Day three post op - home :)

Today, Maddy was discharged from the hospital. She is doing absolutely fantastic - way better than I even imagined she would. She's eating like a champion (albeit a restricted diet) and is happy and cheeky. She doesn't seem to be in any pain at all and is even tolerating her elbow splints. I have to say, she looks kind of funny with splints on her elbows and ankles - and they really make her very hot as well!! 

Bernard stayed overnight at the hospital the night before last and I'd asked him to try and ask (emphatically) the doctors to be able to get Maddy off the IV drip (she was drinking plenty and didn't need it any more) and for her to be able to eat something other than just fluids. I know that the recommendations from other hospitals generally allowed kids to eat soft foods within 24-48 hrs after cleft surgery and I knew that Maddy would be much happier with food in her tummy. The doctors initially didn't want to allow either but thankfully, Bernard was able to convince them otherwise!! It made a huge difference to Maddy's mood. She still needed the IV cannula in her foot as she was having intravenous antibiotics, but at least she was far more "free". 

Yesterday, we thought that maybe we should take a short break from the hospital and spend some time with Lana. Our helper (who is fantastic with Maddy) stayed at the hospital yesterday for a few hours and we took Lana to Disneyland, then I came back to the hospital to do the night shift last night.

I knew that the criteria for being discharged after the cleft surgery included finishing the antibiotics and eating/drinking well and I knew that Maddy was on track (she's always been such a good eater and drinker so there wasn't much of a challenge there!) so I suspected she may be out POSSIBLY today but I thought it was more likely to be tomorrow - but when the doctor came around, he confirmed that Maddy could come home today. It was the perfect mothers day gift after a long night sleeping on a blanket on the cold, hard hospital floor ;) 

I am so amazed at how well Maddy has recovered from this surgery. In addition, we already think we can see an improvement in her speech!! After only three days!! She's been making sounds she never said before, saying new words, and saying old words clearer than she used to. At first I thought it was just me being overly optimistic, but Bernard commented on it as well.

I have so much more that I could say about different aspects of the past few days... but for now, I'm just thankful that our girl is home, she is healing and she is growing :)