Braden's had an extreme pain make-over. Yesterday he had to work on getting up out of bed and there was blood-curdling screams for quite awhile. He could not get on top of his pain...and with the epidural and IV meds gone--it was time to start working through it. Well...he didn't like it, and everyone on the 4th floor knew it. The nausea and vomiting was replaced by issues on his other end. Several episodes of that led to getting out of bed a little faster. His dad went to sit with him after work yesterday and Braden wasn't quite up to being good company yet. He must have had a change of heart because after dad left, he got up and took a shower and even asked for his regular clothes.
So when I got there this morning, I wondered if he'd pass the physical therapy requirements to get his discharge orders today. He had to do three stairs for everyone to pass him off and I didn't have a lot of faith in his pain threshold after yesterday. It took him almost half an hour, but he was determined to do it--and he wanted to go home. And we had quite a haul to load up as he went home fully armed with crutches, a walker and a stylish new wheelchair. Braden picked out his treats (legos and a new ball cap) from the patient reward closet and was done before I could get the room packed up. But his over zealousness didn't quite pay off. After picking up his prescriptions and favorite cheeseburger on the way home, doing a great job getting out of the truck with a little help, he lost his energy. I was thinking that getting into the house should be no problem. Two steps. I mean, how hard is that, right? Apparently, those three steps at the hospital really taxed him and the two at home were harder than Braden could muster up the strength to take on.
The wheelchair didn't fit around the corners of the laundry room, so I had to grab him a chair that would fit on the little landing outside the back door. After wailing, peeing in the urinal, taking a pain pill, and then some more wailing on the porch...I called his dad for help. Of course, there was a crisis going on there as well (something about half of Washington being on fire...), but he suggested I grab an office chair that could take the corner. Then I called a friend, Konni Anderson, and she rushed over to help push him forward as I help pulled him up and over the home stretch into the house. What a workout! But once he was in, he forgot all about how tired he was while the dog lapped on his face for 5 minutes straight!
He did tell the doctor that he wanted to be home in time for his sister's birthday, which is today--happy birthday, Ashley! It's nice to have all the kids under the same roof again...and Braden on the mend. He's got a rough couple of months ahead of him, but at least he'll be well on the road to recovery before the holidays and winter weather hit. He said he wasn't leaving the house until he could walk. I don't know about that--his pediatrician wants to see him next week to set him up on an inhaler for asthma. Fun stuff. He might be a little stir crazy before his follow-up with the surgeon in 6 weeks, but at least he doesn't have to stand to practice the piano, do his homework, or read a book ;)
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