Thursday, December 23, 2010

It's dark and there are weird whiiiring sounds.

It's been a long day. Up at 4am to make sure everything got in the car, and I still had to turn around and go back... I forgot my purse!
The hospital is beautiful. It's easy to park at 6am. We found the parking structure that is connected directly to the surgery check in... Same floor, and we parked less than 50ft from the door... It was cold and windy when we hauled all four kids into the brightly lit lobby.
We received a repeat of the instructions, got Henry's patient number and went around the corner for a seat.
We only waited a few minutes before they called Henry back for Pre-op prep. He needed an X-ray. They brought the machine up to his room. It was quick and relatively painless. I have been around these hospital rooms enough, now, that I know how to ask for useful information. I used to ask questions, and get almost what I needed. Now, I can say exactly what I need to, to garner the right info.
Click to enlarge- The quilters love what they do!

Henry got a beautiful quilt from the quilting ladies that build crib sized comforters for kids that have to be in the hospital. It's unusual, but looks almost vintage. I love it!
I dressed him in little kidlet scrubs, and brushed back the hair that isn't there after yesterdays hair cut. I hate his hair... but it's best for him. After seeing one, two, three, four nurses, and two doctors - rotaing the -two-at-a-time- with Anastasia, Zane, Grandma, and Noah - I put on some paper scrubs, cap, and shoe covers. I walked with him, into the operating room. Everything is sterile. I was terrified to move... God, what if I contaminated something!
We laid him on the smallest operating table that I have ever seen... on a warming blanket. We covered his little nose and mouth with a strawberry scented mask, and he cried... cried... and went to sleep. I was ushered out, and escorted back to the standard waiting area. A beautiful area, with a fire place, and view of the mountains, and the gardens below.
A nice place to wait. If you have to wait for three hours. Three hours. Dr. Wadie started the surgery at 7:33 and by 10:15 we were being notified that he was closing, and would be out to check in with us.
"Everything went well." He gave us a short list of 'need to's and will do's' over the next three days.
No food - nothing. His stomach and bowels are to rest for 24hrs. Then slow drip, then bolus feedings, then training on the tube, and Henry's discharged!
Things to be concerned about... the nissen fundiplication coming undone. The G-tube coming lose or rejecting.
For now Henry is resting... Morphine calms him, but he won't sleep but for a few minutes at a time. His mouth is dry. He has three teeth trying to pop through. His belly is tender. He hooked up to a blood pressure cuff, a pulse/oxygen monitor, and IV and two little sticky probie things that I'm not sure about.
Drain tip... a reversing of the gtube.
He has a drain, from his g-tube, to collect anything in his stomach.
Antibiotics, so there's no infection!
He's had antibiotics through his IV, and they give him pain meds the same way.

His breathing is heavy right now. I should put this lap top in it's case, and try to sleep.

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