Breathing Makes Everything Better

It is one of those perfect days when storms and rain are in the forecast pretty much all day. It is not going to be particularly cool...but the rain and storms make up for it. As I type it is raining and thundering and for the most part....all is darn near perfect in my world right now.

Last night I breathed my first comfortable breath in a couple of weeks. David did exceptionally well yesterday and I think I finally saw through others eyes just how well he is doing. In the last 48 hours....David has only had pain meds twice and one of those was plain tylenol. In light of that....yesterday he did 20 minutes of the dreaded tummy time, he spent several hours in his wheelchair and he actively worked with his speech therapist for almost two hours. His mood was great and only during tummy time and then again when getting him ready for bed last night were there any tears. What I am seeing though is amazing. Before Davids surgery his flexibility was very slim and his feet were always a purplish blue and cool to the touch. They had always been this way and when he sat in his wheelchair for a while or sat at the table for meals his feet would turn completely blue. His foot circulation was horrid. Since his surgery though....his feet are always warm and they stay a beautiful pink. It is amazing and everyone who knows David can't believe the change. His flexibility though is what impresses me. Before the surgery David really did little bending at the waste...now though.....being bent double seems to be his position of choice. He can sit in bed or in his wheelchair and bed completely over resting his head on his knees. I would kill for that kind of flexibility! His back and hip muscles are still pretty tight and painful but with all the tummy time....I am hoping that soon he will be able to arch his back and bring himself up with his arms. He has never been able to do this, but maybe now!

His speech therapist was very impressed with him yesterday. She said she couldn't remember when he had seemed as happy and relaxed as he was while she was here. He was very cooperative and he played and learned as I said....for the better part of two hours. The reality is we are only 16 days out from his surgery and he has made tremendous leaps and bounds even being held back a week with his extended hospital stay from pneumonia. Daily he fights through his pain and plays and laughs with the best of 'em! I am so proud of him and so grateful to Shriners and Dr. Keeler for getting him to this point.

Last night we may have found something that will help to keep him from getting leg sores. It was so simple....I just put long sweat pants on him. They acted as a barrier between him and his splints. This morning his legs looked much better. Luckily he has lots of sweat pants so maybe we are onto something.

Yes....breathing is good. I also feel a huge weight lifted off me knowing that there is money coming in again to help offset extra costs. Thanks to KEYN and also to people who have been patiently waiting for me to start baking again....there are cheesecakes again!!!!! I am thrilled to both be busy and also to be contributing to our finances again. It makes me feel whole and like I am taking care of my family. I have to say...that is a good feeling.

I can't believe that it is almost May! I really can't believe that it isn't even May and I already have had to have my air conditioning on. If David sweats at all he starts breaking out in heat rash and right now we don't need to be complicating any current situations so the air it is. This means my electric bill will sky rocket from the low $200's to the high $400's in a very short time. Another reason I am beyond grateful for the cheesecakes...they will make surviving the summer affordable. And thanks to a KEYN listener....I won't have to worry about mowing my yard this year (lawn mowers hate us in the best of years). He called me yesterday and told me he had a lawn service and although he didn't care for cheesecake...he would like to help....so he is taking care of my lawn this summer. I nearly cried as this is not a job I really thought about....but something that is so terribly necessary. Thank you Grizzly Bears Unlimited! You are awesome.

Well....David is enjoying this rainy morning and decided to take a nap. The temptation to join him is incredible....but I hear my kitchen calling me. Perhaps both mentally (for me) and physically (for David) things have turned the corner. Before long we will be back in St. Louis and hopefully get the "weight baring" okay and then Davids real work will begin. Good, bad or indifferent...this journey thus far has been amazing and I can't wait to see just how far or how wonderful it will turn out to be. And what have I learned so far???? Breathing makes everything better!