Dallas's surgery

Ok, I have a few minutes to update before running off to the doctor with him for his one day post op check up. We have one today, one in a week, and then on in a month. It also sounds like they'll stay pretty frequent after that. Anyway. . .here's how yesterday went.

I got up at 3:50 am to meet my mom since she was coming at 4:00 am. She got there, and we sat and visited for a few minutes. Dallas wound up waking up around 4:45, so we gave him his new DS games before we left, and told him that he could bring it along. Its still so new to him (he got it from my parents for his birthday) that we knew it would distract him and kill the time. We got to the hospital just before 6 and had to wait in line for the registration desk. Its so weird being there with Dallas. He was THE. YOUNGEST. THERE. Everyone else was SERIOUSLY in their 70's or older. Its that uncommon for a young guy like him to have eye issues that need surgery. We got registered, and then we waited for the nurse to call us back. Dallas played some DS, and just kept his mind off of everything. About 6:30 a nurse came and called us back. Dallas looked like he was doing ok, until we got into the pre op room. Then the tears started, and he was so upset. He just kept saying "I'm scared. I don't want to do this any more. " With that the nurse left for a few minutes and came back with a "smiley bear" . Its a bear that has a vest on that said "Philips eye institute" (where he had his surgery) and "smiley bear" on the back. She told him it was his to keep, and that it could even go into the operating room with him. That helped a little. We got him changed into the jammies they had and then they started the eye drops with him. They had to do four rounds of them to get his pupil as big as possible. And MAN DID IT EVER! I have a picture to prove it!! After that people started coming in regularly to talk with him about what was going to happen.

The first person in was the anesthesiologist. She was either Korean or Chinese, but spoke English very well, but had a VERY strong accent so Dallas couldn't understand her very well. She tried her best to calm him with how she was talking, it didn't work very well though. She had a VERY strong personality. The one thing my mom and I liked though was that she used terms he wouldn't understand when talking to us. Like "intravenous" for IV so he was in the dark. He just sat there in the chair looking terrified. I felt so bad. But the SECOND his eye dr. Dr. P walked into the room, he calmed RIGHT down, and did better.

He could choose who he wanted to walk back with him, mommy or daddy. He picked daddy, so daddy got all suited up to walk into the OR with him. At about 7:25 they came and had Daddy and Dallas walk with them. Dallas got to hug my mom and I goodbye, and then we headed for the waiting area to wait for Todd. It wasn't even 5 minutes later, and Todd was walking out. They moved VERY quickly once he was in there. Todd said it was hard to see because once they put the mask on he just kept saying "daddy I don't want to breathe the "magic gas" Daddy I don't want to." In that respect I'm glad it was Todd I don't know that I'd have held up well. Dallas had asked if he could bring his daddy's Ipod into the OR because "it helps me fall asleep quicker." So Todd put on his favorite "Go Fish" and I guess it helped some. But once Dallas was out they issued Todd out in rather quick order. Once he was with us, we headed to find some breakfast since the surgery was scheduled to be just about an hour long.

After breakfast we headed to wait to hear from the doctor. At about 8:45 we got the call that the doctor was almost finished and that she'd be out to see us soon. We talked to her around 9:00. Everything went well, and they wound up having to take the sack portion of the eye that they'd hoped to not have to take. (mostly because that meant they'd have to suck the jelly out of the back part of the eye, and that increases his chances 8-10% more for retinal detachment.) But that was where a majority of his cataract was. She said that the lens went in really well, and that he'd be out shortly to see us.

We went and waited for another 10 minutes or so, and they paged us back to come see him. And what I walked in on I so wasn't prepared for. I knew there was a chance that he'd come out of the anesthesia poorly, because both my father and I don't do well with it. But he was in an absolute fit of hysteria when we went in. He was sobbing, trying to pull things out, flailing around, and they had three nurses in there pinning portions of his body down so he didn't hit his eye, or pull the IV out. Now this reaction, mind you, was AFTER two rounds of something to "calm him down." This fir lasted for a good 45 minutes. I took his hands/arms, my mom rubbed his head and talked in his ear (my mom and Dallas have a really special relationship, and have ever since he was born) and Todd took the legs. We alternated from rubbing and touching to pinning him down when he'd get wild. He just kept saying he was in so much pain. I was about in tears when they went to finally go get him some Tylenol. They finally offered him the chance to sit in the chair with mom, dad or grandma, and he wanted to sit with me. So I hopped up in the chair, and Todd carried him over to me. He was still trying to pick at the IV, and the eye patch. He just kept saying "I want it off. I can't have it on. I need it off now." But once he was layed in my arms, he calmed RIGHT down. Todd was able to start some music up for him, and he was able to calm down enough to rest some more.

In between all of this we were giving him water, and talking with him trying to take the fear out of everything that was going on around him. We hit the point that with the IV going, and the water he was drinking, that he had to go potty. So they took him in via wheel chair, and daddy went with him. He came back, we got him dressed, and they told us we were good to take him home. They issued us out of there really really fast once he was out. I was pretty nervous because I KNEW he wasn't out of the meds yet. He was SO out of it, and still so not himself.

Once he was up and moving he said he didn't feel well. So they sent us on our merry way with a car sick bag. We got home, and my dad was here. He'd had some really bad pain in his stomach again so he left work early, and met us there. We all came in, got Dallas settled, and then visited a bit while he napped. We ordered some lunch, which he slept right through, and we watched a movie (Fool's gold. It was my third time seeing it, but its such a good movie) and again, slept right through. At one point he woke up and ate a few crackers and then went back to sleep. He woke up just after my parents left, and he was totally inconsolable. He was wriggling in pain, and just kept saying he had a headache. He didn't lay still for more than 30 seconds without trying to change positions, and all this while crying. So the time was ok for him to have some ibuprofen. He drank that, and laid back down. Not even 30 minutes later he said he was going to puke. And sure enough, puke he did. He totally emptied his stomach out, and laid back down. He went right back to being in so much pain that I figured I'd give him Tylenol, since he could have that as well. He ate that, and not even 15 minutes later and he was throwing up. He again laid back down to rest.

I decided I wasn't going to cook, that I was just going to order from applebees, and since Dallas was now sleeping it would be ok for me to run out, and leave him with just Todd. Well, while I was gone, something flipped a switch in him, and when I came back he was sitting up playing his DS, and looking alot better than when I'd left. He didn't want any food while we were eating, though we tried to offer him. About 9:00 last night he was finally hungry. So he had 1/2 a ham sandwich, and then by 9:30 he was again sleeping on the couch. He slept through the night, and didn't wake until after 9:00 this morning.

We just got back from the doctors. Dallas had woken up doing WONDERFULLY. But once we were out and about, and once they took that patch off, he wasn't feeling so well. The headache came back, as well as the upset stomach. So now that we're home he's again sleeping on the couch. He said everything is SO bright right now. Which I'm sure is helping contribute to the headache.

The doctor said everything looks really really well right now though. We have to give antibiotic drops 4 times a day, and steroid drops 6 times a day for the next week. After that it will just be the steroids on a tapering schedule.

Todd and I are going to a Minnesota Twins game tonight with my Dad's work. Its been set up for MONTHS now. My mother in law and grandmother in law are coming here to be with Dallas and the other kids. I'm really excited to see my other kiddos. I miss them terribly. Dallas is really starting to as well.

Now for the pictures:

This is Dallas with his one eye dilated. Do you see how HUGE that pupil is? It was actually kind of creepy looking! It looked like something out of a Halloween movie!! The sticker on his cheek told them what eye, just to be certain.

This was him RIGHT before going into the OR. He was really scared, but smiled for the picture.

Dallas with his smiley bear they gave him. This was early on in the day, before he was really scared.

Here is Dallas and mommy resting in the chair together. This was one of the first times he actually relaxed, and slept a little.

After the IV was out, he sat in the chair alone for a few minutes while Grandma rubbed his hair. (that's my mom!)

Here he is sleeping after we got home. He was passed out HARD!

Trying to eat some crackers, and drink some water.

Here he is attempting to play DS. IT lasted about 2 minutes and he was sleeping again.

This was last night after I got back from Applebees. He sat for a while and played.

This is him last night right before bed. You can just look at him and tell he's in pain, even though he's trying so hard to be brave, and strong!!!

Thank you all for your prayers, your thoughts, and your concern for my little man! They're all appreciated more than you will ever know!!!