Last Sunday the surgeon on duty said that Amy was free to go home as soon as she felt ready, but at that time Amy felt anything but ready. Carl and Sarah visited, bringing a sad-faced balloon (selected by Sarah of course!) and a new Beanie Boo stuffed animal. After lunch we put in the request to be discharged and a mere (!) four hours later we were on our way home. It was so nice to be in our own beds and allowed to sleep without interruption. Amy slept for about 12 hours that night. She spent Monday and Tuesday at home, but I could tell she was starting to feel better as she needed pain medication less often and she started doing art in her room. On Wednesday she went back to school, having been instructed by the doctor to take it easy and not participate in any contact sports. We communicated ahead of time with her friends to let them know any hugs had to be gentle, because hugging each other hard is their contact sport. Amy felt loved and appreciated as the texts, pictures, and videos came in from her friends while she was at home. They missed her so much. She is mostly back to normal and has resumed her Schroth therapy exercises, but she is not yet able to comfortably wear her scoliosis brace. While she normally aimed to wear it for 20 hours a day, I think it is important for her to be more fully healed at the incision points before putting any undo pressure there. When she tried it yesterday for a minute and I asked how it felt, she said fine, but then she tearfully admitted that it would take getting used to how it hurt where her belly button had been cut. I told her to take it off immediately and we would try again another day. It’s hard to be a momma bear wanting to protect and take care of a baby bear from two different perspectives that collide with each other!
Amy received the best present when her bestie came to deliver cookies. It wasn’t the cookies (although they were super delicious) so much as the BFF’s gentle hug that made Amy’s day and brought the biggest smile to her face that I had seen since her pain started. It is amazing to think back to a week ago this morning when Amy was in such rough shape – the way bodies can heal is remarkable, as is modern medicine and laparoscopic surgery. If it weren’t for modern medicine most family members that I know would be dead, as would I, maybe many times over.
Sarah had a good week, including staying after school for a few minutes on Thursday to sign up for the musical. I’m still wondering if this will actually work once rehearsals start and I go as her helper. It seems like she is the only one from the St. Anthony program doing the show, so the only one who might need a little help. At her old school there were more St. Anthony kids in each musical so it seemed like more of a done thing, and I was more sure of her acceptance by the other students since she had been a part of the school for years. So fingers crossed for All Shook Up, the musical based on Elvis, that will start rehearsals in January.
Yesterday we got our covid boosters, making it a family event as we did for our flu shots. First shots, then a CVS shopping spree where I let the girls pick out cookies and snacks and nail polish. Apparently the shot yesterday was much more painful for Sarah and Amy, but especially for Sarah. Perhaps you heard her scream? She has had tons of shots and bloodwork in her life and often handles all of it calmly, with the exception of anything to do with EEGs, for which we now know we need laughing gas. I was surprised to hear her scream yesterday, but felt like we were in a good place for handling it. Carl sat with her for many minutes, while the staff members brought her tissues and water, and Amy waited patiently so they could do the snack selection process together. I was standing in a very long and slow-moving line to pick up a prescription, and by the time I was done the girls were ready to load up on Goldfish and Milanos.
We got a new printer yesterday and Sarah delighted in using the copy feature. If left to her own devices she would make copies all day and use up all of the toner and paper as she pretends to work at FedEx/Kinkos. She made a few copies of pages from my book draft, as she knows that is what I go to collect at Kinkos.
Speaking of my book, I’m thrilled to have been provided with my publication date: January 21, 2025! That means the publisher needs my entire manuscript by January 2024, along with other things so they can create the cover. It’s exciting to have things to do bookwise again other than waiting. I keep thinking in stunned wonder, “My book will be published and there’s nothing I need to do!” That’s not true at all. There is a ton I need to do, but there is no magic that needs to be performed. I am on track. I will do my things, and the publisher will do their things, and it will happen. And that feels like magic!
While my time in the Sarah-Rise room was long ago, I have recently been reminding myself of some perspectives that I found useful in the room. My job, especially when teaching or seeing my clients, is to show up and offer my best self, but after that it’s not up to me. If someone doesn’t want some Alexander Technique perspective or hands-on, that doesn’t mean I have done something wrong by offering it. It just means it is not the moment or the modality for them. It doesn’t mean there is something wrong with me. I can still be pleased about how I did my job of showing up and offering my presence.
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