Post-Op Visit - One week out from discharge.

Hewitt saw his thoracic surgeon today, Dr. Ranne, and he is doing well! He got his “stickers” off…AKA his bandages. Everything is healing appropriately. Harry came for moral support. He LOVES to go ANYWHERE, even the doctor!! Hewitt….not so much! His voice is still very weak and often sounds like he is hoarse and/or whispering a bit. He said that can take up to 3 months to go back to normal and it is likely form the intubation. And my guess maybe partly because he didn’t talk for over a week while in the hospital and really minimal talking the week before because he didn't feel well. He is about 75% back to normal. His energy is still lower and by the end of the day he semi-falls apart. It seems to cause him pain when I lay him flat on a hard surface to change his diaper. He has only been able to take partial baths because we weren't able to get the left side wet....SO......we had to wash his hair in the sink, which he hated, and then get in the bath to wash everything else. He doesn't understand...you MUST wash your hair! He mainly wants me because I think he is afraid that someone else will pick him up wrong and not know how not to hurt him. SO he still guards his "owie" when doing activity. Poor friend! He is getting stronger everyday and his sleeping routine has gone back to normal for the most part! THANK YOU LORD!!!!! We are still on oral antibiotics. He is such a trooper. When I told him we were going to the doctor today he started crying saying, "I want to stay right here, right here. No bye bye." Harry is simultaneously saying, "I go bye bye, I go doctor". I explained to Hewitt that there would be no owies, but the doctor had to take his "stickers" off so he could get better. So by the time we were on our way he was saying, "I get my stickers off, get better." 

-"CHEESE"

-Never at the same time!

-Harry prefers to be the patient.....so he thinks! 

I have talked to him in very plain terms because our children understand SO much more than we give them credit for and I think when we try to shield them, distract them, or sugar coat it too much it actually has the opposite effect and cause anxiety and mistrust. Of course, he still cried A LOT in the hospital, but he learned that I was telling him what was happening and why and I can tell it has really helped him. For example, his Augmentin taste terrible and he hates it. They were actually worried at the hospital that he may not take it because kids hate the taste. I said, "Oh he will take it". He fought me everyday in the beginning and I kindly explained that he had three choices, either he took it on his own, I held him down, or he had to go back and get shots everyday. You choice. He chose to take it every time as long as I had something nearby to wash it down with. Smart kid. BUT today....he took it without a word and actually said, "i get better". YAY!!! 

So grateful for life, modern medicine, antibiotics, anesthetics, Motrin, IV’s, our TOP notch hospitals…..So many things we take for granted on a daily basis. #blessedbythelittlethings 

-Might have panicked when I turned around and they were playing with doctor office toys, BUT you could smell the disinfectant and I drilled the lady about their cleanliness level....she said no one has played with them in a week!" 

😳😝👊🏼

-Then we stopped by my old office and they put Mickey stickers everywhere!