Flashback Friday: Surgery

Here I am with the IV in my head

So now I'm at Children's, I've been here a few days working on my feeding issues.  Last night the nurse came and wheeled me down to Ultrasound. The doctors are going to look for my hernia once and for all.  No more poking my belly and guessing! Mommy came down with me and held my hand. She even let me play with some toys while the tech looked for the hernia.  It didn't take long before the tech spotted just what they were looking for on the screen.  A small dot indicating a hernia on the right side in the inguinal canal. Yep, it's there she said.  She went back to talk to the radiologist and doctor.  She told mommy she'd call someone to come transport me back to the room.  When we got back to the room since it was so late it was time for me to eat again.  Since I'm probably having surgery in the morning the doctor ordered everything in my feeding tube and nothing by mouth tonight. No binky trainer :( They also placed an IV tonight. That hurt a lot. They couldn't get any good veins in my arms so they stuck the needle in my head :( This is the same place I had an IV when I got my first infection in the NICU.  I don't like these IV's. They are no fun.

Anyway, I'm all ready for surgery now.  Now we wait for the doctor.  It's going to be a long night. I'm really nervous for tomorrow.  They say having surgery could cause some problems for my breathing. I may require oxygen again since they are planning to put a tube down my throat for the surgery. If this happens they are pretty sure I'll need oxygen for awhile to recover from surgery. Mommy and Daddy don't like this idea. They are hoping I won't need oxygen since the doctors are talking about sending me home on a feeding tube.  My Mommy and Daddy wouldn't worry so much about it all if I didn't have a brother and sister at home to care for as well! It's all getting to be a bit overwhelming for them! They are also getting very tired splitting time between me and my brother and sister. It's hard to be a family living in 2 places!

Waiting for surgery...
no feeding tube
because I'm not allowed to
eat before my surgery

The next morning I woke up bright and early.  I was so hungry.  This time the nurse never came and brought my feeding. I didn't like that very much, but they say I'm NPO for the rest of the day because of surgery. That means they aren't going to feed me anymore today. I have to go more than 4 hours without food :( I am so sad about this and I'm letting everyone in the hospital know just how unhappy this makes me. Finally, someone in the hospital came up with a good idea! One of my nurses brought me a swing! I've never had a swing before! She strapped me in and turned it on! It goes really fast and I love it! I am quiet now! I think I'll swing until they call me for surgery!

About 3 hours went by and finally the anestheisologist came in to talk to Mommy and Daddy.  She presented them with 2 options.  She asked if they wanted me to participate in a study.  This study would give them 2 options for anesthesia for me. One option would require me to go to sleep, have a tube down my throat and oxygen as well and I would get general anestheia.  The other option would keep me awake and just use local anesthesia.  The anestheisologist left the room and let my Mommy and Daddy talk for a long time.  When she came back Mommy and Daddy had to make a decision.  They decided that since I already had so many problems kicking the "O's" in the NICU, they would go for the anesthesia that would keep me awake so they didn't risk needing the oxygen.  This also meant I couldn't participate in the study because I would have to let a computer decide which option to go with in the study.  The anestheisologist agreed this was a good plan, but cautioned my parents that if something happend during surgery they still might have to put me to sleep. Mommy and Daddy and the anesthesiologist thought they should try this first.

Daddy holding me before surgery

 Soon the nurse came in the room and put me back in bed.  No more swinging :( I was getting even more nervous now. She wheeled me out of my room and onto the elevator. Soon we arrived at the surgery prep area.  It was a small room called the "Blue waiting area".  This is where I waited, with Mommy and Daddy, for the doctor to come and take me back for surgery.  It wasn't a long wait, but it felt like forever because I was scared.  Daddy held me while we waited.

When they finally came to take me, Mommy and Daddy were given a pager and told that when it buzzed they needed to find a phone and call the number.  The doctor said the surgery wouldn't take very long so they shouldn't go too far.  Finally it was time.

The doctor wheeled me back to the operating room.  This is where I was given a pacifier with some yummy stuff on it called "sucrose".  Mommy says that's a fancy word for sugar! I liked it and it made me feel very calm.  The anesthesiologist gave me a shot in my legs and then my lower body felt numb. I didn't like that very much, but I held very still and just whimpered a little. "I'll be OK", I thought. He says this won't take very long. During the surgery the nice doctors and nurses talked to me and smiled at me.  I sucked on my pacifier and I was ok.

Soon the surgery was over and the doctor paged my Mommy and Daddy to tell them the good news.  He told them he had been able to find the hernia right away and fix it! He told them there was a chance that one day it might need to be fixed again, but that was rare and he really didn't think that would happen to me! Mommy and Daddy were so happy! He told Mommy and Daddy they should go back to my room where I would meet them as soon as I was done in the recovery room! It wasn't long and I was wheeled back to my room where Mommy and Daddy were waiting for me! I tried to smile at them, but I didn't feel very good.  I was tired and hungry and the anesthesia was beginning to wear off.  I was starting feel where the doctor had cut me.  I started to cry a little, but Mommy picked me right up and held me close. I liked that!

Recovering from surgery with Mommy

Stay tuned for the final part of this story next week! With surgery complete, I'm on the final stretch now! Everyone says I'll be going home soon!