Day 42 - Scan yo' Face

Daniel was off to wound care early this morning. We just missed him, but heard that he walked there. After a little over an hour he was returned to his room. His donor sites on his legs have healed to the point that he doesn't require the goopy Karefiber so it's a lot less messy now around his legs. That will make it easier for Dan to walk around and start getting in and out of bed and his chair.

Dawn fed him some sausage and juice that he devoured and then chased it down with some thickened water. Then he laid back to rest for the next adventure and we watched videos together. We were waiting until 2:30 when a technician was scheduled to use a measuring device to fit him for an apparatus that will hold and press his new neck/throat skin allowing it to stretch.

His PTs got Daniel up to walk around and then we planned to have him sit in his chair until the tech arrived to measure his face at 2:30. Before we got him up this time they wrapped his exposed feet in ace bandages then socks. We think that helps when he's walking to reduce the rush of blood when he stands. Daniel walked with little support all around the unit. He did an extra bonus lap with little encouragement then headed back to his room to sit in his chair. I suppose the extra foot wraps helped.

2:30 came and went and he heard the tech was walking over from the nearby Children's hospital and would be with us in about 10 minutes. 20 minutes passed, 30 minutes, then Daniel started complaining some. We were getting worried that he would not be able to sit much longer and asked for some pain medications to help ease his discomfort. About the time he got medicated the tech showed up and began to set up his gear.

 

It didn't take long for the stereoscopic camera to build an image. What is does is take a lot of individual pictures and then puts them together in a scan of his face as a 3D representation. That image will be cleaned up and used to build a plate that will fit on the front of his neck and chin and help his skin heal correctly allowing him to stretch and bend his neck up and around. It will prevent the skin from tightening up.

Over the course of all this activity Daniel sat very still as asked and sat in the chair for over and hour until we helped get him back in his bed to rest. He was outstanding with his patience and received a lot of praise from his nurse C. and the OTs, PTs and other staff in the room. He loves to be praised, don't we all!