Template

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Pre-op Appointment Day

Today we had a day full of pre-op appointments for Santiago's July 9th surgery.  We had to go to the hospital where surgery will take place for a visit to the anethesia clinic.  There we had to fill out some paperwork and then meet with some nurses and a pediatric anethesiologist.  Santiago got a couple stickers and a Snoopy stuffed animal from the lady we did paperwork with.  I told Santi to put his sticker on his pansa thinking he would stick it on his t-shirt on top of his tummy but instead he lifted his shirt and stuck it directly on his pansa! Funny boy!

Walking in this hospital brought back tons of memories and emotions.  Going to the clinic we had to pass buy the children's day surgery waiting room where we sat and prayed while Santi had his first surgery in March of 2009 when he was 7 weeks old.  Then we had to walk past the recovery section as well.  I could feel my stomach and chest getting tight and I thought I would be able to contain the tears but when we went into the actual anethesia clinic and had to talk to the nurses, I couldn't fight the emotions any longer and I cried.  It's just an indescribable feeling being in that place and thinking of what we have been through and what we are about to go through again.  Santi did pretty well except he didn't like to be weighed and measured by people he didn't recognize.  He cheered right up when he got to eat a sucker though.  Seeing his smile makes me feel better too.  During the paperwork process I caught a pretty big mistake on our doctor's orders and I was glad that we got that cleared up.  I know the doctors know what they will be doing to Santiago but the paperwork needed to be corrected.  They had him down as "metopic craniosynostosis" for his surgery.  Santiago is right coronal and his procedure was recorded incorrectly.  They had to call Dr. T's office and have nurse De clear everything up.  We learned the name of his procedure today - Cranioplasty with total forehead reconstruction. 

After Anethesia we had to go to Dr. T's for one last visit with him before our big day.  He explained to us again about recovery and how Santiago is going to swell.  He told us day 2 should be the worst and as soon as Santiago can see out of at least one eye and his pain is being managed, we can take him home.  This could be as early as 4 days post-op.  I'm sure I looked a mess going into Dr. T's office because both De and Dr. T asked me if I was doing ok. My make-up was faded from my crying.   I answered with a yes even though I was feeling all kinds of emotions.  Dr. T also asked us he we wanted him to look at Santi's pictures again as a confirmation of the surgery decision and when I asked him if he thought he needed to and he said no, I said no as well.  He just wanted to make sure I was sure of the decision.  Hector and I both know this is the right thing to do and that we need to do it sooner than later.  As much as we do not want to put our baby through another surgery, we are so ready to get it behind us so we can totally be on the "other side."  This is going to be the hardest thing to go through (again) but I know things could be a lot worse and I'm thankful for that.  We do have a healthy boy - as Dr. T says - this is bone surgery, not brain surgery. 

Santiago got a total of 3 suckers today from all the lovely nurses and he was one happy boy with his "bop bops."  Here is De - his favorite nurse - giving him a lollipop.  He screams and waves and laughs when he sees De.  She has the cutest little voice : )  and Santi likes her!

2 comments:

  1. Good luck to you Katie! I will be thinking of little Santi next week, please keep us posted!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I will pray that everything goes well.

    ReplyDelete