Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Long Day.... but recovering




Today was surgery day to remove the mass from behind Isaiah's ear drum in his left ear.
Our surgery was scheduled at 6 AM at UK hospital. With the weather and 1 1/2 hour drive we decided to go to Lexington last night and stay at the closest hotel we could find.
After a handful of hours of sleep we scooted from the hotel over to the dreaded parking garage to catch the shuttle bus that runs to the hospital. Let me tell you, when you've never done this, it's stressful at 5:50 AM in freezing weather with 2 children (and a husband) HA!
Once we got there things went fine.
We sat and talked in the pre-op room as each nurse, attending, doctor and anaesthesiologist came in.
They did a great job taking care of him. When nurse Katie came in to get Isaiah he had the option of riding back to the operating room in a red wagon, but he decided he wanted to walk. We said our "good-byes" and cried and then he took her hand, pushed the metal square button to open the operating doors and walked back with blankie. Oh, my heart broke

Once we were able to see him he was NOT HAPPY!! Between lack of sleep and major drugs he was so combative. We were told he had dressing on his ear and a velcro band around his head to hold it to his ear.
We had no idea he had a pirate ear patch on. He was fighting mad over it too!
For 30 minutes or so, all we heard was "Can you take this off?!!!??!!"
It came in forms or begging, pleading and screaming . Some of his words over this contraption were:
"I hate this thing!!"
"I DON'T like you" (to dad)
"I don't like these nurses!"
"I'm never going to the doctor again!!"
Finally, the morphine and Tylenol + codeine kicked in and he got a little nicer. He was in pain and it was making him so hateful!

Now we're home and he's really doing well. He confirmed with me earlier that "we can take "this thing" of tomorrow, right?" I assured him we would. He has no idea what it's going to feel like to take all the dressing off and have to change the cotton ball and all. He has stitches running down the back of his whole ear and he has packing deep down inside the ear that will be removed at his follow-up visit next week. I don't look forward to that one!

None the less, I'm thankful for the surgery team that took care of our baby today. Praise God this has been fixed and that he's well!!

1 comment:

Gina said...

Poor little guy! I don't blame him one bit. That contraption doesn't look like much fun to wear. Give him hugs and tell him I hope he feels all better soon!