Rule # 112: Post-op is better than "dur-op" which is better than pre-op

Whew.

It's been a long day. Like, crazy long. Where every minute was 7 hours kind of long.

It started with waking up in the dark at 6:30, waking the kids at 7, throwing them in the car, dropping Evan off with my sister (thank you!) and heading to the hospital. We were to check in at 8:15. We had woken Graham up at midnight to feed him one last time. Little did we know his fasting would end up to be over 12 hours....

After checking in, and getting his vitals done we were brought to the "toddler pit" to wait for the surgeon and anesthesiologist. We waited for over two hours! The surgery prior to Graham's took longer than anticipated. I swear, that was the longest two hours of my life. Trying to console and entertain a hungry 7 month old for that long is physically and emotionally draining. He did quite well considering that his body was eating itself :)

Graham got Dr. Kestle's initial on his head, to mark where surgery was to be done. It's kind of hard to see, Graham's a wiggle worm, but it's a K.

They finally came to get Graham around 11:20. I was taken back to the recovery room around 12:45. So surgery itself went rather quickly. It was just waiting for an operating room that took so long.

He woke up super hungry, and ticked off that they were trying to feed him sugar water. Apparently that's just as bad as pedialyte to him. I suggested they give him apple juice, which he took, drugged up and still kind of mad, but at least he took it.

We then moved over to our hospital room on the infant surgical unit. He promptly fell asleep, and didn't appreciate that the nurse had to do her job before she could leave him alone. :)

He came back with three tiny dressings. Two on his head and one on his belly. I can't even see the shunt! It's not what I expected at all. The shunts that I see on the babies at work are huge for their little bodies. I guess I didn't anticipate the difference a few months in age/size can make. I don't know what it looks like underneath the dressings. But I can only really feel the tube at his neck, and then I lose it, I can't trace it down his abdomen at all. I'm very pleased. If this is something that he is going to need for the rest of his life (which we still don't know that answer) at least it won't be very noticeable.

Dr Kestle said that when they made the incision the CSF squirted out a bit. Meaning in was under a fair amount of pressure. I feel so much better knowing that his poor little brain isn't being squished anymore. It will take months and months before we know how long he will need this shunt, or if we will have to move it. But I'm okay waiting. The process has been started, and he's doing very well. We won't be getting another MRI for 3-6 months. I'm guessing he'll be getting an MRI around his birthday. (some present right?)

He threw up some apple juice initially, but has since kept all his fluids down. Including three bottles of formula so far. He's my little rock star. You'd never know that he had surgery today, except for his little dressings. He is a tad bit needier, and a little more fussy than normal. But if that's the worst of it, I'll take it!

We still need to have a CT scan in the morning, to make sure that the shunt is working properly. If all looks good, and he is still eating as well as he is, then we will be able to go home tomorrow! Yippie!

We are all very excited about this. Alex and I both took a little cat nap this afternoon while Graham was sleeping. I will be staying here tonight, and getting as much/little sleep as a hospital allows. I will be very grateful to be back home, in my own bed tomorrow. *fingers crossed*

To prove how well Graham is recovering, enjoy this little video of my ball of happiness. :)