Sunday of the Last Week

Sunday Night
     Hello! I am going to try and post every night this week because it is going to be my last full week here at the hospital! I can't believe this time has passed so quickly, I'm super excited to go back and see my family and friends!! Over the past few weeks, cards have still been coming in, some are even from Australia and Canada... I have counted them all and I have a total of 152 cards! WOAH!!! I have 82 cards on the front of my door, 69 cards on the back, and you can't forget the one that flew out of the window!! I've put all of my envelopes in a box that HAD contained some very delicious cookies from my cousins!!

     When I'm not doing homework I'm busy painting! I've found a real passion in painting and have found that sketching is not the only art form I'm good at.

     My surgery is next week on October 1st, I'm just a little more nervous than usual because it is a deeper and longer process surgery but I know God will guide the surgeons hands perfectly and let me be a happy girl! I miss everybody so much and I can't wait to come home! I'll post tomorrow night and I might include a memory of being here! Talk to you later!!

Appreciation!!!!

Wow!! So much appreciation!!!

Hello!!! I just wanted to say THANK  YOU SO MUCH! I have been getting so many cards from all over the USA! I had already started putting some up when I first got a few cards, But now I have so much that I had to do it on the front and the back of the door. I put all of the side opening cards on the front of the door, there’s 46 of them!  I put the rest of the cards and papers on the back of the door, and there’s 31 of those including the one that flew out the window!!

I appreciate everyone who’s sent me a card  with thoughtful notes inside. The amount of cards that I’ve gotten at the hospital is probably more than all of the cards that I’ve gotten in my whole entire life combined! That’s a lot of cards!! My mom tells me “there’s a whole new stack of cards waiting for you.....” I might need a new door!!  I love everybody so much and I thank you for everything that you’ve given me, try to find your card in the 77 cards I have!!

UPDATES!!

Hello!!! 

   Hello!! I actually forgot about this blog until last night so I am now here to continue updating you on what's happening here in the hospital. I have been getting so many cards and gifts and I really appreciate them from those who give them to me. Here is my door of cards and papers!! I've gotten at least 35 cards, and several gifts.


   I've been behind in my schoolwork because since I'm not in the classroom it is harder to understand what to do. So I've mostly spent all my time doing schoolwork, but when I'm not I'm in activities or Child Life! I can't believe next week on Tuesday, it would be 4 weeks already!! They have scheduled my surgery to be October 1, so 3 more weeks left!! Last week on Wednesday, they took X-rays and what a difference you can see!

In the right picture, the bottom curve is a 34 degree curve. On the left side, the bottom curve is 26 degree's!! This is a 8 degree difference, pretty good! The top curve did increase by 1 degree though...but I still have more time in the hospital to correct it!!
I am doing great and I hope everyone else is doing great too! I will try to remember to blog!! See you next time!!

New Traction Devices!

My New Everything!

     Hello!! I am sorry I haven't been blogging, I've just been so busy with figuring out my schedule for school! I am in 8th grade and so the work gets harder. It's been even harder not having an adult making sure I'm working on my homework and not getting distracted! I am working hard though to make my education in the hospital count! I have also been starting Physical Therapy! In PT, we do bunches of neck exercises, because when you are in traction your neck hurts from being pulled up and it becomes stiff and sore. In PT, we bend our neck to keep it from getting to stiff. We also do shoulder and arm exercises with exercising bands. We do balance games like hopping on one foot, throwing and catching on one foot, etc...We also just go on the treadmill, stretch or lift weights. 

     I just got my new walker and bed traction!! The walker does do more than the wheelchair, I can tell from neck pain!! Haha! In the wheelchair, my neck wasn't hurting or stiff, but in the walker (just as the PT coach said) my neck has been a bit sore and stiff. I will put up some pictures of me in my walker soon. I also just started bed traction last night! It's not the greatest, I can move around but I can't lift my head or turn easily. Sometimes it's loud at night and it wakes me up, I think this is the traction I dislike most, but I will get used to it...(I hope)

     I have painted something new! This is one the back of a wood instrument (just for little kids,) it is a galaxy with tree silhouettes, it is called Falling Stars.

     I also got my name in sticker form put on my halo!!

     I am in Room 319, if you want to come visit me. The best times on weekdays would be after 

4 o'clock, and on weekends you can visit me whenever. You can contact me at emsnyder100@gmail.com if you have a question. I will try to have a time where I blog. Thank you guys for reading and supporting me!!

Trying out Traction!

Trying out Real Traction!

     Hey, it’s me Emily again here to update you guys! I couldn’t blog after the surgery on Tuesday because I was feeling so bad, I was throwing up after I ate and drank, and my head just hurt so much! I rested all day! My cousins came and visited me and gave me some yummy brownies and a cute potted succulent!! I didn’t sleep at all Tuesday night either because I couldn’t find a comfortable position. Wednesday, I felt a little better and I ate with no problem! My dad brought me a delicious, warm croissant! I went to Child Life, (kids playroom/activity room) and I decorated a mini notebook.
     Thursday, I went to Child Life again and I played the Wii and I painted a beautiful ocean picture!
 
It's supposed to look like those streaky fade into pictures.
     I later went to the upstairs atrium to do some fun activities and I painted another thing.

I saw this idea on Pinterest and I thought it looked cool so I decided to paint it.
     Yesterday on Friday, I stayed in my room, my cousins came to visit me and gave me lots of things to do! I got a new sketchbook, a calligraphy set, a knitting set, and a fluffy pillow! I was also painting another painting. Remember that little cute succulent my other cousins got me?
I painted it!

I was super proud of this painting because I don't usually paint and my skill is more in sketching.
I went to Child Life at 3 o'clock to play once a month BINGO! I didn't win but in the end everyone still got a prize, and I chose out a remote control helicopter that didn't really work. I slept great last night and only woke up once! It's Saturday now and I am going to draw something in my new sketchbook! I am getting used to the halo being on my head (I thought I would never get used to it!) and I am able to sleep at night with no pain or discomfort. I am eating great, and love all the food my parents brought me yesterday! I am getting tons of emails from people, telling me to stay strong!
     I am changing when I update this blog, instead of every Saturday, I'm going to try to post more often. I will try to post every night so that you guys know how I'm doing! I really appreciate all the support and gifts from everyone and I'll talk to you later!

Halo Day

   Halo Day 😇 

      It’s me, Emily Snyder and I’m going to be blogging about my time here in the hospital. I’ll try and post every week on Saturday about what’s new and what’s currently happening. 

      Today I’m going to have a surgery in about a couple minutes to get the halo put in. This surgery will take about 30 minutes, a very quick surgery. I will post more about how it went after the surgery.

       I’m going to put a link of a video explaining how halo traction works. 

#'s 13 and 14 Surgeries - 2018

I can't believe that I failed to post the last 2 surgeries. I'm being prompted to update the news of those 2 from last year seeing as Emily will be facing her biggest obstacle thus far of her treatment.

I will go on to describe what happened with 13 and 14 in 2018, but today, we checked her in for 8 weeks of traction.

That's right, Emily will be living at the hospital for the next 2 months getting holes drilled in her head tomorrow in order to install a hallow to allow her body to be suspended and lengthening her spine. This will be followed by a surgery in October to finish the treatment.

I'm giving authorship to Emily so she can update her day to day while at the hospital in the coming 2 months.