Kevin's Healing Journey: Week One After Foot Surgery

Lean on, trust, and be confident in Me with all your heart and mind - Proverbs 3:5/ Jesus Calling, January 22

The first week after surgery went great! I am so relieved that this has not been a traumatic experience. Kevin has not been in ANY pain! The nerve block controlled the pain in his leg and foot for four days. Kevin never had a drop of oral medication. In fact Kevin has barely acknowledged his cast or even the nerve block catheter that was in his thigh for four days. This positive experience will make it much easier when it's time to prepare for the second surgery for Kevin's hip later this year.

The hardest part is keeping Kevin entertained and off his feet. I use the abductor wedge sometimes to help keep his legs in a good position and to prevent him from getting up. As long as Kevin has his spoon and his iPad or a favorite show on TV...he's content and happy.

Listening to "Because I'm Happy" on iPad

On Wednesday, we were able to turn the electronics off for a while and read some books and play. Play is the word that Kevin kept using on his Talker. Grandee and Pap were left in charge while I snuck out to my yoga class and picked up some groceries. Later that night, the grandparents were left in charge again while Jon and I had a meeting and class at church.

Grandee helped Kevin with every meal this week

Pap took a break from his nap to play with Kevin

By Thursday, day three, there had been much lifting and moving and my body was tired - and my hamstrings are tight. To help get my body ready for my day with Kevin - I wake up early, take a hot bath with epsom salt and do some light yoga and stretching. I have been carrying Kevin downstairs in the morning and then in the afternoon upstairs again for the hyperbaric chamber and some other upstairs needs - and then of course back down again - plus all the other lifting and moving throughout the day. I have a new appreciation for my friends with kiddos that need this care all the time. I started sitting on the steps with Kevin on my lap and going down and up that way - going up requires a lot of leg strength with 70 pounds of Kevin on my thighs.

That afternoon, Kevin was done...and I mean done done with sitting...he wanted to get up and move around! Fortunately, this was about 20 minutes before the music therapist arrived and so Ms. Ellen was able to keep Kevin entertained and occupied for the next hour. Wish I could have captured Kevin's reaction when I moved him to the piano to play with Ms. Ellen - he was soooo happy....so happy that I didn't mind moving him to the piano twice during the hour. And check out that smile on Kevin when he got to sit at the dining room table to eat his dinner - the first time at the table.

Playing on the Ocean Drum

Dinner at the table!

Bedtime with 4 pillows!

Morning snuggle time with Grandee

On Friday, we finally let Grandee and Pap go home (they arrived on Saturday!). We loved having them here with us this week! It definitely helped having them around. They helped keep an eye on Kevin, helped keep him happy, helped me around the house, and I was able to get ahead on some meals for Kevin. Plus Grandee made us dinner every night - except the first and last night we ordered Indian. Before they left on Friday, Grandma arrived to visit for the day. She brought the wheelchair that Grandpa used for us to try out. I was surprised to see that the wheelchair fits through all our doorways on the main floor of the house. This is great! Not only do I not have to always carry Kevin through the house now...but Kevin can sit and look out the window when people come and go or when it's garbage truck day. He can also sit and play the piano or sit and eat at the table without an extra transfer to and from the chair. Grandma kept Kevin busy and entertained by doing her normal routine with him - learning about the states and presidents and reading books. He also wanted to "go" for a ride around the house in the wheelchair. I didn't get any photos of her yet because I was upstairs getting a massage with my favorite masseuse. By Friday evening I was completely exhausted and was in bed asleep before Kevin.

Saturday was very good with Jon home! We had beautiful weather, the sun was out and it was nearly 60 degrees - in January! We took Kevin outside for a walk/ride in the neighborhood and Jon and Kevin took a drive in the yellow car up to Grandma's house in the afternoon. Jon had a work commitment in the evening and wasn't going to be home to take Kevin to bed. I am so grateful for a family that we have known at church for years and has a high school age son that is a STRONG wrestler! He was willing to come over and carry Kevin upstairs to bed for me!

It's January!

On Friday morning, I turned the nerve block pump off and there were no changes in Kevin. So we took the catheter out of his leg the following day. The hardest part of this process was getting the sticky tape off his skin, my friend suggested rubbing alcohol. I'm hoping now that we don't have to be careful with the catheter and pump - it will be a little easier to carry/lift/move/transfer Kevin around.