Making memories one day at a time.......and then I write about it.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Surgery


Mr. J and Mr. M have to have surgery.  As Mr. J says........ if you snore like a huge pig you have to get your tonsils out.  Both Mr. J and Mr. M have honkin' snore like a pig and make it hard to breath at night tonsils.

The day before surgery both Native's went to school and told their classmates they were going to be able to have all the ice cream they wanted!  Mr. J is in first grade.  His teacher calls her little class her little ducklings. She sent this little duckling home with a cute stuffed duckling to help comfort him during his surgery.  We like Mr. J's teacher.  A lot!!  

Do these two look like they have any idea what is in for them???


It's time!  Mr. M is checking himself in.   


Into the elevator we go and up to the fourth floor.  Notice Mr. J's back pack?  He has his little stuffed duckling that he named, "Quack" inside.


In jammies, rain coats, and arm banded.


It's 12:00 noon.  Filling out paperwork......... and more paperwork.......... and more paperwork........


Waiting........ hungry........... haven't eaten anything since 11:00 the night before which was actually hilarious.  We'd told both boys they could eat to their hearts content because after 11:00 PM they couldn't eat or drink another thing!  They both got excited and stuffed themselves silly until about 10:30 PM when Mr. M said he was so full his tummy hurt and maybe it wasn't a good idea to eat until he was stuffed.


Our sweet little duckling....


Time to weigh in and see how tall we are.  Mr. M is three inches from being five feet!


Toys to help distract for what is to come.


Both boys picked the good old rubik's cube.


Checking vitals.


More paper work........... and more paper work........... and more paper work...............


I'm bummed these next two photos turned out blurry because this whole get up Mr. M had to wear was too funny.  We called him Barney the purple dinosaur.


And the lovely paper boxer shorts he got to wear underneath.  Perfect!  At least he has something to wear underneath!!  Normally it's a cute little bootie sticking out.


Both in hospital jammies now.  Mr. M getting his vitals checked.  This nurse was so sweet.  So good to our boys.


Both tucked in bed waiting for anesthesia!  These two were so cute.  Several nurses stopped and told us how adorable our boys were.


Okay.  The purple dinosaur suit.  Have you ever seen anything like this??  The thing has vents in it that you hook this thing up that looks like a central vacuum system.  Instead of vacuuming it blows warm air or cold air depending on what you like/want in the gown.  Mr. M wanted the hottest air possible so he could be toasty warm in his big purple suit.


Out comes, "Quack" to keep the boys company now that they are all situated in their bed.  Mr. J is running the tv controls.


Time for surgery.  It's Mr. J's turn!


Here we go!


Can I just say as a parent this is really hard to watch?  Watching someone wheel your child away through doors for surgery!!  By the time the day was done I was in need of some major chocolate!


Sniffle.........


Mr. M in his fancy hat.  It's his turn now.


And off he goes.......


Emotional meltdown at about this point.......


Not enough chocolate in the world.............


And then the hardest part.  The waiting.  I brought knitting....... a book to read.........  I couldn't.  I couldn't focus.  I just sat and waited.  In the recovery room I could hear a child screaming and crying.  It broke my heart.  It made the wait that much more harder.  I worried that when Mr. J or Mr. M would come to, they would be upset and cry and I wouldn't be there to hold and comfort them.  We weren't allowed in the recovery room.  Believe me.  We tried.  The nurse told us no.  We told her yes.  She went and asked the manager.  The manager said no.  The nurse who was pictured earlier who had been with the boys before they went into surgery said she'd go and sit with the boys so that when they woke up they'd see her, a familiar face.  I felt better.  That was nice of her.  Especially since her shift was ended or had ended.


Little one back from surgery.  Drugged and sleeping still.


All went well.  "Quack" is doing a good job taking care of Mr. J.  So is the little green fish the nurse gave Mr. J.


Mr. M gives a thumbs up.  He's doing pretty good.  Until he tries to stand to use the restroom and all of the blood drains from his face and he turns as white as the sheet covering him.  No food or drink in over fifteen hours now.......  He's feeling it!


Two very pale duckies given the okay to go home.


I tell The SM we need to stop on the way home and get these boys some protein drinks ASAP so they could get some color back in their faces and some strength and energy!


Down the elevator we go while The SM goes and gets the truck!


 Home.  Around the clock every three hours meds.  A kitchen table and fridge and freezer full of anything and everything you can think of cold and liquidy that these boys could ever want to slurp.  And The Mum feeling like her eyelids are sandbags and wondering how in the world she used to get up every three hours for feedings when these two were babies!

27 comments:

  1. You're amazing, and your ducklings are so darn cute. <3

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    1. They are pretty cute ducklings. Even cuter than those that you are posting photos of on Face Book. :D

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  2. Awe...this was such a sweet post. I could even feel the tug on my heart as they were wheeled away from you. But, isn't it a blessing to find sweet and good people in scary places? So happy that all went smoothly. I get to watch them wheel him away and then sit and wait for my little husband on Friday...not quite the same, I'm sure, but he's all I've got.

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    1. It was really hard watching them go and not being able to go with to keep an eye on my little precious ones. It is a blessing that there are so many good people in this world. Especially when in a scary situation. So comforting!

      I'm sorry your little husband is going in on Friday. Is everything okay? It is very much the same! It is someone that you love dearly and your heart would crumble into a million pieces if anything went amiss.

      Sending prayers your way for you and your little husband. Please keep us posted!!!

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  3. I remember waiting for Gin to get her appendix out - she was four. FOUR. I sat alone in the hospital at a little past midnight - all the lights out - waiting for the doctor to come and tell me. She had sung to him as they put her out. But I was alone in that cavernous, silent place with a stone in my chest instead of a heart . . .

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    1. Now K has me in tears again! Must be having a very hormonal day today :-)

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    2. WHAT??? Why were you alone?????? I of course wasn't here at the time but this is something you should have never had to go through alone!!

      I can see Gin singing to the doctor. I love your Gin......

      My heart just went kerplunk at the image of you going through this alone!!!

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  4. It is SO hard to watch your babies being taken away for surgery! Especially after they tell you all the things that "could go wrong--but usually they don't." I hate that part! Hope your boys are feeling better soon so you can get some sleep!

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    1. Oh my heavens I know! And then to be there when the people next to you DID have some of those things go wrong!!! It was so heart wrenching watching these parents go through something that was supposed to be a 'normal' procedure. You never think that those things they mention will happen to you..........

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  5. Oh Rachel, I can't imagine how hard it must have been not to go running down that corridor behind the gurney each time one of your sweet boys was wheeled away and that's harsh not being allowed in the recovery room. So sweet of the nurse to go and be a familiar face for the boys though. I'm glad everything went well and they're home safe and sound. Hopefully they're tucking into some ice-cream and getting their strength back and hopefully you're able to get a little rest soon x

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    1. We sure tried to get into the recovery room! They said because there were other patients in there, that was why we couldn't. It doesn't make any sense to me but I guess they have to put those rules in place because of parents who don't know how to handle themselves if when their child comes out from under anesthesia and has complications....

      I was able to take a little nap this afternoon. That helped and both boys are doing really well so that is also good. I am told that tomorrow, day three is when things tend to get worse and also day seven. Crossing my fingers...........

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  6. Oh Rachel you have me in tears....those photos of your boys going into surgery and looking so little and worried, I felt every second of it and now Dang it woman I am in no fit state to continue to do my bookwork....I'm going to go and find some chocolate now!!

    Ok I'm back and under control again....how about you? So glad all went well and boys are back home recovering.

    Cullen fell off the trampoline onto his elbow yesterday morning and I visions of hospital and surgery but he only bruised it thank goodness. Our kids certainly put our hearts in our mouths don't they xx

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    1. Did the chocolate help? :D

      Arrgh! Our boys! I'd say dang trampoline but my boys like them and Levi would live on one if he could. We let him jump on the neighbors from time to time but he can't hit his head so it is a rare treat. I wish we could get him one...... he would love it so much.

      Glad Cullen didn't hurt himself worse! These boys are a rough bunch! They are making us tough mommas that is for sure!

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  7. I love this post. I just love it. That is all.

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  8. To Mr. J: Guess what? I snore like a huge pig so I better get my tonsils out, huh?
    To Mr. M: ENJOY YOUR ICE CREAM!!

    This post was wonderful! Loved all the pictures. Looks like Mr. M really is enjoying that wonderful heated nightgown ^_^

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    1. :D You snored at girl's camp!!!! We couldn't believe how little you could produce such wall pulling sawing down an entire forest noises!!

      The boys are enjoying their ice cream, and popsicles, and jello, and pudding, and go-gurts, and juice, and and and and. :) So much so that now Henny Penny wants hers out so she can eat endless amounts of junk too!

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    2. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
      Well that's good. One should always enjoy things like that :D

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  9. I've been thinking about you this week Jody knowing you are also going through a difficult time. I love you too!! I hope you pa recovers quickly!!

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  10. How hard to watch two of your boys go into surgery! I hope they are both starting to feel better. I remember when I had my tonsils out my parents said I could have anything I wanted afterward and I wanted absolutely nothing since it hurt so bad to swallow.

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    1. It was hard. I don't envy anyone having to watch that. The boys are having a tough time. Especially my older one. The last two days and nights have been rough. I feel bad for them. You know what they are going through...... No fun!! No fun having a freezer full of yummy stuff and too painful to eat it.

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  11. HOW DID I MISS THIS??? Oh, Rachel, I don't know how this post slipped my attention. I'd have been here for you, if I'd clued in. I KNOW this experience, or something like it. Eldest had a procedure done that required general anesthetic. She was fine, but I was a ridiculous mess, but not in her sight. They allowed me to go into the room with her, though, and I had my face right up by hers as they knocked her out. Holding hands. And once she was asleep, a volunteer had to literally guide me back to the waiting area. I would have walked into walls and expensive hospital equipment otherwise. I also brought knitting, which was left untouched. Instead, I snuggled and nursed my infant Little One. But, oh, SUCH a difficult thing for mothers to go through. The wait was impossibly long, quite regardless of the actual relatively short amount of time.

    Well, thank heavens your ducklings are well. Those before and after photos, though, are heart wrenching.

    Hugs to you all...

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    1. You missed this because you are a busy Mum with your own brood of ducklings! :D

      I do appreciate you writing this though. You know exactly how I felt. You described it well. And you are here now which I appreciate.

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  12. All your feelings as your boys deal with their surgeries - makes me think of my mom and what she must have gone through with me. I was two months in the hospital after a childhood surgery to fix my spine. Then, it was months in bed - as in bed pans since I was truly In Bed. My recovery was more than a year long and my mom was my total life line. She must have struggled like you and yet I was too self-centered to realize it. How I wished she had kept a blog so I could know what it was like for her!

    Darling photos of those little guys on the bed and in the wheelchair - TOGETHER.

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    1. Oh wow Ginger! You've gone through so much in your life. I can tell you that your mother didn't think for one second that you were wrapped up in yourself and selfish. You know the love of a mother!

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    1. They are good boys. They are the best of friends.

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