Back to Columbus: September 21st, 2004

Yesterday, Nikki transferred to OSU Medical Center, to the Dodd Hall rehabilitation center. This was a major step in her recovery, being the end of more than 8 weeks of critical care! It was also a very sad day, since we said goodbye to many of the wonderful people who helped to save Nikki's life. We spent the weekend taking lots of pictures of the wonderful staff at MetroHealth, many of them with Nikki. Needless to say, we'll be back in the future to visit these folks.

We transported Nikki ourselves, since she is well enough to sit in a chair for several hours. Getting her into the Jeep was easy; the hard part was taking everything out of her room. There were a couple of hundred cards, many stuffed animals, deflated balloons, and several odds and ends. It added up to several bags and boxes- quite a load. The trip itself was uneventful, and she was comfortable for the entire trip. We even stopped at McDonalds for some take out. Nikki really enjoyed being outside, and it was a beautiful day to drive.

OSU's Dodd Hall was ready and waiting when we got there. Nikki was taken right to her room, which is very nice. It's a double-bed room, but she has it to herself. Being a burn patient, they won't have anyone else rooming with her. Every patient room in Dodd Hall has a full-wall window, offering a great view and lots of sunshine. While it's still early, the staff seems to be just as caring and professional as the folks at MetroHealth. Nikki's still a little nervous, being exposed to all new staff and procedures, but she's becoming more comfortable. She had her first dressing change today, and it went well. The procedures are a little different, but nothing unpleasant.

At OSU, Plastic Surgery runs the burn service, so plastics is closely involved with her from the start. That's a good thing, since most of Nikki's future surgeries will be by plastics. She was seen by the burn staff today, and they had good opinions of the work that Nikki has received so far. She will also be consulted by ophthalmology and maxillofacial services. Of course, physical medicine is her primary service here, the science of rehabilitation, and Dodd Hall is one of the country's best. Take a look at U.S. News & World Report's "Best Hospitals" list for 2004 for more info... http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hosptl/tophosp.htm

With Nikki just 20 minutes away now, instead of 2 ½ hours, it's time for me to go back to work. Fortunately, I seem to still have a job to go back to, so that's one less worry. Bonnie will be able to spend more time with Nikki now, so we'll still be there a lot for her. It'll seem strange, getting back to a more normal life.

Many thanks to those who have helped us through cards, letters and more. While Nikki still has a lot to be done over the next couple of years, things are definitely getting better. Everyone's support has meant an awful lot to us. More later!