Maddie making progress 4.21.07

Okay, so here is the latest. Maddie had a pretty good day yesterday yet experienced some pain and bleeding from her superpubic tube last night. If she does well today she should be able to go home tomorrow. While the staff at CHOP (special thanks to Dr. Canning and his team- Bruker, Chang & Patel, Nurses Ellen, Helen, Krista, Marla and more) who have been just great to Maddie, we are BOTH ready to get home. Maddie has enjoyed many visitors. On Thursday Mr. Ballentine came for an afternoon visit and brought her a real softball. Mommy and the “gang” came down Thursday evening, as well as Miss Kym. Miss Kym showered Maddie and the kids with gifts from her as well as Penn, very cool indeed. We all had dinner in Maddie’s room, it was like a party, and just in time, too. On Thursday Maddie also spent much time playing with Miss Danielle, a child life intern from U of Tennessee. The two of them seemed to appreciate each other’s sense of humor and were always joking around (maybe) all week together.

On Friday Daddy had to go to a meeting so Maddie went it alone for the morning and did fine. She had her epidural removed and was given the green light on liquids. Later in the day, despite a rough fall the night before, a very generous Miss Kym spent the afternoon with Maddie until Daddy could return. Maddie had been in a chair for most of the afternoon playing and doing crafts with Miss Kym. She tried to walk to the playroom yet opted for the wheelchair instead. Her first time out of the room since arrival on Monday, she was given a “tour” (cause that’s what Dad does, right?) of the floor, ending at the playroom to pick out some new flicks. As soon as we got back to the room and settled down in bed, she was “out” in nanoseconds, tuckered from the day’s activities.

This morning Maddie’s doctors have given her the “go” on eating and she had her first real food since last Sunday, downing 3 french toast sticks. The plan for today is to get her off IV pain meds, on oral pain meds, get her cleaned up, and walking a bit. She seems up for it.

On the home front we have many folks helping out so that the other kids do not miss a beat. Diane went on the ZCC women’s retreat as planned and we hope that her time is rewarding and she gets a little time away from it all as she certainly deserves. John Schirripa took Chris to his baseball game last night, and met up with Chuck Collier and the kids. Josh & Daniel tagged along for a “boys night out” and they ended up over at Chuck’s for dinner. Sydney babysat Ellie and Abbey and then Rob & Kathy came down from Troy to hold the fort for the weekend. This morning Abbey has a soccer game, Chris has another ball game this afternoon and Syd has a ride with Anna to her Choir performance for TCS. I hope Rob finds the plans for our vegetable garden while he is there ;). Thanks to everyone for making this so much more manageable and allowing our world to continue for the rest of the family, God is good to us!

Maddie wants to thank everyone who has visited, prayed for her, visited her blog or have sent a gift. She has been very encouraged and some have said she has been encouraging as well. She loved the 10 foot long “get well card” that the school sent (it has been a big hit with the staff and Docs as well). Maddie’s class sent her a get well package and Grandma Judy sent a fruit basket that came in to good use for others this time. There have been many other thoughtful gestures (like a mom from Maddies class packing her a gift per day, that has been special for Maddie to look forward to). We are hoping the next post is from home, thanks for all of the encouraging comments on the blog, I either read them to Maddie, or she reads them herself. As I post this one she is with me in the playroom, this is the first time she has walked more than 2 steps since we got here, good progress to get us home!