Recouperating from Major Surgery?

Most people who go through a major bowel resection and abdomenal wall closure surgery enjoy lounging about for several weeks, recouperating. Not Andrew. Day One. We arrive home, Andrew goes over to the Barkers acrossed the street. OK. He'll play computer stuff. A little later on, I send Amanda over with a popsicle. She comes home to tell me that he isn't there. What!!! He went with the boys to watch them do a service project in the neighborhood. Later on he tells me that he wants to go to Farmington Pond. No!! I realize that for the next six weeks I am going to have to keep a close watch on him. Day Two. I make Andrew come with the family to Farmington Pool. He can't do anything but sunbathe and hang his feet in the pool. Day Three. We took a ride up to Westgate in Park City. Grandma and Grandpa are staying there. Once again, Andrew gets to sunbathe. It is hard for him to watch from the sidelines. But we are in the home-stretch now and have to be careful. Recovery time will be six weeks - very careful and three months - careful. Over the weekend we had the annual Spilker Family Reunion at Westgate. We spent one day at Trial Lake fishing. Andrew caught a a 17", 1 pound albino trout. We had a lot of fun with Grandma and Grandpa Spilker! Later in the weekend, I was walking out to the pool and turned my head in time to see Andrew swing a tennis racket. He was trying to play with his cousins! Eek!! My blond hair is rapidly turning white. Hmm, I wonder why? Andrew's pain levels are mostly manageable. His back/leg nerve pain reared it's head again. He was off those meds for 10 days during the surgery. So now we know that they really do help. Andrew has some muscle spasms in his abdomen that hurt but he is doing very well! Just a little tylenol for pain. I have to smile when I watch him do things that he enjoys, like fishing. To see the twinkle in his eyes is such a gift! Each new day that you get to spend with a loved one, is precious. That is one of the lessons we have learned. On Wednesday, Andrew's JP drainage tube came out by itself. He said, "Mom! I swear I didn't pull it out! John is my witness." I had to laugh. It was ok and can stay out now. We are down to the PIC line and tpn. We go in on Tuesday and I think we may be good to end that too. We can see the finish line! It has been a long race.