Long Night, Better Day

Katie is busy, so Grandpa is doing the blog and Grandma is making dinner for everyone.

Graham's night after surgery was rough. He experienced a great deal of discomfort and was wakeful throughout the night, no doubt due to the effects of the anesthesia and the implanted tissue expanders on either side of his omphalocele. Looking at the tissue expanders, you can understand why he has so much soreness. Almost the size of an adult hand (they are already partially filled), the areas are made obvious by extensive bruising. The G's night was marked by short fitful periods of sleep. He was given more potent pain killers at prescribed intervals that eventually proved successful. Needless to say, Mom and Dad greeted the morning sun very sleep-deprived.
Graham began to rest easier in the morning, which allowed Grandma and Grandpa a chance to pinch-hit and allowed Bill and Katie to grab a few hours of sleep. As the day progressed, Graham began to take liquids, sit up and generally feel better. To everyone's relief, it was decided by the docs in the late afternoon that he could go home.
Last night, in his own bed, was much better. Graham had long sessions of sleep, which means the pain medication is doing its job. Today he is up and about and getting back to his eating schedule. He is reluctant to crawl, however, because of the discomfort caused by the expanders. But he stands and walks with the aid of his push toys or Mom's hand. The best news is that we are seeing the old Graham personality beginning to break through...silly faces and all.
This Wednesday, we make the trip back to Riley for the first of six weekly saline injections into the expanders, a procedure that will necessitate a mild anesthetic and result in tenderness for a day or two.
Although there is still much ahead for the G-Man, We feel the first big step on this final phase of his recovery is behind him.