Day 66 - Back to Routine

Daniel's surgery yesterday went as planned. We didn't get a chance to run down the surgery with Dr. Wa until today as his surgeon had five surgeries to attend to yesterday - Daniel was #2. His was probably the simplest of them all from the sound of it. She reported that it all looked really good and from the looks of it Daniel seems fine.

Daniel will be moving down the hall to the less severe ICU burn ward because there were other critical patients being admitted today. For Daniel, transitions can be stressful and for the new burn patient taking his room, well... getting burned sucks - we already know that though, right? This move shows the progress that Daniel has made with his > 50% body burn. It suggests that he's well enough to move down in status from ICU to "step-down" to now "floor" status all in a matter of about two weeks. We're glad he's recovering so well, but there's so much more to go with his recovery and getting him home.
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Every so often I've found myself getting worn down by the ordeal we're going through with Daniel. I tend to get a bit gloomy. I believe that's part of being human and dealing with what life dishes out sometimes. Today was one of those days. Headache, grouchy, depressed, feeling overwhelmed... When I start to feel this way the best thing for me is to get some exercise which is what I did this morning. Riding or running is my "me" time and it's something I have to have when "it" gets too much.

Though it was pretty dang cold out this morning (or as my cousin Joel would say "bitey") I rode my bicycle 20 miles to the hospital and stored it in our car in the parking lot. Luckily it didn't start raining or snowing though it is in the forecast for later today. I could have stayed out and ridden another 20 and that would have left me feeling very relaxed (and hungry). It was just what I needed and could squeeze in today.
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We had a few visits from the rehab doctors and director upstairs. They stopped in to see if we had questions or could help answer anything and better understand Daniel. They are in consult with Children's Hospital and part of the army of people that are helping to ensure Daniel's transition to in-patient rehabilitation goes smoothly. We still don't know if that rehab place will indeed be Children's or upstairs or something else so that remains to be determined and APPROVED.

We're now in our new room 336 on the burn floor at the other end of the ICU. We have a great view west and can see the Rocky Mountains off in the distance. Closer in is a lovely parking structure and the Colonel's Row - a block of 1940s era apartments for retired officers.

We've got Disney classics playing (Snow White) and Daniel seems to have settled in and acting like it's no big thing to move so that's good. I think I'll end here and we'll pick things up tomorrow.