Thursday, May 21st, 2009

The day started early for all of us. So early, in fact, that I was still asleep. My parents let me stay in my jammies for the ride to Shriner's. I sat in my car seat in the back with Papa and I was all smiles. During preop they asked my parents lots of questions and took my height, weight and temperature. As long as my parents kept my video going on the portable DVD player I was happy. We looked at a few cast colors and decided on bright pink this time around. After a short discussion with the resident, the anesthesiologist and Dr James I got a dose of some medicine to calm me down before it was time to take me away. It didn't seem to have the desired effect and I was happily playing with the toys in the waiting area when they came to get me. So there were definately a few tears as they carried me away. Dr James was happy to get the blood the endocrinologist needed but it wasn't in Shriner's budget to do the reading so she told my parents she would get them the blood in the appropriate vials and they could get them on to the endocrinologist. Off I went to the while Papa and my parents went on to the cafeteria to get some coffee and something to eat. No sooner had they sat down then in rushed a nurse looking for them. Mommy had a moment of panic until the nurse explained that someone from the OR had the blood and was trying to meet up with my parents to make sure it got delivered safely.

Since the surgery was set to last 3-4 hours my parents and Papa had plenty of time to walk the vials next door to the lab at UC Davis. Then they settled in at the waiting area at Shriner's with their i Pods to listen to their music and try to relax. A few hours later the phone rang in the waiting area and they found out the surgery was just finishing up and I was doing fine. About 30 minutes later, they got another phone call that I was in recovery and opening my eyes. Since only one person could go to recovery at a time, Daddy went in first and spent some time rocking me. I was nice and calm until Mommy came in to relieve Daddy and then I got a little upset. It was only a few more minutes before the nurse said I was ready to go to my own room down on the inpatient floor. So while two nurses wheeled me, Mommy, Daddy and Papa escorted me to my room. Luckily, it will be all mine tonight. Within just a few minutes I was watching my video and getting pretty animated. Mommy thought this seemed way too easy - and then the nerve block wore off! Out of nowhere, I suddenly became very agitated and was thrashing around. Nothing seemed to work to calm me down. The nurse came in and gave me a dose of Tylenol with Codeine and after about 30 minutes of crying in my crib I finally fell asleep. Mommy and Papa ran to get some lunch and Daddy kept an eye on me. Unfortunately, a nurse came in while they were gone and I got woken back up. As long as I was being rocked or someone was patting my back while I was laying in my crib I was okay. But I wasn't able to get very comfortable with the cast and didn't sleep for long periods of time. At 4, my Mommy sent Papa and Daddy home so they could check on the boys and miss the afternoon traffic. Since I am in a room by myself, Mommy is staying with me tonight. For the next 16 hours, Mommy and I spent lots of quality time together. It would take her about 45 minutes of patting my back before I would fall asleep and then she would try to lay down and sleep herself. About the time she was nodding off I would wake back up and the cycle began again. I didn't get much sleep - but she got even less!

Peyton Nicole Smith