the return of pads

Yes - I know this doesnt look like Pads but actually you can spot him there in the background without his head bandage. Foreground is 'Sam' - been through thick and thin with him, rests on him every night as an extra pillow (I wonder if he'll go for less pillows now the internal one has been removed...)
The drain and bandage came off this morning. He was assessed by the surgeon who had put the drain in. This Dr revealed the dressings and was very pleased to see no sign of leakage (in fact I'm sure he said 'beautiful' at one point). Before anyone had acted on his instructions to remove the drain, the surgeon who removed the tumour came by and before Pads had much time to get pain relief in his system, he was lying very still but very loudly yelling as the drain (two staples) was taken out. Poor lad - that was pretty traumatic. But he fed himself twice today, double vision is lessening and then there was the walking. His first steps today were very wobbly - at the behest of the physio. His 'carrot' is building towards climbing the stairs tomorrow: if he can do that, he can get 'home leave' over the weekend. The second walk was better. By this evening, after attempting to sleep for an hour, wriggling in the bed, I suggested a trip down the corridor and he was up for it. We visited the nursing station, 20 metres away, much to their delight. He felt so good for that walk. He's worried about further staple removal (on Monday, God willing) but we've reassured him that those ones will be easier - with pain relief! We think the hot and cold feelings he's getting are related to the steroids, which he's being weaned off slowly, so that was improving too. We'll have to see what kind of night they have. Last night he got so hot he was flapping the covers like mad! At least the 'loud' child in the corridor has been replaced... Anyway, the fact is, tonight the sense of relief and pleasure in the room is palpable.