Pre-Op ~ An Almost Ouchless Day

Cole took pre-op better than mommy and daddy today. As usual, he is a trooper. It all started with very basic and simple "ouchless" procedures like weight and height measurements. Then we moved on to getting leads attached for the EKG. Cole was still "ouchless" and was smiling and talking to the nurses while they got the readings they needed.

In between procedures, paperwork was filled out and questions answered and another new face would be added to the people in the room. Some would leave and some would stay depending on whether their job was done.

Next, it was time for blood to be drawn and then the smiles were "not so much." Two nurses came in to help hold Cole while a third did the actual drawing of blood. Matt and I stepped out because we thought it would be easier to stand outside and maybe it wouldn't be so hard to hear Cole scream. It seemed like an eternity to get the blood drawn. We came in to try and comfort Cole and we even tried the good ol' bottle and by that time he was so worked up he couldn't calm down to eat. The nurses waited patiently while we tried to get a couple of ounces in him, then it was back to work on the other arm to get more blood. A few viles were needed for the testing they will do before surgery. They are testing to make sure they have compatible blood for the transfusion he will receive after his surgery.

The anethesiologist came in to explain how they would place the breathing mask over Cole's face and he would breath himself to sleep. He explained how they would have about 3 IV's. One will be in his foot, one in his neck and another in his arm. I zoned out for a minute, but I did hear that one of them will monitor his blood pressure in real time second by second.

After all of this, we went to another floor so he could have a chest x-ray. We were taken to a waiting room to wait our turn. A little while later we were taken back to a room to have the x-rays done. I had to put on a "lead gown," that had a nice lead necklace to go with it and stand in front of Cole. We placed Cole on a seat almost like a bike and his legs went down in some holes. There were two plastic shields on either side that folded around him like a cylinder. I had to hold Cole's arms above him and the poor little guy barely fit in the cylinder. His nickname of "Tubbs McGee" fit him more today than ever before. His arms were smooshed up against his cheeks and sticking out the top of the cylinder and he was screaming because the tech could barely get the cylinder closed around him and he was wondering what else we could traumatize him with. With the x-rays done we made our way back to the lobby of LCH.

Usually surgery would be the next day after pre-op, but since it's a holiday and then the weekend, we had to do pre-op today instead. By the way, on Monday we are heading in not even bright and early...we were hoping for that, but instead it will still be dark out when we leave for the hospital. We have to be there at 5 a.m. (not a misprint) and hand our precious baby boy over. We almost want to ask sometimes "are you positive that he absolutely has to have these surgeries?" But, once they tell us exactly what is going on with his heart and his oxygen levels, as scary as it is you want them to get in there as quick as they can and do what they need to do.

We have a hard time looking at that face right there, especially right now, knowing what he's about to go through in surgery and then recovery. It will be another round of not wanting him to come home without all of his nurses and doctors and monitors. Dr. Watts told us this time around that his oxygen levels will not be as high like when he left the first time and it will take about a month and a half of recovery at home to be back in the 80's. We will be quarantined again, but not as severe as the first time. Dr. Watts said with the oxygen levels taking their sweet time to work their way into the 80's after this surgery even a cold could be harmful to him.
Goodnight and Happy 4th. We'll be back on Monday to let everyone know how Cole is doing in surgery.

Matt & Laura