Day 30: May 6, 2012

Day 30                                                                                                    Written May 6, 2012 10:16pm

We got back to the room early this morning. Donna said that Dallas slept almost throughout the night, only waking a few times. Overnight, Dallas ended up picking more of the cadaver skin off; this time, off his ears, his chin, and some random spots on his cheeks. From what we can see, it looks good, doesn't appear that grafting will be needed to those areas (as originally thought), but, then again, we aren't the doctors.

Dallas has been without a fever for almost 48 hours! A great accomplishment. Seems like it was the central line in his groin causing the fever after all, though the doctors aren't 100% sure about the cause.

 
I've got to take Kiana back to WV today, leaving sometime this afternoon, so this will be the first time I won't be there with him. Granted, there are some nights that I stay at the Ronald McDonald house, but that's different... I'm still within walking distance when staying there. This time, I will be hundreds of miles away, so if anything happens, it'll take hours to get back. I really don't like the thought of this.

We did Dallas' dressing change again this morning. Another change filled with anxiety. Dallas keeps saying "don't cut me". We have to assure him that we will be careful and won't hurt him. It almost seems like he may have awoken briefly during surgery and remembers? I don't know, I really don't want to think that is the case, but why else would someone who wasn't scared of scissors now be absolutely terrified of them? Sigh. It's so hard to calm him during this time, and just knowing that he is this petrified makes it even harder.

Dallas didn't eat breakfast this morning, but after his dressing change, he did eat half of a donut and a bag of apples along with drinking quite a bit of fluids. 

Physical therapy also came in to work with him again. This time, 

Dallas walked out of the room, into the main area where the nurses stations are and walked back. It was great to see him going. The physical therapist wasn't even holding him, she just had her hands by his sides incase he lost his balance (which happened a few times). But he was walking mostly on his own!!! We were thrilled to see that! He's getting so much stronger. He was enticed with cotton candy, but he did the therapy, and was rewarded for it. That was the first time he had candy in over a month! He was so excited, smiling from ear to ear. :)

Occupational therapy advised us that Dallas would need intensive treatment, consisting of 3 days a week of therapy, for the first year after surgery. That's something we weren't expecting. We knew that he would have to have intensive therapy, but didn't think that the intensive portion would be that long. He will have years worth of physical therapy ahead of him.

Dallas progresses each day, eating more, becoming more alert and aware of his surroundings, getting stronger... which makes us worry about Tuesday. He will be strong for surgery, but then will be back on the ventilator for a few days, so he will become weak again. Hopefully some of the work he's been doing will help him recover faster.

The rest of the update will be written tomorrow (after I get word of how things went throughout the afternoon, into the night).

Please continue to pray for Dallas. He has surprised so many people, but he still has a long way to go, and a LONG road of recovery ahead of him.