Today Natalie had her pre-op appointment for the surgery scheduled for Thursday at 7:30 a.m. to close the stoma from her g-tube. I couldn't get a babysitter for a Monday appointment, and that was the only option they gave me, so I took all three kids (something I try to avoid with specialists, since we often wait a long time).
To make matters more complicated, the appointment time was right in the middle of Konrad and Natalie's nap time: 2:15, and it takes 20 minutes to get there, plus time to find parking and get to the office. So at 1 p.m., instead of putting Natalie and Konrad in bed, I put them in the car and we drove around while they napped. We drove by Angel Stadium and saw that they're painting the Big A (wow, the old paint looks pink with a fresh coat of red on top!) We drove around some neighborhoods and looked at houses (Lukas and I looked...Natalie and Konrad were sleeping). Before we finally drove to the doctor's office, I called to see if the doctor had been held up in surgery that morning. They said they hadn't heard anything, so they were expecting him at 2 p.m.
When I arrived at 2:10, they said he would be coming in at 2:30...and there were others in front of us. :( It actually didn't go terrible: Lukas was watching the video on the TV, Natalie marched in circles around the waiting room, showing off her counting prowess, and Konrad played with his little train.
But I thought they put us in the exam room a little too early, and sure enough, we waited another 30 minutes in the exam room before the doctor saw us. Once again, it wasn't terrible, but it's much easier to watch the kids in the waiting room than keeping their hands off the biohazard bin as well as the regular trash bin in the exam room.
I went through the specifics the surgeon needs to know about Natalie (the rest will be for the anesthesiologist). We're going to check in at 6 a.m. and her surgery is at 7:30 a.m., which is MUCH better than a previous time, when her surgery time was 11 a.m., which means cranky child because she can't eat anything before surgery.
She'll be spending the night, and the next day if she tolerates eating, she'll be able to come home. Thanks for your prayers for a successful surgery and going home on Friday!
9 comments:
I will pray that all goes well!
Kelly W.
Be thinking of you. Spending the night? Why? It seems like it would be such a simple thing, am I wrong?
Thanks for your kind thoughts, Kelly and Jessica. We're spending the night because it's more than just stitching up the surface skin. He'll make a 1" long incision, then close the stomach lining, and each successive layer of muscle before the top layer of skin. I asked about just repairing the surface, and he said what she has would come back if it weren't repaired completely.
Good luck Natalie..we'll be thinking of you..why is it by the way everything always seems to get scheduled in the middle of nap times?? Anwyay..Logan sends his kisses! :)
It will be a bitter sweet day. Surgery = Bitter!
No more mickey = SWEET!
Will be thinking of your little sweetie!
Kelly F
I have actually been thinking about Natalie's procedure a lot lately! I will be praying for her healing and quick recovery.
Praying for Natalie. I'm sure you are home by now but I just caught up on my blogs.
Thinking of you. Peace and rest to the little lady.
Thinking of you, just caught up on my blogging. Give Natalie loves from me.
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