Julee's Surgery (in July)

Most of you know that Julee had yet another surgery in July.  Her strength and calmness when these situations roll around will never cease to amaze me.  This time I was very worried.  It was to be the biggest surgery to date - bone removal from her hip for a bone graft, 6-8 weeks out of commission, lots of pain, an overnighter in the hospital, totally freaked out parents, etc...  But Julee was ready to go.  She decided to have it in the summer so she wouldn't have to miss school or the volleyball season.  She wasn't nervous about spending the night in the hospital as long as one of us stayed with her. And every time you asked her if she was nervous, she would just shrug her shoulders and smile as if to say "it is what it is".  I would just shrug my shoulders and smile as if to say "if I say anything I will burst into anxious tears right here on the spot".  All in all, it couldn't have gotten any better than it did.  Surgery was "picture perfect", no overnight stay required, minimal pain (she managed mostly on regular Tylenol and Ibuprofen), and calmer parents than she had had in weeks.  

Ready to go but a little drowsy because it was like 445am.

 

When they suggested she have a little pain meds before inserting her IV, Julee just hugged her Eyeore and told them she could take it.  Tough girl didn't even flinch when they stuck her arm 3 times because they couldn't keep a vein.

When Julee was in Recovery, she kept getting the shivers so the nurse wrapped her up like a mummy.  The nurse was so funny.  She kept telling us how she always volunteers for the "kids" because when they are waking up after surgery they whine and moan way less than the adults.  True to form, Julee was the quietest one in the Recovery Room.

 Cheers!  Dr Noonan said a trip to the bathroom and Julee gets to go home.  Drink up!

This is the first time Julee has ever had surgery and didn't have a bloody nose for a month.  She was already starting to swell by the time we got home from the hospital that day.

Day 3 was the worst swelling day of them all.  Poor baby is actually smiling for this picture but you can't tell because she is so swollen.

 

Here is a hip shot.  The incision was longer than we thought and right where the waistband of her pants sit.  Ouch!  Every once in awhile she will still complain about her pants bothering her scar.

The main thing Julee couldn't do for 6-8 weeks was be active.  The surgeon must have said "minimal activity" a million times.  So we turned the living room into a bedroom so she wouldn't go stir crazy.  We opened LOTS of presents from the Arizona gang (thank you Zoey for making such excellent choices), read lots of Nook books, watched a lot of Netflix, played a TON of Wii Rock Band, and took turns being "patients" on Julee's mattress.

 And before we knew it six weeks had passed, she got the all clear to start volleyball workouts, and most importantly that beautiful smile was back.