Day 2 - A better afternoon

We had some visitors today! Daddy, Katheryn and Grandma Ridding all came for a visit! Nick had been asking since yesterday for them.

Katheryn got a new book as a present and made herself at home.

Nick and Daddy started playing some games. And Nick started moving really well. Lifting his arms and playing no problem (some more new toys helped with that too).
And once he started moving it really made a difference.

He played thumb-wrestling with Grandma

He was still getting his pain medication, but not using the NCA as often anymore. It would still hurt him when he was in the middle of moving. But we did that when katheryn was out of the room. And instead of lying like a board he was helping more.

Nick got a bunch of stuff to play in bed. Including R2D2 bop-it game. some colouring books and he even got some home-made pork chops from Daddy!
Katheryn played with Nick as well (for some reason my phone isn't uploading the pictures I took of her.)

But she is the one that got some real smiles from him.
It was amazing to see Nick improve by the minute.

 Katheryn enjoyed being with her brother and exploring his room.

Everyone stayed until about 4 and then left. It was a long visit and I was exhausted, but Nick was still full of energy. He really wanted to have the pork chops that Daddy had brought for him

He didn't finish the whole plate. mostly the noodles and half the meat. But it that almost counts as a full meal for him now

After dinner it was time for the bowel routine. I was trying to get some pictures of Nick smiling and he really wanted to take a picture of me!

I wish I could have had a double siided camera. This picture doesn't give his smile justice.

 We also had to restart his bowel routine. It had been 2 days. I had lots of supplies, becuase Nick still coudln't get out of bed. He really didn't want to do it. But we had waited 2 days and couldn't wait any more. He had also been leaking from the stoma, so we couldn't wait anymore.

It went... ok. I got the whole 500 in, but not that much out. Maybe about 100. But the nurses and i kept changing his position, which helped to get things moving. I'm not sure what else we can do. Anesthetic is notoriously constipating, as well as the morphine he has been on. And he hasn't really eaten in 2 days (today was the only day I would really say he ate). He is not really in any pain, except from his back. So that is a good sign
Hopefully once he is able to get up (tomorrow hopefully) we can get back into our regular (ha ha) routine.

Right now it is early bed time for all of us.
Nick is all ready with his new flashlight-lightsaber. It is not going to leave his hands all night