Thursday, February 14, 2013

1000 hours. 10am

We are at the NICU awaiting the surgery. We were awakened at 7 this morning with a call giving us all the risks and more info on the surgery. Nothing we didn't already know just again. So we headed out and after finding a parking spot scrubbed up and walked in.

Ends up we are going to surgery at the same time our NICU neighbors are. They are a sweet couple and great family. We have gotten to know each other through the struggle.

Keli and I had a hot date last night. It was good for just the two of us. Thank you Timmermans.

Her eye drops are pretty powerful. They have caused her heart rate to drop and her to be sleepy. The little bit of rash on her cheeks is from the tape of the feeding tube and her scratching herself with her finger nails. The feeding tube has been removed due to her not feeding after midnight. She is growling a little as she tries to move around. You can tell she doesn't feel right.

We were told she would act a little "foolish" today as she may have an upset stomach and not feel good. She will be back on the ventilator for a short time to make sure she doesn't have any episodes. But I would imagine that wouldn't be for long since she hasn't had oxygen for a couple of weeks now almost.

Recovery should be within a couple hours and the procedure about an hour.

Adam


1112 hours. 11:12 am

The emotional trip to the surgery down the elevator through the hallways and doors is complete. The briefing from the dr was simple. She will come speak to us when it is complete.

Her fan club has taken over the waiting room as we moved chairs around.

Adam


1151 hours

Just notified that everything is going good and they have her ready. They will begin to laser in 10 min and it will take about an hour.

Adam

1220 hours.


Laser surgery has started.

We are praying for drs and Aubrey.

Adam


1300 hours

She is good. The anesthesiologist said she had to try three times to get the breathing tube in due to the flap that is immature. But there is no damage and nothing too abnormal about that.

The eye dr said that everything went well. She was able to match both eyes and probably won't have to do procedure again. She will follow up with her In a week or two. We will have to put eye drops in for the next 7 days. Argh. She doesn't like eye drops. (She gets that from her daddy).

We are enroute to the NICU waiting room to wait (hence the term waiting room) (i mean really, there is only one thing to do in a waiting room, the room is designed for waiting, and once you breach the door of the waiting room you know you will only wait) for her return. It should be another 15 - 20 minutes before we get in there to see her.

The breathing tube will come out later today so there will probably be no baby holding today. She will have an ointment in her eyes and they will be taped shut due to being in a bed with heat so that her eyes will not dry shut. The tape will be taken off once she starts blinking again.

We breathe a sigh of relief.

Adam

1450 hours. 2:50 pm

She is doing well. She woke up and her heart rate went up due to pain and being mad so they gave her another shot of sleepy medicine and let her sleep. So she is chilled out.

Adam


1550 hours


Another hour and they will attempt to pull the vent out. The first of three steroid shots are already in her. They are for the possible inflammation of the esophagus. She gets uncomfortable so they might be pulling it sooner. It seems once again Aubrey determines the timeline of events.

A suction line is being installed in the vent to clear out all the mucus and junk in her throat. She is not happy. But it will help her.

We got a tour of the room that we will be staying in. Single bed with minimal frills but it is good. Sofar we are being told it is going to be Sunday night.

It's looking like our party will be Saturday afternoon at 1600 hours or 4 pm. That isn't set in stone yet so stay tuned. I want to do it before panera gets filled up of weekend traffic but late enough that we can enjoy dinner.

Adam


1751 hours. 5:51 pm

And she is back in our arms.

She was a champ today. The vent has been removed as they slowly lowered it down and she is breathing on her own. She is at 100% oxygen and her breaths are good and deep. When they removed the vent we had to step out while they inserted the tube through her nose. She protested the tube because her throat is still sore from the 3 attempts of the vent tube earlier. But it is in and food is a flowing into her belly. She is only getting a half dose now but it will be upped back up at 9 tonight.

It was hard to see her suffer for both Keli and me. You just want to pick her up and hold her but we couldn't because of the vent. But after all day here, she is doing well.

Let no one ever say she can't do something.

right after the surgery--vent still on

We will be heading home a little later and spend some valentines cuddle time on the couch just me and Keli.

Adam

holding mama's finger

7p.m.

Adam is such a "just the facts" kind of guy.  I love him.  Me?  Well, y'all know I'm the emotional one and today was a bundle of emotion.  We walked down to the surgery area with Aubrey, and it was the hardest thing ever to let them wheel her away from me and into the operating room.  She just looked so little and vulnerable with all those scrubbed and masked people around her ready to knock her out and laser her eyeballs.  And then the waiting...ugh.  I don't know how parents who have to wait through hours and hours of surgery don't go crazy(er).  An hour and a half was plenty for me, thank you.  I hated seeing her back on the ventilator and all disoriented and struggling to figure out what was going on after the surgery was over.  The breathing tube just about gave me a panic attack because of the memories it brought back from when she was so tiny.  I'm so thankful she was able to be taken off of it this evening and did well. It also made her very happy to be getting food in her tummy again tonight--baby don't like bein' hongry! ;)

Our kid is so amazing. Did y'all know that?  She was such a trooper today, such a tough cookie.  After all the crap she put up with today (don't say "crap," Aubrey), she was, again, content to be held and fed. 

-Keli

2015 hours. 8:15pm


It is confirmed. Saturday at 4 pm (1600 hours) is our day before the day before she comes home party. I know it's kinda odd in some ways, but we can't have a party at our house because of germs and we just spend two days cleaning it. I would like to see every one that has been supporting us and everyone see us. We want to thank everyone for their support and prayers. The fan club is awesome. And why not have a party where some one else does the cooking. So, we are having the party at Panera bread company (because we have a gift card for there, the last one). We would like to invite everyone that can come to come and celebrate with us. You do not have to eat, and unfortunately i cant afford to buy everyone dinner like i want to, but you can just come and hug our necks. It has been a rough few months and its over. Whew.

Saturday night we are sleeping in at mcg for the night so after the party we will be going to stay at the hospital with Aubrey. Imagine, both my girls in the same room with me. Ahh. Hopefully the lock on the door works ;).

Adam