Sweet Dreams Cole Bear

We arrived at the 5th floor of Levine Children's Hospital (LCH from here on out) at 5:40 am and began the process of checking in. Daddy was immediately sent to registration to be robbed.....errr....to pay our deductible. It is good to know that in this world of inefficiency, LCH has laserlike precision when it comes to collecting money.

Then, while we waited to be taken down to the Catherization Room, Cole was pulled around the 5th floor in a Red Rider wagon. He was very quiet and well behaved, but was irritable if anyone spoke to him. Just like a Griffin, grouchy in the morning!

At about 7 am, we were escorted down to the Cath Room waiting area where Cole decided it was time to snuggle - first on mommy and then on daddy the furnace. Once he was good and warm, he laid his soft head down and his eyes became heavy. About that time, Dr. Paolillo rounded the corner and said hello. He was especially well groomed (clean shaven, shirt tucked in, hair perfectly parted) and that made me feel better for some reason. I guess it would be weird if your son's doctor showed up with stubble and a nosering. I asked him if he had gotten any rest over the weekend, and he said yes but that he was disappointed my the "Panther Experience." Join the club!

After we signed about 537 forms and answered the allergy questions, we walked Cole into the OR where I held him like a baby while they placed the anesthesia mask over his mouth and nose and he smiled and reached up to touch my face. It was a very sweet moment and it choked me up just a bit, but I was able to hold it together and not cry....too soon for that. After about 30 seconds, his long eyelashes fluttered one more time and then he then drifted off to sleep. I put him on the bed and mommy and I had one more chance to kiss his head before being escorted back up the 5th floor waiting room at LCH.

The procedure is scheduled to take 3 hours or less and the purpose is to look around in his heart, take pictures, take measurements, observe, take out the trash, wash the dishes....oh wait, those were my chores last night....you get the picture. Pun intended.

More updates as we receive them.