SDR Recovery Day 5: Goodbye Houston, Hello Plano

Quick Stats

Age: 3 years old
Diagnosis: Right Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
Procedure: Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR)
Post-Op Day: 5
Pain: Mild, mostly during car ride
Appetite: Normal
Mobility: Walking with walker, stairs, increasing endurance
Sleep: Improving
Mood: Happy and energetic
Nerve Sensations: Improving, mostly at night

Today marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

We started our morning the way we've started many of our days this week: with a little fun mixed into therapy.

Before our scheduled sessions, we headed to the playroom for a round of air hockey and some Lego building while sneaking in movement and therapy opportunities wherever we could.

One thing we've learned this week is that therapy doesn't always have to look like therapy.

Sometimes it looks like play.

And sometimes that's when the best work happens.

What we didn't realize at the time was that this would end up being our final therapy day in Houston.

With the insurance outage still ongoing, we truly had no idea what the day would bring.

During PT, Amri worked on bowling while in a tall kneeling position, kneeling upright with his hips extended and bottom lifted off his heels. This position challenges core strength, balance, and hip stability while keeping therapy fun.

We also received some updated guidance moving forward.

Rather than holding our hands while walking, the therapists would like Amri using a walker whenever possible.

We were also encouraged to have him spend more time in socks and shoes without his AFOs so his body can learn to use these new movement patterns naturally.

The wheelchair is still coming along on our adventures, but mostly as a backup for longer distances when he needs a break.

One of my favorite moments of the day happened while we were practicing walking.

Throughout our stay, we've had the sweetest little pod neighbor, a little girl around a year old.

When she happened to be in the hallway during one of our walking sessions, Amri immediately became distracted.

Instead of focusing on walking, he decided to demonstrate his Spiderman skills by hanging from the walker with his arms and galloping down the hallway leading with his right foot.

Typical 3-year-old behavior.

But the second I told him that our little neighbor didn't know how to walk yet and asked if he could show her how it was done, everything changed.

He immediately locked in.

Focused.

And walked beautifully.

Sometimes all it takes is the right motivation.

Our PT, Ms. Sophia, also gave us one final tour of some of her favorite spots around the hospital.

She showed us views of the helipad, places to watch the train, and several hidden gems we hadn't discovered yet.

We had every intention of spending the afternoon exploring more of the hospital and checking out a farmer's market happening downstairs.

Then everything changed.

At approximately 12:30 PM, we finally got the news we'd been waiting for.

Because of the ongoing insurance system outage, we were given approval to transport Amri ourselves rather than continue waiting for ambulance authorization.

After days of uncertainty, things moved very quickly.

We were told we needed to arrive in Plano before 6:00 PM.

So we packed.

Fast.

Just like that, our Houston chapter was over.

Leaving was surprisingly emotional.

We were ready to get closer to home, but every single person we encountered during our stay had been incredible.

The nurses.

The therapists.

The physicians.

Child Life.

Food service.

Environmental services.

Everyone.

As we made our way out of the hospital saying our goodbyes, we were met with cheers, encouragement, hugs, and well wishes.

It was one of those moments that reminds you just how special healthcare workers can be.

We will never forget the people who cared for our family this week.

The drive to Plano normally takes around four hours.

With a post-op toddler, it took closer to six.

About ten minutes into the trip, Amri started complaining that his back hurt.

We adjusted his car seat, made frequent stops, stretched, walked, and took our time.

Thankfully, the discomfort was manageable.

The funniest part of the trip came when Amri repeatedly announced that he wanted to go back to "Hooston."

At one point, he informed Dad that he was driving the wrong direction and needed to turn around immediately.

Somehow during this journey we decided that Children's Health Plano should be called "Pooston."

So naturally, that is now its official name.

We arrived at Children's Health Plano around 7:30 PM.

After meeting our nursing team and weekend provider, we got settled into our new room and ordered a late dinner.

The room is huge.

The view is amazing.

And as if the day hadn't already been memorable enough, we were treated to a fireworks show outside our window from a RoughRiders game in Frisco.

Not a bad welcome.

Tomorrow we'll meet our new PT and OT teams for evaluations and begin settling into our new temporary home.

Sundays are considered therapy off-days here, with structured therapy running Monday through Saturday.

The timing works out perfectly because Amri's big sister, Mila, will be coming to spend the day with us.

As for recovery itself, things continue moving in the right direction.

Pain continues to decrease.

The only significant back pain today happened during the car ride.

The itching is also improving and is now mostly limited to nighttime.

We're still alternating Tylenol and Motrin as needed and giving a dose of Benadryl before bed.

Walking continues to improve as Amri gains confidence.

And somehow, every day, he continues to surprise us.

Just five days ago he was heading into surgery.

Today he's walking, climbing stairs, and beginning the next chapter of his recovery.

We are incredibly grateful.

And we're ready to get to work.

Current Status

• Successfully transferred from Houston to Plano

• Walking with increasing confidence

• Using walker for mobility training

• Practicing stairs

• Pain minimal

• Appetite normal

• Itching improving

• Sleeping better

• Beginning inpatient rehab at Children's Health Plano

• One little boy who keeps exceeding expectations