She's Coming Home

Visiting 51

2 weeks later- Gabby POV
Nat and dr Rhodes are doing a bunch of tests today. Hopefully my last post-op check. My stomach is hurting a lot less but I can still only tolerate 75ml an hour, which means I'm on 24 hour feeds. I've also been getting nauseous and throwing up more often, it used to only be during seizures, occasionally after seizures but now my stomach just doesn't like having anything in it. It hurts less to move around now and the incision is mostly healed so hopefully today I'll get cleared to start doing more in physio again. Dr Rhodes comes in to check the incision.
Dr Rhodes- hello, how are you feeling today?
Gabby- better. It hurts less
Dr Rhodes- that's great, I'm going to have a look and see how its healing ok?
Gabby- ok
He lifts my shirt to look at it, then starts pushing on my stomach which hurts but nowhere near as much as it used to.
Dr Rhodes- looks good, you're cleared for whatever activities your PTs choose but if it starts hurting more you need to stop and get it looked at
Gabby- ok thanks

Then Nat comes in to switch my feed bag.
Nat- we're going to try you on a different formula to see if you tolerate it better
Gabby- ok
Nat- shower today?
Gabby- yes
I love shower days, I don't get to shower as often as I'd like because its so difficult and takes so many people.
Nat- I'll go get April, Maggie's busy are you ok with someone else?
Gabby- sure
I'm not a fan of the idea but I want to shower and it takes 3 people.

They gave me a shower and got me dressed again. Then it was time for another trach change.
Nat- you up for a trip?
Gabby- yes where
Nat- another surprise
Gabby- fine
They got me ready to go. Then we went and found Maggie in the ED
Maggie- hey, I get to take you this time! Those 2 have to work still.
Gabby- ok
We took a wheelchair cab again and it pulled up at 51
Gabby- what
Maggie- excited?
Gabby- yes
Shay and Antonio met us outside.
Antonio- I know you wanted to be the one to bring her for the first time.
Gabby- thanks Tonio
Shay(signs)- hi mama. Go see fire trucks!
Antonio(signs and speaks)- ya, let's go
Gabby- can you take the tray off. She can sit with me
Maggie- sure
Maggie takes the tray and Tonio puts Shay on my lap and we head in. Severide sees us first
Sev- Dawson! What are you doing here? I'll go find everyone.
We walks around yelling at everyone to go to the common room so we head in there
Shay(signs)- dada
She climbs off me and runs to Matt who picks her up. We all talk for a while
Gabby- ok. Shay wants to see the rigs and I need pictures of that.
Matt- me too! She's definitely sitting in truck
Gabby- and ambo.
Shay loves seeing the rigs and really loves it when Kelly puts her in the driver's seat of 61. We get lots of pictures of Shay in Shay's ambo then head over to the truck. Shay's with Matt in the front seat and Severide decides we need family pictures. He starts undoing all my straps.
Gabby- what
He grabs the backpack with my feed then picks me up. It's actually the first time I've been picked up by one person.
Sev- you need family pictures!
Some of the guys help him step up into the truck while carrying me and he puts me in the front seat of 81. I've missed the truck, it's been years.
Shay(signs)- mama fire truck!
Matt moves over to hold me in the seat so Sev can get down. Shay sits on my lap and Tonio gets pictures of us. I know he's just doing it so I don't fall out of the seat but I love being in Matt's arms again. We're almost like a normal family sitting here then of course my pump starts beeping to ruin the moment! Maggie comes over to fix it. After a few minutes I'm really tired from sitting with less support and start falling over despite Matt holding me.
Matt- need to get out?
I look at him. I want to stay but my body won't cooperate. Him and Kelly start getting ready to lift me back out and Shay notices
Shay(signs)- mama stay. Play fire truck
I hate this, Matt must be able to tell from my face.
Matt- here, what about this.
He moves over and sits me on his lap so he can support me better. We stay in the truck a while longer then lunch is ready. Matt adjusts me so he has a hand free and signs to Shay
Matt(signs)- want go eat
Shay(signs)- ok. Mama dada come
Matt(signs)- yes we come
I grin at him, he's learned a lot of sign in a few weeks for our little girl.
Matt- of course I'm learning, she's my kid. Now come on, we've been instructed to follow!
He passes me to Kelly who puts me back in my chair and we head to the table. Everyone sits down to eat and I just hang out talking to everyone. Cruz starts going on about his "authentic Dominican" cooking again and tries to give Shay some of what he made
Gabby- don't you dare feed that to my child. I remember your cooking.
Cruz- I've improved!
Mouth- that's a lie, he has not!
It's great to hang out with the guys again and I love that Shay's getting to see the firehouse. After a while I have to head back to the hospital for PT.