Bubba's Surgery and Recovery

We arrived at the hospital a few minutes before our scheduled time and got a number. With all the privacy laws, they no longer call your name but rather your number. Alaric thought it was cool to have a card and began memorizing his number just as the nurse called it.

We got him all situated in his bed, especially with green blankie and puppy, and he relaxed....some.

I did not think through things very well that morning...I brought no toys AT ALL! My diaper bag is stuffed full of them but since Mara wasn't with us, I didn't bring it. Luckily, Alaric seldom complains and has an incredible imagination. Green blankie can turn into just about anything. Also...they had a TV in the room. This is the hospital version of Hot Dog Dance after The Mickey Mouse ClubHouse.....it looks alittle different than we're used to as he's laying down and doped up on Demeral.

We waited and waited and waited. Our surgery time came and went. Nurses came in to check on us. Lori, our neighbor who would be his post op nurse, came by a few times and gave hugs and also gave us the scoop on what the computer was saying. Surgeries were running behind. All of our doctor's surgeries this morning were kids. We'd just have to wait. Our pastor came by to pray with us and hang out and gave Bubba a friendship bracelet. A dear friend from church stopped by with a baloon and a green frog for Bubba. He was thrilled. We tried to do things to fill the time and occupy his sweet mind that we knew was racing.

Bubba has been talking about this surgery for weeks....more than I have, and thats ALOT!!! He is so sensative and internalizes everything. We've done all we could to prepare him but when you are sitting in the hospital bed waiting, with a gown on and no pants- its hard to relax.

He had already been spoiled...yesterday Nana and Grandpa gave him a Star Wars Lego set and this morning we gave him a Ninjago Lego set. He was in heaven and it really did help him keep his mind off the face that he hadn't eaten in more than 12 hours and hadn't had a sip of water in 6. The only thing that made him, or us feel better was some snuggly time! That always helps. And Brian and Bubba giggled as both of their tummies rumbled as they snuggled ( Brian hadn't had anything to eat or drink since last night either...I did eat a piece of sausage after my run but that was it).

Finally, around 1PM, they came to get him. Lori came to walk him down and be with him ( thank God) and two nurses in full surgery scrubs with their heads covered and everything came to wheel him away. The nerves hit us all.....you could feel Alaric tense up and while we had been waiting for this for hours....hell, weeks- all of a sudden it was happening too quick. I wanted my snuggly time. I wanted more kisses. I wanted to tell him everything would be OK, AGAIN. But we quickly loved on him. We reassured. We hugged. We kissed. We walked with him. I'm grateful for the Demeral that took the edge off but you could still feel the edge...We stood at the door of the point we couldn't go past. We watched. We waved. Bubba stretched to see us again. My throat closed. My eyes filled with tears. I swallowed. "Bye Bubba! We love you so much. See you soon!!!!" I called. And he was gone.

Deep Breath. I held Brian's hand ( I knew he was feeling the same). We were nervous and anxious and STARVING!!!!! We ran down to the cafeteria and stuffed our faces with soups and salads ( and they were really good and cheap too) and raced back up to the waiting room.

One of the cool things about everything being computerized is this board. They list the statuses of every patient so loved ones can see where they are at all times....pre op, procedure, recover, post-op. It was so nice. Of course, i couldn't take my eyes off the board and Brian laughed hysterically when I took a picture of it ( I knew you all would want a visual)

The doctor called us to a conference room and we stood and talked about his surgery. Everything went great. Everything was fixed. He would be great. No worries! he drew a couple of pictures for me of the procedure on the dry erase board, we shook hands, and away he went.

Lori was by his side. She had been the first person to see him when he woke up. She said hi to him and asked him if he was ready to see us....OUR ANGEL!!! She came to get us and we walked with him from recovery to his post op room. He was out of it. Sleepy. Sensative. Flushed. Swollen in the face from the IV fluids. But our Bubba!!!! When he seemed to realize who we were, he cried a bit and so did I ( shocker).

We spent the next hour an a half or so just getting him to drink juice and eat snacks and wake up some. He had a great desire to pee. The first time was just moments after he returned and while both nurses said that he shouldn't have to go, HE said he did. So Brian and an orderly got him and his IVs to the potty and nothing happened but pain. Then it did happen after an hour or so. And it went better than expected. Lots of pain and burning. A few tears. But OK. We looked through our magazines, watched some TV, held hands with Bubba and waited.

Finally, we could take him home. He was so excited to have a new frog, which he named John Frog and a new teddy bear and balloon that magically appeared from his girlfriend on his gurnee in the recovery room ( his girlfriend, Alyssa is Lori's daughter...imagine that!). He was such a sweet boy as we carefully got him dressed and ready to go, "Watch the penis, Mommy!"

Sweet boy never let go of green blankie or puppy and while the wheelchair ride wasn't the most comfortable, he was thrilled to be able to say he got to ride in one.

We got home and there were balloons waiting from Aunt Anita- he was so excited!

We snuggled him in for the night on the couch. All of his stuffed animals around him. A friend brought us a meal and Alaric wanted chips and cheese from the local mexican restaurant-DONE!!! We watched episode after episode of Star Wars Clone Wars until it was time for bed.

He slept great and woke up in a great mood. Thursday was spent lounging around and taking it easy. When he was laying down, you'd never know anything was wrong. So much so that when visitors came, we almost felt bad acception gifts since he looked so great. The pain was still there. He was walking funning and peeing was not the easiest. Staying ahead on his tylonol was key. And his privates look like hell....black and blue...stitches...swollen...blisted. Its bad but he's a trooper.

He was comfortable enough to start his homework and we did that for awhile but mostly, he spent the day chilling- receiving visitors and some amazing gifts from friends who love him and just napping, playing, and hanging out.

Grammy and Papa came to visit in the morning on Thursday. Grammy MADE him a Yoda and a Luke Sywalker doll. He LOVED them! He had transformed the family room into his room and created "zones"...a snuggling area, a lego area, a schoolwork area, a coloring area, a reading area. it was so week to have him take Grammy and Papa on a tour of his space.

And when his best friends dropped off this huge basket of transformer and star wars stuff- he went crazy!!!! He couldn't believe it. The kid literally jumped up and down and wanted everything in the basket NOW! We convinced him a puzzle was a nice, quiet choice and he and Grammy and Papa got to work!

Mostly movies and hanging out THursday. Friday Amara came home and he got some extra time with Nana and Grandpa. We left the house for lunch and he did great. By 4PM on Friday, he was having friends over in the yard and were having to tell him NO CONTACT with lightsabers, no jumping, etc.

And today, we were so busy playing and working in the yard and then hosting our neighbors for a wonderful bonfire- the kid didn't complain once about pain!!!!Its been a wonderful few days....really! We were able to really focus on Alaric and his time in the hospital and his recovery. We were able to give him lots of attention and have plenty of downtime. We were surrounded by lots of love and support and again overwhelmed by people's care, concern, and generosity! Thankyou for all your prayers, all your kind words, and your constant support!

Bubba will be back at school tomorrow. Perhaps with a few restrictions at PE for awhile but almost fully back to normal. We are so blessed for his doctors and nurses and the care we received and for the extra love Alaric has gotten these last 5 days- Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou!!!!