Post op day two

Eleanor started her day late today, sleeping until 11:00! She then had brunch and we learned how to do pin care, which will now be part of our daily routine. We also learned that we can begin lengthening on Monday.

I will describe the what lengthening entails for those who are unfamiliar with the process. During Eleanor's surgery Tuesday they placed a fixator by breaking her femur, then placing pins above and below the break. There is a bar going down her leg with a screw that connects the pins, then she has a half circle below her knee to stabilize the knee. We will use a wrench to turn the screw which will slowly pull the bone apart. We were instructed to do quarter turns of the screw 4 times daily so that we see one new thread per day. One thread is about 1mm. Obviously this is a slow process as the muscles, ligaments and nerves must also stretch. We will stay in Baltimore for the entire lengthening or distraction phase for careful monitoring and physical therapy. (PT involves one hour in the pool and one hour on land daily.) Our goal is to lengthen about 5cm which should take about 3 months. After lengthening, Eleanor will be able to come home with the fixator on so that her new bone can harden which will take about another 3 months. Then her fixator will come off and she will be casted and non weight-bearing for 1 month. Physical therapy will continue throughout this process and beyond until she has full mobility and strength. She should be ready for gymnastics again by early next year!

The rest of the day went well. The epidural was pulled and Eleanor continued to be comfortable with oral pain medication. She even was able to walk with a walker today!!! I wish I was able to post pictures because Eleanor looks so happy in all of them, not at all like a girl who just had surgery. We anticipate being discharged from the hospital tomorrow. Dan and Henry fly home tomorrow and we will miss them terribly, but more space in our room is appealing. It is not easy or comfortable fitting 6 people in a room with a twin and a double, especially when we are adding a wheelchair and several new stuffed animals and dolls to the menagerie. Eleanor is sitting next to me singing and coloring-she wishes everyone goodnight.