The Daily Hailey

I hope to write out a whole long version of Brady’s surgery and initial recovery shortly, but for now, I just really don’t want these pictures to get lost, so I guess you’re getting them now.

In case you missed me, hi, I am non eloquent Hailey. I do not write as well as slightly more stable Hailey. She was before. I’m now. You’ve been warned.

The day of Brady’s surgery, I went to the hospital to drop him off. The great Covid injustice meant I couldn’t go past admitting. I may or may not have bawled like a baby when he left. But, by the grace of God, I may or may not have run into my dear friend, Carrie, at just the right moment, so I had someone to cry on/with.

Brady updated me on his fly looks while he waited for surgery and I waited on pins and needles at home.

Those mixed patterns, though. Its a good look.

The BEST picture, you’ve already seen. That post surgery face 😭I love it.

Aaaaand his view, haha!

I was able to chat with him that night, but I went to visit him the next morning. He was allowed to eat and drink, except he had to lay flat on his back. So we improvised with a cooled coffee and a bendy straw. I kind of loved it.

Thank you, Caitlin, for the Starbucks gifts cards. It is incredible to be able to bring a treat, guilt free.

Day two was the first time they helped Brady sit up! You wouldn’t believe how much work that is for him right now, but he did it! And he was WIPED, but goodness, SO handsome!! He was also allowed to prop up in his bed finally!

Brady had yet a third MRI yesterday, and I got to follow him back to his room with his transport people. They were really chatty and friendly.

At that time, he was plugged into a lot of things. He isn’t anymore 🙂 Today, he wasn’t attached to ANYTHING! IV ports are all still in place, of course. But no current tubes or cords. Win!

Brady looked SO himself today. He had a shower and felt fresh and tube-free, finally! You would never know the trauma just by looking at his face. Goodness I love him.

And lastly, not a picture of him, but of the crazy lift they use to move him around!

So, if you can picture it, they pull this right up to Brady’s bedside. He gets into a bit of a sitting position, and they help him place his feet on the grippy foot board. Then they put a sling/harness around his upper body and hook some straps from the sides of the harness to the white circles on the sides of the handles. (Maybe I can get a picture of this for another post.) Then he holds onto the handles for dear life, and the machine pulls his body up into a standing position. And then they drive him wherever he needs to go. Its such a beautiful, useful machine, and I am so grateful for it, as is Brady.

Brady has been moved around a lot today and yesterday, which is super important, but completely exhausting. As we keep saying, the road is long, but we are here for it, however it looks.

Thank you, friends, old and new, who are following along with all of this, supporting us, and who care so deeply for Brady and our family. This whole thing feels surreal. Like something that happens to other people. It feels completely out of body. And then it hits like a load of bricks, and becomes very very real.