Recovery!

What an eventful past 2 days!!

Here's a breakdown of all that went on...

AUSTIN'S SURGERY:

We woke up early Monday morning and headed out to Phoenix Children's Hospital where Austin had surgery to repair a right inguinal hernia and also to have excision of a penile skin bridge (basically a little piece of skin that reattached after his circumcision). His hernia was the most common form of hernias in children; a condition they are born with. As a fetus, when the testes descend, they leave a "pathway" that can eventually cause the intestines to drop into and poke through, making the lump we see on the outside. They are very important to repair, for the intestines can get trapped there, cutting off blood supply to the rest of the intestines.

Austin was such a trooper once we checked in, although I don't think he completely understood what was about to take place! He loved playing in the pre-op room with all the toys, and they even let him play with the mask he was going to wear which would put him to sleep, so that was cool! Beings how Austin was going under general anesthesia, he was not allowed to eat or drink for 8 hours before surgery. He handled it very well (I would have been super cranky not having my breakfast!), but we soon learned that our surgeon had a death in his family that morning and would be late to Austin's surgery.

Upon hearing this, the anesthesiologist decided to give Austin a sedative to help ease him into the whole surgery process, for we didn't really know how late the doctor was going to be. Wow, that sedative made our little boy LOOPY! It was pretty funny seeing him so giggly! They thought the doctor was only going to be about 30 minutes late, but it soon became an hour and a half later! By this time Austin was SO out of it from the sedative, practically starving and SO tired, he quickly became a mess!!! He was laughing one second, crying the next, he couldn't really stand up because of the sedative, it was overwhelming for him.

But finally the doctor arrived and things got underway. I totally cried when they took Austin away, I knew he was in good hands and that this was such a routine, quick procedure, but still, it was hard seeing him have to go through it all. About 35-40 minutes later, it was done, but I think the hardest part was awaiting us!

Austin didn't exactly wake up from anesthesia very peacefully!! He was a nightmare to be exact!! He was so disorientated and confused, he was crying and thrashing his arms (he couldn't move his lower body for he had the equivalent of a children's epidural to block out the pain in his abdomen), and just didn't understand what was going on. He was trying to rip the IV out of his foot, and the nurses kept trying to get him to drink something, but he kept swinging at the cups, knocking them down!! It made me so sad knowing there was nothing I could do to really calm him down. He was just out of control. They kept assuring me this was normal, he would snap out of it once he slept it off and fully woke up, but it was awful! I hope I never have to see my child go through that again. I think we scared quite a few patients waiting for their surgeries as we hauled Austin out of there through the waiting room and he was screaming and wailing!!

It only took 10 minutes in the car before he crashed out though, and he didn't wake up for a few hours later!! Phew, he needed it!! (I am sure the pain meds they gave him helped some too!) He pretty much slept off and on the whole rest of the day, then finally got a little food and some liquids in him which gave him back some energy!! By night time, he was his happy self again and was finally regaining strength in his legs from the epidural! What a day! Austin did so great, and I am just so proud of him, but boy am I glad that is over!

A major thank you to Grandma Jane and Pop-Pop for coming to the hospital with me and being there for help and support while Austin had his surgery, and to Grandma Cathy for staying at home with Brooke and taking care of her while we were away...I could not have done it without you guys and am so thankful for everything you did, you are all the best!!! Austin and Brooke are so lucky to have such amazing grandparents!

A proud Mom with her patient!

Is it a little breezy in here or is just me?!

How cute is this little hospital gown!!

Austin was a big fan of the toys in the pre-op room and his banana yellow hospital socks!

Racing cars on the hospital floor!! Obviously this was before surgery when he was still a happy camper!

Being silly!

Woo-hoo, it's surgery day!!!

Austin was a big fan of the anesthesia mask...don't get too used to it buddy, hopefully we never have to see it again!

All done with surgery, waiting to wake up in the recovery room before all hell broke loose!!! (It just breaks your heart seeing your child so helpless like this though, it definitely made me cry!)

We love you Austin, and are so proud of you!

BROOKE'S SURGERY:

We barely got to recover from Austin's surgery before we got our day started really early the next morning for Brooke! She woke up at 4am, ready to go, she must have known it was surgery day! We left the house at 5:15am and got her all checked in, ready to get the tubes put into her ears. It went so smoothly and so quickly, it was awesome! She was such a good girl, she woke up from surgery a little fussy, but only because she wasn't too sure about where she was and probably because she was starving! She couldn't eat or drink anything (including breast milk!) 8 hours before her surgery either, so she was one happy girl when I was able to nurse her right after her surgery! The doctor said she was beginning to show signs of ear infections in both of her ears again, so it's a good thing we got those tubes in already, she needed them! Hopefully this will make her feel so much better!

Brooke getting checked out in the pre-op room! It was funny, the nurses went to put the infant blood pressure arm band on Brooke and they couldn't get it around her bicep...they had to go to an adult's small!! Seems our little girl takes after her mama and has some big guns on her!

But MOM!, I don't want to wear a BLUE robe!!!

Brookie and her buddy (a little boy also there who was the same age getting tubes in his ears too!) showing off their cute little robes while waiting for their surgeries!

Hmmm...after hours of no food, this block sure looks tasty!!

All ready to go!

Our brave girl getting ready to head in for surgery!

(That look on her face as they took her away from me into the surgery room just killed me!!)

Very special thank you's to Pop-Pop, Grandma Cathy, Grandma Jane and Papa for being there with huge smiles and big hugs, and for all your help and support :) You guys are the greatest, I could not have done it without you!

And to all the rest of our family and friends, thank you for all your well wishes, thoughts and prayers, they were so appreciated, we are so lucky to have you all!!

And to Brian, all the way in Japan, thank you for staying up extra late so we could Skype you updates as the kids went in and so you could see them when they got home. I know it must have been so hard being so far away! You are an amazing dad, we love and miss you so much!