home...

We're finally home after a long day in Denver. It could have been much longer, so I guess that's the first silver lining. Amy's surgery was scheduled for 10:20, but when we checked in at 8:15 they said the Dr was ahead of schedule and before we knew it she was on her way! I've never seen the pre-op procedure so expedited! The team today was wonderful and clearly adored being with Amy. The only negative for her was the IV in her wrist. Evidently the nurse who put it in was "less than gentle" and Amy didn't appreciate that much. By 9:50 she was back in post-op and sleeping soundly. They finally woke her up and informed her the first step toward freedom was a successful potty stop. After 2700 cc's of fluid, she was eager to comply, and in no time we were headed to the car. Dr Brewer wants us to take note of when the pain returns (and seems quite certain it WILL return at some point.) The length of time it takes to come back will tell him what he's dealing with. At this point he does not feel she has RSD, so that's outstanding news! (It's a chronic pain condition which could haunt her for the rest of her life.) He seems hopeful that with another set or two of injections we just might get a handle on this. I pray he's right. So now we're in wait and see mode. I'm to e-mail him on Wednesday with an update and he'll let us know his thoughts on where to go from here.
My favorite moment of the day was in post-op when the nurse took the IV out and Amy said, "If I were a cussing type there would have been a lot of choice words!" Thru everything, she really has kept her sense of humor and it's easy to see why the surgical teams love having her as a patient. You should have seen a couple of the others close by. My, my...they were going to be high maintenance for sure! As it was, Amy was only in post-op a short time, she was able to walk easily afterward, and she even managed to go out for lunch with us when we headed over to Mines to drop some things off to Laura. All in all, this procedure was easier on her even though it was a bit more invasive. I'm amazed at how strong and determined she is. But when you think about Who is holding her in the palm of His hand, it all makes sense, doesn't it?
Thanks again for your prayers. We're blown away by how thoughtful and caring everyone has been. It sure is comforting to know Amy is so loved.