Fix 'Em Up Day!

Today was another milestone- a pretty big one- Surgery Day!!

My mom got to come over today to be with me since Steve had to go to Mobile for a meeting with the Navy. We spent most of the morning just enjoying Liam, going over with Mom all of the machines and stuff stuck to him, and discussing with the nurse and doctor how today was going to go.

Surgery was scheduled for 2:00 but they called for him a little later than expected so we got in some great loves and kisses. I was soooo thankful he was calm and relaxed before surgery. It would have been so hard to pass him off to go under if he was fussing. I got a little nervous the closer to surgery time- my baby was going under for the first time, how would he do?

The anesthesiologist met me in the surgical ward and really put me at ease. He discussed what he was going to do and seemed to really care about watching him carefully. Just a different kind of conversation than I had with my anesthesiologist-this guy was definitely used to working with little ones.

Steve and company arrived toward the end of Liam's surgery so he was there for when Liam woke up. After what seemed like a long wait, Dr Lewis, the pediatric surgeon, came out and said the surgery went great. She even had pictures for us. They closed up his belly in a purse-string fashion around his umbilicus. I envision his scar will be around his belly button- we'll see how it turns out! She even said he won't have to be ventilated coming out of surgery which is a huge relief!! Being on a ventilator can lead to other problems such as the baby getting lazy and letting the machine breathe for them (thus having a harder time getting off the vent) or it can lead to respiratory infections. So this was great news!!

When we got to go in and see him he was not feeling very good and was letting us know it. The nurse upped his pain meds to try to take the edge off. We held his little hands and I tried to soothe him as best I could. It would work temporarily with humming or shhhhh sounds but then he's fuss again. At one point he took time to open his eyes, made sure he was looking at me and then gave the most pitiful wail. I guess it was to make sure I knew he didn't feel good :(. I couldn't leave until he settled in better so I was thankful when the pain meds kicked in more.

Steve and I went back up tonight and the night nurse said he had another dose within 2 hours of the other one, which is acceptable, but he had been going longer prior to surgery. He was still whimpering a little in his sleep so she was discussing a drip with the doctor to keep meds in his system rather than riding a pain roller coaster all night. We'll see in the morning what they decided.

When we first got there, I had checked his feet to make sure blood flow was getting to them well enough. The pressure of the bowels being in can inhibit circulation to his legs (like last night). They looked good when we went in, but by the time we left, one was getting more purple and cold. A nurse explained it might be that he's on his side now (no more back laying needed!) and that she would keep an eye on it for us.

Other good news was that his wound had stopped seeping so everything seemed to be on the mend! Next milestone will be having his gastric juices that are sucked out from his stomach turn clear (green right now, as it has been this whole time) and we need him to poop! After that we can start feeds- maybe before the week is out.

Pray for poop! :)