3 weeks post surgery and all is well

We have hit the 3 - week post surgery mark, and of course Pants continues to amaze us. While I keep waiting for the moment when she picks up a proper book to read, she has made advancements in her ability to concentrate and reason - through playing Paper Mario on the Wii in the basement or Zelda on the Wii U upstairs. Both require reading and some logic to advance through, so I take it as a win.

And her appetite is back - though she needs to eat smaller meals at several points through the day - but I have read that is better for the body anyway.

Oh, and she is off the heavy pain meds altogether - we have kept a small supply, but I think they will be disposed of before long. She can take tylenol or advil as she needs, which she asked for today - though not for her back, but rather her legs - she thinks she might be having a growth spurt!

She can shower mostly standing, but likes to have the bench available, if just to enjoy the warm water running over her back. I was helping to dry her hair and noted that the top 2 steri-strips have curled up at both sides, so I went to remove them and she panicked and screamed not to take them off - seems she is a little concerned she will rip right open without them. So I left them and reassured her that that is not at all the case.

We are off for a pedicure - fingers crossed this isn't too much for her, then after a rest and some dinner she is going to stop by to say hi to Yoga Mike and the class she practiced with. I am so very thankful she and Andrew attended this class together - the number of times people remarked at her leg strength while in the hospital was always responded to with a mention of squats and yoga practice - and every single person who heard this paused for a moment to think about it then nodded as if to acknowledge it made sense. A few even asked her a little more about it. Hopefully in a few months she can start back again.

Today we researched bus routes and schedules as an option to get her home from school - though I will also check with a local taxi company to see what we can do - I don't foresee her walking the 2 km home from school again this school year, but who knows - maybe once the snow clears she will enjoy a 2 k walk with her brother. The bus runs every 30 minutes from right outside her school and in under 15 minutes has her 200 meters from home - we may take a test run this week to see how it goes as I don't think she has ever rode a city bus in her life,  and definitely not alone.

We almost made it our for a pedicure, but then she started to cry. Maybe it was too much. She said she wanted to go, she showered and got dressed - we even had her shoes on. Another day. She just needed a rest. I think she is so terribly freaked out about not being able to control how she is feeling or the fear that she will start hurting and not be able to do anything about it - she honestly was looking like she was when we were last at Dr. Missuna's and she desperately needed to lie down. So she is lying down. Hopefully the trip to the yoga studio will be a success tonight.

And just as I was leaving to pick up the Dude from school, Avery's teacher called to see how she was doing - I heard 'awesome' then had to leave. Since I am driving anyway, I normally drive home one of Avery's friends - and today she asked if she could come for a visit. I think this day has come together just fine.

Here is Pants looking ready for yoga :)