here!
Day 28 Home August 7th (Tuesday)
Big day at the Orthopedist! Three of the seven pins were removed! I guess generally they are not too hard to remove. However Dr. T said Seth's were a little on the hard side. At one point he had his foot up to use as leverage and had to really yank. There was more blood and pain than we had thought would be part of it, but of course Seth just grinned and rode it out. I am so amazed at his strength! Our Lil' Bit insisted on coming with and she really thought the whole process was kind of cool! Three more weeks and out come the last four pins! Yeah!
When the appointment was over I felt he needed a treat... hey that is what I always do for the kids! We went to the best little seafood place! Afton has a great fresh seafood eating spot... long wait... but well worth it. After lunch we had to track down a package misplaced by the post office, and run a few other errands.
Big day at the Orthopedist! Three of the seven pins were removed! I guess generally they are not too hard to remove. However Dr. T said Seth's were a little on the hard side. At one point he had his foot up to use as leverage and had to really yank. There was more blood and pain than we had thought would be part of it, but of course Seth just grinned and rode it out. I am so amazed at his strength! Our Lil' Bit insisted on coming with and she really thought the whole process was kind of cool! Three more weeks and out come the last four pins! Yeah!
When the appointment was over I felt he needed a treat... hey that is what I always do for the kids! We went to the best little seafood place! Afton has a great fresh seafood eating spot... long wait... but well worth it. After lunch we had to track down a package misplaced by the post office, and run a few other errands.
The needed tool to remove the pins
It took a lot of work to get them out!
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WOW! They were soooo ling!
One... two ... three
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One down... two to go!
Day 29 Home August 8th (Wednesday)
After the previous days appointment, Seth seemed a little traumatized. It was the first morning he woke up and just didn't want to do any more appointments and just wanted the "damn thing" to be over. No sense of humor, and not easily jollied... and that was just fine with all of us. He was really apologetic and sweet, and we all just made room for him to have a bad day... he was definitely entitled!
Occupational therapy went a little rough for him and at one point he lost all color in his face. Billy read it very very well and slowed things down. He encouraged Seth to take deep breathes and listen to what his body needed. I can see the value in having an intuitive and kind person in this field of work!
After the previous days appointment, Seth seemed a little traumatized. It was the first morning he woke up and just didn't want to do any more appointments and just wanted the "damn thing" to be over. No sense of humor, and not easily jollied... and that was just fine with all of us. He was really apologetic and sweet, and we all just made room for him to have a bad day... he was definitely entitled!
Occupational therapy went a little rough for him and at one point he lost all color in his face. Billy read it very very well and slowed things down. He encouraged Seth to take deep breathes and listen to what his body needed. I can see the value in having an intuitive and kind person in this field of work!
Deep breathing to keep from passing out!
Day 30 Home August 9th (Thursday)
Another day and more appointments but this time not for the cowboy! Seth's doctor for his eye is a plastic surgeon and does beautiful work. Em was born with a gestational cyst above her left eye. She finally felt ready to have it removed. There should be minimal scarring, and we are thankful that she will no longer experience the pain sometimes caused or some of the teasing she endured.
I was a little taken aback when we arrived. A while back we had a negative experience with someone in the medical field. That period of time left me without the blind trust I used to have for people in fields which one generally accepts and respects. I treat them with the same politeness I do any stranger but trust and rapport are something which is earned. Though I'm sure most people in the medical field are trust worthy, I am not comfortable with a stranger taking my child back alone prior to a surgery without allowing me to be with her until they take her off the the procedure.
We trust the doctor, as he did Seth's surgeries, and we have a rapport with him. I had never met this nurse and she wasn't even our doctors nurse. Our doctor's nurse came right back out and got me when she realized Em was taken back without us :) I'm never again not going to trust my instincts. What we went through was a HUGE painful lesson for our family and I've ;earned how to express our needs. :) Of course I didn't express all the past history. I just asked if they could find out if I could be with her until the procedure :) and they let me :) I include this in the blog to encourage you to be advocate for your family members and not to just accept hook, line, and sinker what you are told to do when navigating medical issues. A good caregiver will encourage this :) and work to build a trusting relationship.
Another day and more appointments but this time not for the cowboy! Seth's doctor for his eye is a plastic surgeon and does beautiful work. Em was born with a gestational cyst above her left eye. She finally felt ready to have it removed. There should be minimal scarring, and we are thankful that she will no longer experience the pain sometimes caused or some of the teasing she endured.
I was a little taken aback when we arrived. A while back we had a negative experience with someone in the medical field. That period of time left me without the blind trust I used to have for people in fields which one generally accepts and respects. I treat them with the same politeness I do any stranger but trust and rapport are something which is earned. Though I'm sure most people in the medical field are trust worthy, I am not comfortable with a stranger taking my child back alone prior to a surgery without allowing me to be with her until they take her off the the procedure.
We trust the doctor, as he did Seth's surgeries, and we have a rapport with him. I had never met this nurse and she wasn't even our doctors nurse. Our doctor's nurse came right back out and got me when she realized Em was taken back without us :) I'm never again not going to trust my instincts. What we went through was a HUGE painful lesson for our family and I've ;earned how to express our needs. :) Of course I didn't express all the past history. I just asked if they could find out if I could be with her until the procedure :) and they let me :) I include this in the blog to encourage you to be advocate for your family members and not to just accept hook, line, and sinker what you are told to do when navigating medical issues. A good caregiver will encourage this :) and work to build a trusting relationship.
Dad and his girl before her procedure. You can see the cyst above her left eye.
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After the surgery... all smiles. A few stitches :)
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