Getting Back To Normal...I Think

It has been a while since we all drove home as a family from Delaware so I thought I would post an update on here.  Things are slowly returning to normalcy in the Laurin household.  After spending two months away from home, young Wesley almost forgot that he had a house and toys and dogs here to play with.  He was so happy to be home in the first couple of days and so were Kaela and Sarah.

Kaela is getting better every single day.  She is able to sit up on her own and walk a little more each day.  She still needs help with some things like making it to the bathroom and getting dressed however I’m skeptical as to how much help she really needs.  Yesterday I was doing something in another room and I came out to see how Kaela was.  She had a whole bag of grapes from the refrigerator and she was busy munching on them on the couch.  William was sitting next to her and I told him how nice it was for him to get his sister things to which he replied “I didn’t get them, Kaela did.”  The little girl who nags me for 20 minutes to get her a snack out of the fridge one day secretly is able to do this on her own when she thinks I’m not available.  

Kaela flying a kite from her stroller

As Kaela heals she is in a process of re-learning how to do things in some ways.  Her body is a bit different than it was before she left for Delaware so she is finding new ways to move around and just do the things she was doing before.  We took a day trip to Oval Beach in Saugatuck, MI yesterday and Kaela was able to play in the sand.  She has been wanting to go to the beach for months and she finally got to do it.      

Kaela Gets Through Surgery With Flying Colors!

Two days post op and Kaela is recovering well.  She was in a lot of pain right after the surgery and she still has trouble moving around but she is getting better every day.  We got her out of the bed yesterday and today to do a little physical therapy.  She has to work on strengthening her body after hanging for so long and not utilizing all of her muscles.  Even though it is really hard for her, she manages.  She is such a strong little girl. 

Kyphosis before the halo traction or rod implants

Kyphosis after insertion of VEPTR Rods

The change from the surgery is very dramatic.  Dr. M was able to bring Kaela's Kyphosis curve from roughly 110 degrees down to about 0.  The x-ray of her spine from the side pretty much looks like a typical person’s.  The scoliosis has also decreased dramatically.  There was a chance that Kaela would have to wear the halo with a vest even after the surgery but luckily she didn’t have to.  We were also counting on her wearing a protective vest for a while after the surgery.  Dr. M did such a great job that the vest was also not needed.

Kaela fresh out of surgery on May 22

Kaela's first time in a wheel chair post-op

As long as Kaela keeps progressing this way, we are scheduled to come home to Michigan on Friday June 1.  I know Sarah, Kaela and Wesley will be super excited to make it back to Michigan as they have been out here in Delaware since April 4^th of this year.  We can’t believe the time is almost here for Kaela to come home.  Her time here so far has been a complete success and we couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome.  We have so many people to thank who have put time and resources forward to help out our family.  There are also numerous new friends that we have made during our stay here.  We are now counting the days until our family is back home in good old Dexter, MI.

Mother's Day @ Alfred I. Du Pont in Delaware

William and I are going back to Michigan tomorrow so we decided to celebrate Mother’s Day at the hospital.  I can’t think of a more deserving mother than Sarah after she has spent the last few weeks taking care of Kaela, an infant and working for 20 hours per week.  Wow!

A few days before, Kaela and I went down to the child life room where they were hosting a shopping center for Mother’s Day.  Kaela got to pick out four gifts to put in a bag for her mom.  Today William, Wesley and I ran out and got Sarah something she has been dreaming about for a while, a fancy new Nikon camera.  Kaela and William made cards for mom after we told her to leave the room for a while.  The kids were very excited to give Sarah her presents.  Happy Mother’s Day Mom!  We Love You!