HOMECOMING !!

Well, everyone else in the family has made a post on Amelia's blog, so I guess it is my turn.  This is Elaine, Amelia's mom, writing to let everyone know that Amelia really did come home yesterday, at about 7:00 pm!
There was lots of activity in the morning, with the last of 3 IV ports being removed, one last blood draw being done, 3 different visits from doctors, including her surgeon. We did find out that they fused 9 vertebrae from T4 to T12. They had thought the would fuse down to L1 but decided not to.  He was so pleased with her progress and several of the nurses and dotors commented on how well she was doing.  Her daytime nurse yesterday said there were rumors going on about Amelia.

  They really pushed her from the first day to get moving and I thought, wow, do they remember she had spinal fusion surgery yesterday!! They really had her doing anything she seemed up to doing.  The thing about Amelia is she is accustomed to pain and she is not a complainer.  Through all her years of physical therapy, braces, both hard and soft, and the many programs and exercises she followed, she just did it all with the same tremendously sweet spirit. .  The physical therapist was just amazed by her and said most 20 year olds are reporting pain at a 9 or 10.  Amelia was never reporting over a 5 or 6, 10 being the worst pain.  I think she is an under-reporter on the pain scale!  One of the nurses said she was bragging about Amelia to her family, saying how she was the ideal patient!  We told her she had youth and the power of prayer on her side.

Amelia's good friend Josh came in the morning.  Pat had to run into work for a while, so Josh hung out with us.  The gal came in with discharge papers and we got her medications ordered to the pharmacy and she had breakfast and lunch.  All that was left was for her body to cooperate and the last bodily function to happen. We were able to get her dressed and out the door in a wheelchair by 6-ish.  The good thing about the timing of it all was there was not much in the way of traffic to slow us down.  She did fine on the drive home, owing to the oxycodone and the valium they gave her!  Wow, you don't realize how bumpy the roads are until you are transporting someone home who has had spinal fusion!

My primary concern in bringing her home 2 days early, was how comfortable she would be in her own bed.  We had a foam bed wedge and lots of pillows and she is doing great.  The big advantage, in being home, is being able to get your medicine in a timely fashion, which helps you stay on top of the pain. Amelia and I were awake every 3 hours during the night,  doing meds and repositioning her in bed.  She needs help moving around in bed, but she is moving around really well on her own otherwise.

We will get some new pictures posted later today.  I hope this all made sense, as I am operating in a sleep deprived brain fog.  I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have the surgery portion of this journey over and know that Amelia is doing so well!!  Praise the Lord for his grace and mercy!