Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and have no medical background. I am just writing based on my experiences and occasionally I may get things wrong.
It has been a week since surgery and things are going well. We have ups and downs. The first two nights Isa slept all through the night but not really since then. She has either woken up in pain or itching. However, I am pleased to report that she has rarely needed to take the prescription Tylenol she is mostly taking the Ibuprofen and not like clockwork like right after surgery. We talked with the doctor's office in regards to tips on itchiness and they recommended wetting her cast since it is waterproof, taking Benadryl (which she can safely do even with the other two medications), Ibuprofen should also take the edge of the itching, and tapping the cast gently with a spoon on the outside.
Although the doctor said it would be fine to wet the cast within three to four days post surgery we haven't. This is simply because she was still in pain where putting her in the tub would be tricky and also because we feel more comfortable waiting a few days, so instead we have opted for sponge baths and shampooing next to the tub like in a salon, which she found amusing :-) We have used Benadryl and it seems to work OK it just takes a while to kick in and can only be repeated every six hours,. Ibuprofen helps with the pain and maybe slightly with the itching but not enough. Tapping the cast with the spoon does nothing except tempt her into trying to stick the long part of the spoon under her cast to itch, which is probably not good for her :( needless to say we won't be doing that again. We have also tried ice over the cast and putting silicone strips at the top of her thighs were the cast starts. The silicone strips help with the cast rubbing on her thighs and seem to do a moderate job of keeping the itch in that area at bay even if just for a while. So at this point our major battle is dealing with the itching.
She is doing really well with the mobility of her legs. She is able to move her legs up and down and from side to side :) Like I mentioned earlier pain wise she has been incredible and is doing quite well with mostly Ibuprofen but she has had her moments when she is crying out in pain and requires the Tylenol.
All in all she has had an amazing recovery thus far, it truly amazes me just how resilient kids can be and how positive they can be. Isa has been extremely positive given her in mobility situation. I know that I probably would have been bed written in pain and whining about not being able to walk. I think through this experience she is learning about compassion towards others as is everyone else around her and of course me. It is making me admire even more those people who are permanently in wheelchairs and are capable of so much and having a positive outlook on life, especially children!!!
EYE UPDATE:
Unfortunealty it could no longer be ignored, her eye has been deviating outward quite frequently. We have called Dr. S and he said we needed to make an appointment prior to the one in Novemebr. We have an appointment in a week and a half. Truthfully both Jon and I are very fearful of what is to come out of that appointment but like always we will take it full on!
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