Alexis Couldn't Stay Awake Long Enough to Dictate Her Post Tonight

Alexis, in addition to having her abdominal drain removed, had quite a lot of activity today. Her painkiller dosage was raised a bit because of soreness at the wound site, but she still managed to do quite a lot. Other than her prescribed walking, when she was closely supervised to ensure she didn't lose her balance or otherwise fall, she was mostly confined to sitting.

Alexis made good use of her wheelchair today. She spent several hours upstairs with her friends on the floor where she received her PTSD treatment. They had some sort of a liars' game going. In the time I was up there they were all spouting complete madness.

My husband took Alexis in her wheelchair for a ride around the neighborhood just to get a little fresh air. It sounds like a cliche, but breathing the outside air really did put color in her cheeks. Scott and Alexis were only out for about twenty minutes; the length of the ride was probably perfect for her.

The director of the mental helath wing, who attended medical school with Alexis' father and remains a close friend, ordered a family-style take-out meal, which we all ate on a hospital balcony. The weather was lovely -- it dropped into the 60's when we were outside, which caused most of us to need sweaters or sweatshirts. My mom bundled Alexis in blankets after she had finished eating and put her on an upholstered swing that was soft and the size of a small sofa. She fell asleep as her father and my husband were playing guitar and everyone was singing along. She was carried back to her room, and her mom had to wake her to brush her teeth, but she went right back to sleep. It bothers her to wake up in bed and find that she's been carried there because it makes her feel childish, but I've told her to enjoy it while it lasts because she may not always be light enough to be easily carried to bed by an ordinary person who's not a body builder. Then again, she may always be light enough. I take a free ride to bed anytime someone offers it, I told her.

My husband says there's no sign of the fever coming back yet since the drain was removed, which means that the antibiotics are probably adequaitedly handling any remaining infection in her system. The next step will be to remove the IV tomorrow and to switch her totally to oral fluids and injected antibotics. If that change doesn't cause a return of any fever and if her lungs remain clear, she should be released by Wednesday at the latest. She's hoping for Tuesday.

Thanks again to Alexis. Matt, Faery Chaos, Amelia, Amy, Aunt Becky, Aunt Maria, Marianne, Rachel, Rebecca and family (including adorable Benny, who hand-lettered the beautiful sign, then smiled for a picture to be sent along with the greeting) Catherine, Cara, Kristeen, and anyone else I've forgotten, for all the prayers, positive thoughts, and words of support. You've all greatly accelerated her recovery.

Rebecca, you've succeeded where many have failed in gatting my husband to talk about religion. It's normally not a topic into which he ventures. He served two years in South America as a full-time LDS missionary, took the required religion courses to graduate from BYU, then took the adult confirmation classes to convert to Catholicism. He usually tells anyone who asks him a religious questioned that he's discussed religion enough for a lifetime already and politely declines to answer. I'm amazed that you were able to engage him in a discussion of theology.

Tomorrow evening Alexis should be awake long enough to at least dictate her blog. After that, who knows? If she's a good little patient, she may get her computer back on a limited basis.

Thanks again to everyone for helping.

Alexis' Auntie Jillian