Mommy’s disclaimer: My synapses are firing even less than normal, since I only got about 3 1/2 hours sleep last night. So, please bear with me if this post seems kinda nutso.
Well, it’s 8:20 a.m. and Zeke is already in the OR. Stephen and I had to check him in here at Brenner’s at 6 a.m. Around 7 a.m., we were called back to a pediatric holding room to meet with the anesthesiology docs, ask Dr. Petty any remaining questions, answer some questions about Zeke’s health and medical history, and get our brave boy into his gown and ready for surgery. Stephen got the lowdown from the anesthesiologists, and a nurse took Zeke’s temp and attached a heart monitor to his big toe, while I petted and played with Zeke on the prep bed.
Really, Z-Bird didn’t need much comforting. Even though he hadn’t eaten since abour 10 p.m. last night, was awakened at the crack of dawn, trekked 45 minutes in the car, and then had to kill about an hour in the pediatric surgery waiting room, Zeke was all grins. As always, everyone commented on how happy Zeke is and what a good boy he was being. He certainly makes us proud.
Zeke got to take his Blessed Bear in the OR with him. Plus, he always has his thumb for comfort and consolation. The nurse made a notation that Zeke is a right-thumb sucker; that way, the OR nurses will be sure to put his IV into his left arm. That was some smart thinking.
The surgery will last 4-5 hours, so Zeke should be starting his recovery in the children’s Post Anasthesia Care Unit (PACU) by about 1 p.m. (There’s a slight chance that if any complications arise post-surgery, he will go to the NICU first.) RNs who are specifically trained to care for kids recovering from surgery and anesthesia will tend to Zeke and let us see him as soon as possible thereafter. I can’t wait to hold my sweet Zeke.
Update: it’s now 9 a.m. and Kathy, one of the RNs on Dr. Petty’s surgical team, just called and said that Zeke is doing well with his anasthesia and the surgery is now underway. Kathy says she’ll call back with another update in a while. Dear God, please be with Zeke and the wonderful medical professionals caring for him.
And please, God, give Stephen and I the stamina we need to get through this challenge and be the strong parents we need to be for Zeke’s recovery, and his brothers’ coping with the trauma. These next few hours are going to be the longest, most nerve-wracking of my life (with a close second being the 10-hour drive up Cincinnati for my TTTS operation, when I feared miscarrying the twins right there in the car).
I cannot wait to get Zeke home and get back to living our lives as normally as possible, God willing. No more specialists, no more fetal care centers, no more children’s hospitals, no more TTTS laser surgery, no more lobectomies, no more fancy tests and high-tech treatments. Nothing out of the ordinary, just good ol’ fun — with a little mischief thrown in for good measure, of course — with the 3 Amigos!