I hope everyone is well. Meara is sleeping. We arrived back upstairs to the EMU around 9:30pm last night. She ate a grilled cheese sandwich yesterday in the ICU and then today she ate a total of six whole grilled cheese sandwiches. She can swallow and drink through a straw so we are feeling optimistic. She is starting to move her arm and hand a bit. Not much but enough to know that she has motor movement there. As the swelling goes down she will begin to get more left movement. Her right eye is no longer swollen shut. She's doing great. She is talking in clear sentences and when I show her pictures of her friends she calls out their names and smiles.
The surgeon came in this morning and instructed his team to order the therapy assessment for today. He says that we are over the hump and is anxious to see us get out of here. I can sense that he feels very good about her case. The rehab team came by and assessed her. They will begin tomorrow with intensive PT, OT, and speech therapy to help her get back to her normal pre-surgery self. We expect that face, tongue, and jaw will never fully recover since that was the part of the brain resected but over time some of the function should come back due to her brain finding new pathways and rewiring. This is the advantage of her being so young. The doctors expect shoulder, arm, and hand to fully recover. Either way, we are just grateful to have her here with us, being her normal self.
So, just hanging out and watching her progress. I included some pictures from Wednesday afternoon as we were waiting to head down for surgery. You can see her playing doctor with James ("Mr. B"). There is a picture of Meara after surgery in the ICU, pictures of Ainsley in the ICU waiting room (she is under 2yrs of age so she wasn't allowed to visit Meara while down there), picture of Meara with her teddy bear once we arrived back upstairs, and some more pictures of Ainsley being funny.
Mindy brought Ainsley again today to visit. We also had a visit from the Army Rugby team. They gave Meara a foam rugby ball and one of the players shared a special story about his Dad who was sick most of his life. He handed Meara a green hand puppet frog because his Dad used to carry around a green frog in his pocket for when he felt green. They are special guys. Go Army Rugby!
Chris, Dave, and Beth all came and visited with us tonight. We ordered pizza and played games. It is wonderful to have such good friends to keep us company here at the hospital. Oh, and they made us chocolate chip banana bread! Bam!
While in the ICU there was a family who lost their young child. He was 2 and had been there for 2 months. He had multiple organs that were failing but it was his heart that gave out. We are praying for this family and wrapping them in love. I can't imagine what they are going through during this most difficult time.
I also want to ask for prayers for someone in our life who will be starting her own journey through treatment. Pray that she and her family will have strength and peace throughout.
Many lives and many journeys.
Thanks again everyone for lifting us up . Thank you for taking the time to pray and send good thoughts to these families.
Mindy brought Ainsley again today to visit. We also had a visit from the Army Rugby team. They gave Meara a foam rugby ball and one of the players shared a special story about his Dad who was sick most of his life. He handed Meara a green hand puppet frog because his Dad used to carry around a green frog in his pocket for when he felt green. They are special guys. Go Army Rugby!
Chris, Dave, and Beth all came and visited with us tonight. We ordered pizza and played games. It is wonderful to have such good friends to keep us company here at the hospital. Oh, and they made us chocolate chip banana bread! Bam!
While in the ICU there was a family who lost their young child. He was 2 and had been there for 2 months. He had multiple organs that were failing but it was his heart that gave out. We are praying for this family and wrapping them in love. I can't imagine what they are going through during this most difficult time.
I also want to ask for prayers for someone in our life who will be starting her own journey through treatment. Pray that she and her family will have strength and peace throughout.
Many lives and many journeys.
Love and Gratitude,
Aaron & Megan
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| At the park with Aunt Mindy |
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