Friday morning update

We mentioned we were having some challenges keeping Shannon's pain under control.  We were successful in her getting a few hours of sleep which helped.  So this morning they are adding torodol? (ibuprofen) which she got just a few minutes ago and she is already napping!  Yeh!  She still has the 2 drains in her head and the doctors aren't in a hurry to take them out although Shannon is.  They really are uncomfortable and make it hard to be comfortable to sleep.  So when Shannon made her wishes known to the doctors, they decided that if the drains continued to decrease in the amount of fluid they are draining off, they would take one out this afternoon and one tomorrow morning.  Although the doctors say that people say it doesn't bother them at all when they take the drains out, Shannon is quite nervous about the whole ordeal.  Evenso, she wants them out as soon as possible!  (Of course, once they are out, there will not be any place for the swelling to go except into her face.)

I have to tell you how funny she looked last night.  Shannon is determined to keep the swelling down as much as possible and so she wants ice packs on her head all the time.  You may remember how she used ice packs before and no matter how we arranged them, she had to redo them.  This time, we help and sometimes they are positioned right! :)  She has SIX of the 12" long 5" wide reusable ice packs which she rearranges over and over to be sure they are covering every part of her head.  Last night, to get her set up not to be rearranging but sleeping, we added about 4 pillows that were propped up around her head to keep the ice packs from slipping off her head.  Our biggest challenge was with the one that she wanted on her forehead, coming down enough to cover the eyes but not to slide off the nose!!  She has her stuffed bear here and we used it under her chin with the bear laying on its back and its legs propped up to hold the ice bad on either side of her head.  It was hilarious!  When she pulled her covers up where she wanted them, all you could see was a little nose and a mouth inside this tunnel.  You couldn't see any other part of Shannon!!!  I know that must be hard to imagine but when we get where I can transfer some pictures over, I will post one so you all can see.  It really is funny!

So sad to say, even with all the ice, Shannon's head is swelling quite a bit.  It is nothing like when we were in the hospital before so she still looks great.  And the doctors are so pleased that her eyes are not swollen shut!!  One eye is getting a little more narrow due to swelling and turning bluish so we don't know where we might end up.  I don't think we have "peaked" yet in her swelling although we are hoping! 

Yes, Shan is still up for visitors any time.  It helps distract her from the discomfort. 
So until the next post...
Pheobe