Post Surgery

Hey everyone, this is Allison... This is actually my second attempt at a post surgery update.  We had a full day yesterday and didn't settle in until almost 11pm.  I tried to type out an update then but it made no sense so I laid it down and am trying again now.   Let's see if I can give you an idea of what happened since we last "talked."

First on Keller's front: He was taken from his room in NICU downstairs to the pre op area.   His nurse notified us when she got the message that they (the pre-op people) were on their way and we were able to meet Keller in the hallway and walk with him with his nurse and Neonatologist at our side.  Here's a pic of him just before surgery:

Sleeping just before surgery.

We met an anesthesiologist and countless nurses and soon enough Keller was off to surgery.  I have to say I do not want to kiss him goodbye many more times or go through that too much.  In fact, I'd like to think we are half way done with those kisses.  The plan was to put in an A-line (a fancy IV that can give more accurate blood pressure readings than a cuff and also can be used to draw bloodwork).  There was a TV screen in the waiting area with numbers and surgery updates on it.  Each patient and family are given a number and you can keep track with what stage of surgery they are in.  Keller's update said something like "in OR waiting surgery to begin" for over an hour. Keller gave them a hard time getting that A line.  They had to try multiple places and eventually the surgeon put it in his right leg and they could continue on with the surgery as planned.  That part took a little over an hour.  The surgeon came out to meet us with a report around 4:30.  The surgery went well.  She brought us a sketch of his what his organs look like and where they are, Keller has surprised us again.  Instead of his organs being on one side or the other they have positioned themselves on top of each other.  She described this as situs centralis.  She positioned his small intestines and colon on opposite sides of his belly cavity.  Typically it goes colon on the right, small intestines left but our boy is so unique that even this had to be done, you guessed it, opposite.  **Edit: The surgeon did not find a spleen so he is officcally asplenic.  While she was inside she did remove his appendix as well.** He was already on his way to his room while we got the update and soon enough we were able to go see him.  Turns out after all that work the A-line was a no go and had to be removed.  The plan was to remove his breathing tube overnight and we are ready to get back over to him today.  He may even get to eat today and that excites me.

On my front: I have been discharged and am no longer a patient.  I felt this was best because even though I am still recovering physically I feel like I would do better if I could be by his side and not still juggling a hospital room and nurses and checks of my own.  I will be good, I promise.  I have already let people carry my bags, pick things up for me and even sitting when I am supposed to. :)

Norah has been fabulous.  I cannot imagine another 2 year old that could have spent 3 days around a hospital and not fussed, screamed, and whined.  She has taken it all in stride, even with limited daytime naps.  She did go home last night to have a little bit of normalcy and while I will miss her face here I know this is good for her.  The hospital has some really neat stuff for the sick kiddos and for siblings and she has taken full advantage.

God has provided what we have needed when we have needed.  While we were in the waiting room yesterday knowing I would be discharged soon, and not knowing where we would go for the night, we got a call that we had been accepted to the Ronald McDonald house.  We can stay for a week, hopefully we won't have to.  It is truly amazing that 1.) we decided just to not worry about it and let God provide and 2.) God did just that.  We have learned that this is an minute to minute, hour to hour, type thing and we are just trying to make the next decision for this day.

Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement.  They have come at just the right time, every time.

Allison