Day 5 - It's Saturday!

Saturday doesn't mean a day off for Donovan.  Breakfast at 7:30, OT at 8am, PT starting at 9am with back to back sessions until 11:30, then lunch and his final session at 1:30.  It looks like a beautiful day here so we will get a "pass" to get out for a while!  Bridget has something planned (she told me and I forgot), so should be a good day.  Carl is busy with a birthday party and sleepover, Emma spent the night with friend, and Buster is getting his paperwork done so he can visit Donovan in his room.

A little toon-time before the days work!

All is going well! He continues to make progress everyday and the therapists are very pleased with his effort and attitude.  He is working through taking his medication, one of which tastes awful (smells awful too) but we continue to experiment to find ways to mask the taste.  His metabolism is kicking in and every night at bed time we get chants "I'm very, very, very, very hungry".....  So a bed time snack is now on the routine....

Thursday he got his first pool therapy and he really liked it.  The pool is very warm and it looked very inviting.  Donovan really liked it and he walked, swam and worked on his leg movement.

Walking in the pool with ease!

Working on leg kicks and stretching!

Mary Free Bed and the 90 degree kid!

Phase three begins.....

Yesterday, no wait, Tuesday, 2 days ago, we had Donovan's final check up with Dr. Forness and all went great!  His bones are healing very well (xrays looked great) and after removing the knee immobilizers, he was ready to check into Mary Free Bed to start Phase Three of this chapter of the journey!

So we (Bridget) had everything packed and ready for the short drive from the doc's office to MFB.  We got into his room and settled in for the next 7 weeks (we hope less).  It was a little like a home coming to see the familiar faces from 4 years ago!

Joe, one of our favorites, starting working with him that day and then we got to see Donovan's favorite PT Star!  He was very excited to see her!  She evens speaks Spanish so they have their own private conversations (and he can practice)!

Donovan is working very hard and making wonderful progress.  Yesterday, they actually had his doing knee bends to 90 degrees.  The team here was in awe as this usually takes up to two weeks with this surgery!  He takes after Papa Lassig for his recovery ability, tollerance to pain, and just plain determination to get OUT OF HERE! :)  see picture below..

So we have settled into a new routine....  Bridget is staying with Donovan at MFB at nights and i hold down the home front and shuffle kids to school and activities.  Emma is recovering from her broken foot (thanks to the neighbors trampoline and bouncing around with cousins) and Carl sprained his ankle this week at school. 

Now all we need is an country and western song to go along with this!

90 degrees and progressing well...

Sock Success

Last night Emma had a band concert with the whole Rockford Public Schools Band (800 kids and they played awesome!).  We packed up everyone and Bridget and Donovan went to see her play, while I took Carl to soccer practice. 

On the way, Donovan put his socks on.  Now for a kid who has been in immobile from the hips down, we think this is a pretty good stretch.  I credit my kids get their flexibility from my Grandma Anderson, who I remember when she was in her 80's could still stand flat footed, legs straight and put her palms flat on the floor in front of her feet.  She always flipped her hands to show you not only palms down but palms up to prove her point!  Now she was only about 5 foot and a few inches tall, but still.....

Stretch that Hammyy!

Success! Ok, not all the way on but hey, the sock is hard to stretch over the heal!

6 days to Mary Free Bed..

Forgot to mention...  Only 6 days until Donovan's final appointment with Dr. Forness.  If all goes well, he will remove the hardware and stand him up for the first time since the surgery!  He will then go straight to Mary Free Bed (check in) and be there full time for up to 7 weeks.

What I call Stage 2...  He will have PT everyday from 8am - 5pm with breaks to learn to walk again for the third time in his young life. 

I'm sure he will be mad and frustrated at times, then he will smile and giggle and tell me my beard bothers him......Can I play the Wii......

Tax day.... Yippee!

I just realized it has been days since our last post.  I asked Bridget if she had done one lately and her reply was... "I have stuff to share...just have to find time.."  The days are flying by and all is going well... mostly...  I'd be fibbing if I didn't say there are days..

Carl:  "Dad, You Just Don't Get It"...
Dad: " Just because I'm telling you something you don't want to hear and you don't want to listen......"

etc.... (pick a kid and a slightly different version)

All our kids are going to be labor negotiators someday.....

End of Spring Break

Well the week is almost done.  It has been a good break with lots of fun.  Donovan is doing very well and had a string of visitors this week to make the days go fast!  We even got out of the house a couple of times to take advantage of the spring like weather.  It included a trip to Meijer Gardens to take in the Butterflies!

Trying to find the the big butterfly!

Elliot, Emma, Ricky and Donovan

Checking out the cocoons

Getting along at the  Gardens.... Small victories..