Meredith and I returned to Cincinnati for two follow up visits.  On Thursday we saw our rehab doctor, and on Friday we saw her neurologist.  Both doctors thought she looked great.  They were very happy with her progress and said to continue the rehabs we are doing and let the recovery continue as far as it will.  Her neurologist (who follows her for the chorea movements and any possible seizures which we haven’t seen since she was in the ICU) says he only needs to see her one more time this summer and he will likely release her at that point.

Since our appointments were on two back to back days, I decided to make a  fun trip of it and we stayed overnight.  We visited her therapists in the hospital and saw some other terrific doctors we knew.  One of her earliest nurses on the rehab floor who loved Meredith passed us in the hallway.  She was completely amazed to see Meredith doing so well.  I think the last time we saw her Mere had just said her first words (Old Mexico!), still had a tube in her nose and wasn’t walking unassisted.  She was moved to tears seeing Meredith.

The best part of our trip was seeing the aquarium — or seeing Meredith see the aquarium.  Last summer, one of Laura Campbell’s first trips to Cincinnati included a trip there.  Josh and I took her while someone else stayed in the hospital with Meredith.  It was early on in the hospital stay, and I was very much a basket case when I was away from Mere.  I have vivid memories of being in the Frog Bog with LC while she and dozens of other kids played on the large frog statues and climbing fort.  I called in to the hospital to check on Meredith, and I wanted desperately to be at the hospital rather than where I was with Laura Campbell and all the other happy, well children.  It was a strange and awful feeling, being so torn and not able to enjoy my time with Laura Campbell or give her the attention she needed.  But on Thursday, as I sat watching Meredith play happily in the Frog Bog I felt like I had come full circle.   I sat and watched Meredith climb and run and play with a deep and awesome sense of gratitude and peace.   

Seeing our old friends at the hospital was wonderful.  And hearing from two doctors that Meredith is still making gains and we should continue what we’re doing was comforting.  But watching Meredith play in the Frog Bog was by far the best part of our trip for me.  She was just another happy kid in the aquarium.  And Laura Campbell was safe at home with Josh, so nothing was tugging at my heart or weighing heavenly on my mind.   Life was good and was about as perfect as I could hope for in that moment.

“I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the LORD.” — Ps. 40:1-3