Thursday, October 25, 2007

Surgery and Post Surgery

Today was not a very fun day - I knew it wouldn't be fun of course - and I'm glad it's over.

I woke up around 5 am and was worried that maybe I had read the surgery notice wrong and it wasn't in Chilliwack Hospital and maybe I got the time wrong? So me being me, I got out of bed and double checked the notice and it was definitely in Chilliwack and we were to check in at 6:45. So I went back to bed but of course didn't sleep. Kaitlyn woke up on her own around 6:15 and was just quietly sitting in her crib with her doll in her lap, her blankie in hand and had turned on her Aquarium and was watching the fishies. As soon as she saw me she gave me a huge smile and said "hi" and I felt so bad because I knew she wasn't going to have a nice day.

We arrived at the hospital pretty much on time and waited in the waiting room. Ryan went to have his ultrasound done while I had Kaitlyn prepped for surgery. Kaitlyn was not allowed to have any food or drink after midnight the night before and was rather upset that she couldn't have a bottle or juice and was pretty upset by the time we had to prep for surgery. She completely lost it when the nurse put her id bracelet on her ankle as well as the numbing cream on her hands. She kept on trying to take off her tiny little hospital gown and already I was getting upset about the whole thing and just wanted it to end. I was escorted into the surgery room finally with Kaitlyn in my arms and I was supposed to hold her hand while she drifted off but instead she was sobbing so hard and fighting everyone and all I could do was hold her arms down so she wouldn't attack the anasthesiologist. I have never heard her cry that hard before and hope to never again.

After the surgery the nurse called for me and let me in. Kaitlyn was still sobbing and waking up from the sedation (she was only under for about 20 minutes). She continued to sob for about 1-1/2 hours, even after we got home. She is on a prescription ear drop and lots of Tylenol and her ear is still draining a pinkish discharge which the nurse said would happen for the next 48 hours or so. The dr seems happy with the results and said there was so much fluid and her hearing difference will probably be like night and day. We have a followup appointment in 3 weeks where we can have her fitted for plugs for water exposure but until then we cannot get water in her ears.

Now she is back to her same old self and is being super affectionate. Besides the pink fluid draining, you can't even tell anything happened to her today which is a blessing! Oh, and I did take the camera with me today to the hospital but couldn't bear to take any pictures of my child in so much misery.

Ryan's ultrasound also seems to have gone well. The dr was called in at the end who told Ryan there was nothing to worry about and the results would be sent to our family dr. Hopefully we'll get some answers for his discomfort soon!

Well, there's the update from today as promised! Hopefully I get better at this blogger thing now that some stress seems to have been alleviated from our household. Hope to post again soon.

2 comments:

Yvonne said...

I'm glad to hear you all survived your day ... I've never had to do that with any of my kids and for that I am thankful (my day will come!!) All the best!

cathy said...

Glad to hear it is all over. I had to do that with my son Cameron when he was in Kindergarten. But, the tubes helped him so much!

I had to have tubes in as a child, as did my sister. And, I had them in about 2 years ago myself...I still struggle with ear troubles into my adult hood. But, now they seem good!

Take care! It is hard to watch our children suffer that is for sure.