I'm super sorry I was away for a couple hours and I missed a ton of messages about Katie. I promised I'd keep you guys updated and I slacked, but it was for a good reason!
I finally got to see Katie!!!!! (a billion exclamation points) She woke up earlier this evening and I was able to stay and see her until visiting hours ended. She's on a lot of drugs because she's in a ridiculous amount of pain right now, so she was really out of it. I don't think she understood much of what was going on and she was in and out of sleep most of the time that I saw her. She wasn't really her coherent Katie self so I wasn't able to send her all of your blessings and love but I will as soon as she's less loopy.
As far as her health goes, the doctors say that they're hoping with the surgery and antibiotics that the infection will have cleared up and her health will only get better from here. (They're not making any promises, but that's what they always say.)
Basically, from here on out it's going to be a lot of healing and hospital time. To get rid of the infection, they had to remove a lot of the tissue in her jaw and some of the muscle. She got 46 stitches on the inside of her mouth and around her jaw, along with the head gear that's keeping her mouth wired shut. (Really it just looks like fancy and high tech braces, which is not at all what I was expecting.)
A lot of her recovery will be physical therapy to increase the strength of the muscles she has left and relearning to eat and talk. Her jaw is going to be wired shut for the rest of this month and most of May. They're not giving an exact day because they're still feeling the whole thing out I guess.
Along with the physical therapy, they're suggesting she get plastic and reconstructive surgery to get her jaw looking back to normal, but I think she will be beautiful no matter what! Her dad said he's going to leave it up to her though, and he doesn't want to bring it up until she's at least somewhat healed. Plastic surgery is the last thing she needs to think about right now.
She'll probably be in the hospital for the rest of April but they said as soon as she's feeling less loopy we can bring in some stuff for her to do, which means I'll bring her phone and laptop so she can get on Mibba! I'm hoping that will be within the next couple days but they just want her to focus on recovering right now, so we'll have to see ):
Thank you all so much for the love you're sending her! It means so much to both of us. You all have really touched my heart and it's so wonderful there are so many people who care about Katie getting better. Even though you're miles away and have never met her, you still care and it really is so touching. You guys are Katie's Mibba family and I know she loves you all to pieces. Mibba really is a home to Katie and I know she will be so happy when she can get back on again.
Katie, I love you and you are so strong for dealing with all of this. I know you don't understand much of it right now, but I know you're a fighter and you will get through all of this. You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world and you always will be. You've got a long road ahead of you, but if anyone can do it, it's you. I think Dory said it best...
