It has been two weeks since Emma had her Cochlear Implant surgery. Her scare is looking amazing and her swelling is not as noticeable as it was last week. We started her ear drops to start dissolving the internal packing in her ear drum tonight, which yippeee!! This time next week she will be using her implant, since we go next Monday to get it activated!!!! But not all healing can be seen........ Let's reflect on the last two weeks.
Surgery day started great, she was so brave and did not even cry when they took her back. She spent her time in pre-op coloring her sheets to look pretty in the OR, singing to Frozen on the Ipad and doing seek-a-words with her prayer monster:)
Surgery was longer and harder then most. Which is true Emma form, nothing is as it seems when it comes to her complicated little body. However, the surgery ended well and they did a few test in the OR and the implant did well. Her recovery room time was not so easy and we had a few moments of doubt that we would get to go home. But she rallied and we got to go home early that evening.
I have to say that her purple little buttoned down pjs we finally found at Gap Kids on line were so cute and so easy to put on her with her ear gear on:) Thanks Meme and Papa for buying two more after I ordered one set. She wore them for a solid like three days;) The drive home wore her out and she passed out pretty quick. She did fight some nausea and some random throwing up, but not too bad. She basically slept, drank some water and took her meds.
I took a bubble bath to relax and get the hospital smell of me, and I came back out to this sweet scene! It had been a long day for us all!
The next day, she was still pretty tired and cranky. She played her daddy's Ipad, watched some movies and slept most of the day. She did spend some snuggle time with Meme who visited. She did not want food most of that day, but by dinner I got her to eat some rice, and maybe some baked potato.
laughing as she ate her rice on the couch
Wednesday we went on a short drive to get her McDonald's for lunch and then she played with her cousin, Meme and Papa that afternoon after a long nap with mommy.
She got a visit from Auntie Alicia as well. Plus her favorite dinner of Mexican brought to us by sweet friends!
Auntie Alicia got her some of that odd Kinetic Sand which was fun to play with!
Thursday we played, she hung out with Nana and Taylor finally got to return home from hanging at Nana's most of the week. I had to work and Nana brought Taylor home and hung with the kids. Emma did a little too much and by dinner was sound asleep on the couch. Aunt Nay came to see her and barely got a smile from her. Another friend brought dinner and she woke briefly to talk to her and Aunt Nay. But she was pretty tired still. This was the first day she had not napped about two hours or more after lunch. It was also one of the last days she did not nap:)
That weekend we tried to stay low key and hung out. We got stuff to grill and had Nana to dinner. Emma loved helping me clean the corn. We also had a fire and made smores!
Tired and sound asleep by me in my bed. She spent a lot of this first week in my bed asleep!
Father's day we made it to church and even hung with my family for lunch and play time with the cousins!
Love this photo from Father's day!
Last week, week two of healing, we were a little more active. Visited some libraries, had art time with Hudson, lunch out, and some other fun. We also had a double date with a friend and her daughter:) However, we still napped most days at least two hours. She was so tired and still healing. The scar started to really heal and I spent most of the day putting "cream" as she called it on her ear to keep it from itching. We happily welcomed back her crazy, free spirit and I got to see lots of dress up and silliness again. I had so messed it the week before. She was more subdued and emotional that first week.
We are now onto week Three! Her physical healing is in the final stages, but sadly her emotional healing is still pretty fresh. She is easily upset still and seems to be more fragile of spirit as well. It is really hard on her to not be so social but with not being able to swim or get her ear wet, we have not been able to join friends at pools or attend her camp this week. So, mommy is trying hard to keep us cool in the heat and having fun as well. Today we built a little reading tent and painted a pallet in a flag style. It was so fun!!
Interesting enough, the day of surgery, I wore my Women of Faith shirt that has a scripture on it. As the nurse called us back for her surgery, the front desk lady ran up and handed me this. She said she hoped it helped since she saw I was religious. I have it by my bed now! It is something I am having to remember a lot right now. Healing is hard, healing is tiring, and healing has to take place for us as parents as well as her! We are all a little raw, emotional, tired and worn. Everyday seems to have a new set of challenges and hardships and honestly we just want to have something not be so exhausting. We are working hard to keep her upbeat and having fun, but that is hard. I promise that we are excited for her turn on date and the roads this will open up for her, but......it is a hard journey. A lonely journy..... but God is here and soon this too shall be in the past! Better days are coming!!
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