Family therapy in an International Peace Park helps recovery!

Emma was doing so good with her halo we decided to head to Canada so she could have cousin therapy! Nate wasn't able to go:(. So Thanks to my mother-in-law who took responsibility for Levi in the day (Nate had him at night.) We were able to go for a week. She did really well and her energy level increased a ton just in the week we were there. She continues to have a great attitude with the whole situation, with only occasional outbursts of frustration with having this contraption on! (Who wouldn't have those!)

We go the second week in August for an X-ray to see how the fusion is taking, then we will meet with her neurosurgeon, and hopefully get a better idea how long this thing will be on. We are planning on staying in Cali till the halo comes off. Then we will move to AZ. So our life continues to be on a month to month bases.

Emma hiked up to Blackeston Falls. It is a short little hike, just 1.5 kilometer. They did lots of crafts. Flew kites. Made regatta boats to send down the river. Trips to the candy store. Her favorite part was just hangin with her cousins.

Doing Well

We saw the doctor today, and the halo tech. Everything is looking good. We will get an x-ray in 6 weeks to see how the fusion is taking that should help us narrow down how long this contraption will be on. She is doing amazingly well! Still a little run down on energy, but thats good so she can heal. This is picture my sister-in-law snapped of Emma's first trip out to eat since surgery.

Her Scar

Here is the scar on the back of her neck. The one on her hip where they got the bone from for her fusion is about the same sizes. It is still covered in sterry strips. Most of her scar will be up in her hairline. When her hair grows back.

Emma had a great day today. She has eaten more. She's happy. She is moving around on her own. I don't have to help her role or sit up. She had pain meds this morning, and went all day with only ice and 2 naps. Things are looking good. :) Big smiles here!

Home Sweet Home

WE ARE HOME!

She still isn't eating much (she's only eaten one of those kid apple sauces in almost a week!), but we are hoping being home will perk her interest. Her pain is mostly in her neck. Her hip hurts if she moves. Thats where they harvested the bone for the fusion. Sometimes her head hurts all over. Her tummy hurts (probably cause it's hungry!), she's scared to take her medicine afraid it might make her sick. The doctor looked at her MRI and was happy with what he saw. No fluid leaking, and he thinks her syrinx is looking smaller. Emma wants to get out of her. She wants to go to Vegas, Lake Powell, Arizona and Canada this summer! Thanks for all your love and prayers.

Family time!

These are before my Wonderful Mom took the kids to Vegas Sunday.

Levi is to young to be on the ICU floor so we had to sneak him in to see her. It was so worth it. Emma loved having him there.

All the kids playing Wii

Ok they have moved us out of the ICU. Emma is getting an MRI. Then she will come back to a new room. She walked down the hall with very little support. Her spirit is a little beat down and she is refusing to eat. If she will start eating we might be out of here tomorrow. Which would be great. Now we have a shared room. Not fun. Over the next few weeks we are praying that she doesn't develop a spinal fluid leak or we will be back her.

Nate and I are doing good. My mom has been a life saver and taken Meg and Levi back to Vegas. So if anyone can take them off her hands for a while it would be wonderful! Thanks for your love and support, and continued prayers.