Surgery Day

I'm really glad today is over. Now our little Alexis just has a long road of recovery. Jason and I were down in the NICU around 8 a.m. Jason was finally able to hold his daughter for the first time. She looked so comfortable laying there with her daddy. After about 45 minutes it was my turn and I was so excited that just before I held her, she openned her eyes. She was awake and seemed content the whole time I held her. I'd seen her eyes open for only seconds before today and it just seemed right that she could see me and know we were there. During that time, the neonatologist told us that during the echo yesterday, they did see a very small hole in her heart. Not a huge concern as it will hopefully heal itself, but it is something they will watch. The pediatric surgeon, Dr. B, also came and spoke to us briefly explaining what they would do and some of the risks involved. They took her away to surgery at 10 a.m.

It was a long couple of hours. Mom and Dad, Jim and Connie, and Josh were all at the hospital with us during that time. They boys are at Aunt Paula's house (Thank You Paula and Ron!). Finally at 12:30 Dr. B came to my hospital room and told us that things had gone well. In addition to fixing the duodenal atresia, they had found a perferation in the small intestine that they repaired. So now instead of 1 thing to monitor for leaks and problems, they have 2. But he was pleased that Lexi tolerated the surgery well. Many tears of relief were shed. He told us to wait about a half hour before going to see her.

Alexis seems to be doing well. She's on pain medication of course. She now has another IV in the other hand. The poor baby! She has a vent in her mouth, a tube in her nose (to empty the contents of her stomach), a PICC line in her right foot, and an IV in each hand. They will leave the IV's in as long as they are working okay, but when the time comes that they need to be replaced, they will remove the IV and leave them out. Her left foot is absolutely purple from all the shots and blood draws. Thank goodness she almost always appears to me to be calm and sleeping, even though the nurses say she can get really feisty. But who can blame her?!

I was officially discharged this evening at 11 p.m. and even though most of the rooms here are filling up, they let me stay in a room tonight. We will have to be gone by 9 or 10 in the morning. We've had a wonderful experience here at Women's Hospital. The nurses are all so kind, so accomidating. I will stay around here for most of the day tomorrow and then go home tomorrow evening to see my boys, who I haven't seen since Sunday night. They've been having so much fun being at Grandma and Pop Pop's house with Uncle Josh and then at Aunt Paula's, they hardly realize we're gone, for which I'm very grateful. They haven't asked to see their sister and I'm not going to suggest it. If they ask, we'll take them, but for now we'll let Lexi heal and hopefully by the time they want to see her, some of the wires or tubes will be gone.