I started the new antibiotic and it was intense. It wasn't something that worked with my other meds, so I was also going through withdrawls from meds I'd been on for years, and within 24 hours my tendons were needing extra support with KT tape to do simple things like opening the fridge, lifting a glass of water, etc. Within 36 hours, I had another allergic reaction.

It was SO discouraging. 

The drs decided to run another culture and see where the infection was at, and I'm so thankful they did, because my only treatment option left was admittion to an infectious disease unit for specialty treatment. 

After three weeks of fighting this thing, the cultures came back clear and my parents and I packed up and we got on a plane to meet David in Portland the next day (Sep 20). From there we surprised Braven (who is obsessed with trains) with a train ride home on the Amtrak.

Something amazing that happened while in Colorado, which we want to celebrate, is we were connected with a Pediatric Neuromuscular Rehab Chiropractor (who actually worked for the Olympic teams) and we were able to get Braven and I both in for 2 weeks of daily treatments while there with him. 

A little backstory, after Braven's brain and back injury, he lost all ability to grasp with his legs when carried, so he is a deadweight 40lb toddler to pack around even when wide awake. He just hangs there. We have done SO much therapy and never regained that grasp capacity. 

Within 24 hours of working with this specialist Braven was fully grasping again with his legs! It's like his low back and hips just woke up again after over a year! That alone was worth EVERYTHING we went through in the trip. Everything. 

It was definitely hard to leave an area so rich in medical care. 

My summer flair broke a few weeks ago now that the weather has cooled off and my cane has been retired again for a few weeks now thank goddess. My body always finds deep relief in the dry elevation of Colorado and my headpain drops to hardly anything (we have no idea why this is, but it always happens) while there. Coming back to humid sea level is a painful reaclimation and has definitely brought on some tears. 

David took this past week off and we have been focused on lots of sleep, snuggles, family time and some intensive therapy sessions to process all that we've gone through this summer as a couple and family, as we are realizing David and I are both understandably in deep burnout. 

All in all we are just so full of graditude to be able to be able to hold eachother in a big family hug again and talk and laugh and tell stories and fall asleep next to eachother.