surgery day, a day in pictures

What would a baker do without flour?  What would a painter be without paint?

What would a photographer do without her trusty camera? 

Well, we don’t have to answer that question because, of course, I brought my camera!

Arrival and check-in, playing with toys in the lobby

Comfy chair and Alex’s quilt, Daddy and Sara keeping Alex entertained, Alex and his teddy bear “Marshmallow” 

NOTE: Alex has on an ID bracelet, so does Marshmallow (Children’s Hospital is WONDERFUL with kids!) (obviously)

Some good ol’ ‘Don’t smile’ pictures – they work wonders on Alex!

They gave Alex some relaxing meds (think valium) and he sure got a little loopy.

Playing with the throw up thing, I don’t know what it’s called…

For those of you with any doubt, Sara has some eyelashes!  Just like her big brother.

I asked, and the doctors allowed me to come back to the OR with Alex when it was time.  I had to wear a special clothing covering as well as a hairnet and mask.  I carried him, Marshmallow and his quilt and laid him on the table, they gave me a chair to sit right next to the bed and hold his hand.    Alex chose “root beer” flavored gas and was a little non-compliant with the doctors and nurses.  He didn’t want to keep still enough to keep the mask on.  He kept on moving and saying that I looked like a doctor.  The doctors tried to distract him with asking him questions, and I ended up having to ask him if he “wanted to do it the hard way or the easy way – it was his choice, he is a big boy”.  He decided to do it the easy  way, but said he wanted his Mommy to do it – so I took the mask and held it over his nose and mouth.  (I think the doctors were really impressed!)  He fell asleep after maybe 30-45 seconds, very peacefully.  I was shown were to go back to the waiting room and so I left the OR.  I thanked the doctors for letting me come back to the OR with him.  Although, I’m sure he would’ve been fine, I hope my presence there comforted him.

Mama and Sara waiting in the cafeteria after Alex was taken back to surgery.   Daddy and Sara waiting, waiting, waiting…

Alex after surgery, Alex was not feeling well at all, he was crying, cold, shivering and wanted to be held immediately.  He snuggled with me a while, then snuggled with Daddy and got to eat popsicles and graham crackers.  He slowly got better and better and we changed him into his favorite “warm” fleece pjs to go home.  Alex in a wheel chair going out to the car.  He wanted to do the wheel chair “by myself!”.  Although Lance did most of it, he did do a little bit by himself.  Anesthesia and surgery are no match for the stubbornness of a 3 1/2 year old.

At home – watching a movie with Dad on his iPad, eating a lollypop (Alex’s special request)

I got many activities for Alex while home recuperating this weekend, beads, stickers, clay and many other things.  So, later on this evening, when he just didn’t want to sit and watch another cartoon, we did clay and made bead candy canes for our Christmas tree this year.  Alex’s favorite color is blue, so he made and all blue candy cane. 

I think he will be feeling much better Friday.

Here’s to our strong, brave, wonderful little boy.