HI-YA

We are waiting for C to come out of surgery and just got a knock on the waiting room door. The doctor , Dr. Kim comes in and tells us everything went as planned. They repaired the right hernia and explored for the left, but did not find it. Ok, as I expected. Then comes a funny question. “ Does C take any type of martial arts?” Ummm…what? And after a moment I tell him “Uh, no, no martial arts, why?” “Well, there are two nurses on either side of him holding him down and as he is waking up he kicks toward the faces of both of the ones holding his legs in a perfect V.” Oh, dear- and this is after having surgery to the lower abdomen (both sides). Todd and I look at each other and feel much relief after we hear the doctor laughing. My next thought is that the Dr told us that he would need about a week to recover, but I’m thinking C may have other plans.

It was really pitiful taking him back to the OR. I usually do not prepare the kids much for what is going to happen, they all seem to do better when we are there with them and they are only given enough information for the time- and not too much time to think and worry about it. So, the anesthesia nurse went over the procedure with him, but maybe a bit too much detail too early?- the wobbly legs, that the anesthesia would smell like old gym socks- not pleasant things for him to think about for 45 minutes while we waited. He did well for about 5 minutes and then C started to cry and tell us no wobbly legs, he did not think he’d like that. He got more worried as the time passed. Now, I know some children like to know exactly what will happen and when- I was like that- but all of our kiddos (even K who likes to know everything and then asks a million questions) do better when we only give them the information right before or sometimes as it as happening - sometimes not at all. I think most of the fear is bound up in that waiting time, when they are helpless to do anything and cannot change the anticipated event. So, they cry, and cry and tell us how much they don’t like it. Talk about feeling helpless.

He put on a brave face,kissed Daddy bye and walked with me and nite nite (he got to keep it during surgery even though I am certain it is anything but sterile) all the way down the big, long hallto the OR. He did well, but after I lifted him to the table, they asked him to lay his head on the funny pillow. Ummmmm… no- don't think so. He did not like that idea;you could see the anxiety rising, but he did comply, with tears from those big brown eyes. We got him down on the table and they put the mask on. After a couple big breaths I told him to cry big ( the bigger the breaths, the faster it goes) and the eyes started rolling and he went to sleep. Oh my, just seeing my little one there- it was so hard to leave.

We got to see him in recovery and as we were walking in, before we even saw him, his nurse said, “he’s double fisting it already.” We walk in to see him sitting with a blue popsicle in one hand and a full cup of apple juice in the other. If that was not funny enough, he had a flexible thermometer stuck to the center of his forehead as well. What a sight, and what a relief. He proceeded to alternately drink and go back in and out of sleep. I got some good pictures. I know , I know, I am not usually the lunatic that wants to bring my camera into the hospital, but I brought it as well as my computer to download our photos from Florida. So when the opportunity arose, I just happened to have my camera. I will have to rethink my stance on camera addiction- I got some really cute pictures.
We got home and T took him to the door and we got our first BIG smile- Bear Bear and Fran Fran had sent a teddy bear with balloons to cheer him up! Thanks you two! The last picture is for you.
He has asked to lay down ( where is MY child??), so I am going to go sit with him. We have a lot to be thankful for this thanksgiving, not the least of which is me getting to share a piece of smelly, slobbery nite nite with one that I love.
With a truly thankful heart, Happy Thanksgiving to you all!