NPO.
Nil per os.
Nothing by mouth.
Fortunately for the tiniest of patients this is only for a few hours rather than 'after midnight'.
Annabelle was able to have food/formula (which she has never had) until 1:30, she was able to nurse until 2am. She could have clear liquids (a.k.a. Pedialyte) until 4am. So... NPO after 4am for a 7:30 surgery doesn't seem so terrible.
I had set my alarm for 1:30 to wake and nurse her, but she woke on her own around 1. About 2:15 she woke up screaming. After about 20 minutes of inconsolable baby we determined she was gassy and gave her some gas drops. A few huge burps later, she fell asleep on my shoulder at about 3am. I snuggled with her in bed for about 10 minutes and was finally able to get her to take some Pedialyte, although she only took 2.5 ounces. I was hoping she'd take more so that she'd be a little happier this morning before her surgery, but she passed out hard after that :)
I'm listening to her tiny snoring right now and praying hard.
Here we go ...
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
insomnia
I had a hard time sleeping last night.
Tonight, I almost don't want to go to sleep. I know when I wake up, it will be 'that day'. October 9th. This day has been looming for four months. One step closer to our goal: healthy hips.
Tonight, I almost don't want to go to sleep. I know when I wake up, it will be 'that day'. October 9th. This day has been looming for four months. One step closer to our goal: healthy hips.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
It's feeling real.
I've largely been in denial. I have moments where I freak out about Annabelle's upcoming surgery, and then they're over. It was too far away to really freak out about.
Then September hit.
Then October hit.
But we still had my cousin Jill's wedding to get through, as her surgery isn't until after the wedding.
The wedding is now over. I'm packing my bag for the hospital and I'm starting to freak out. I'm packing teeny tiny t-shirts that I've collected over the last 5 months that she will (hopefully) be able to wear over her cast.
I'm playing with her tiny legs, savoring her chubby little thighs knowing they'll be out of commission for 6 weeks.
Praying she's not going to be in much pain. Praying all goes well and this is the last surgery she has to endure. Praying for peace for myself. Praying for the doctors and nurses who will care for my little girl.
Praying ......
Then September hit.
Then October hit.
But we still had my cousin Jill's wedding to get through, as her surgery isn't until after the wedding.
The wedding is now over. I'm packing my bag for the hospital and I'm starting to freak out. I'm packing teeny tiny t-shirts that I've collected over the last 5 months that she will (hopefully) be able to wear over her cast.
I'm playing with her tiny legs, savoring her chubby little thighs knowing they'll be out of commission for 6 weeks.
Praying she's not going to be in much pain. Praying all goes well and this is the last surgery she has to endure. Praying for peace for myself. Praying for the doctors and nurses who will care for my little girl.
Praying ......
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
cleared
We saw Dr Lively again today, this time for a well baby checkup. Annabelle has been fever free since early yesterday afternoon, so he saw no need for her to not be able to have surgery next week. Her labwork all came back normal, so .... here we go!
Monday, October 1, 2012
102.2
102.2
Not a radio station.
Yesterday morning when Annabelle woke she felt hot. I took her temp and it was 101.8. A dose of Motrin, it came down to 99.8 and she was her happy little self until around 5pm when her fever spiked again. We gave her another dose of Motrin and the fever was back up to 101.8 at 8pm. A dose of Tylenol and she was good until the morning. She felt super hot when she woke this morning, and her temp was 102.2
I was worried all night last night because I didn't want anything to have to delay her surgery. I called the pediatrician as soon as the office opened and she saw Dr Lively at 11:30. It was oddly comforting, because his daughter also had hip dysplasia, although I'm not sure if she had to have surgery or not.
He couldn't find a cause for Annabelle's high fever, which was a bit frustrating - I was thinking maybe she had an ear infection or something. He said it could be viral, could be a UTI. But nothing obvious. So, we had to collect a urine sample and he sent her off for some lab work. We're back home now and she's acting a bit more like herself.
More comforting, he reassured me that if for some reason her surgery is delayed due to this (unknown) illness, it's for her health and safety, because the anesthesiologist will want her as healthy as possible prior to intubation - which makes perfect sense. I don't want to send a sick baby into surgery. I'm just so anxious already knowing her surgery is one week away, the prospect of having it delayed and having to wait longer is frustrating.
I'll do what's best for my baby girl though, that's my job.
Not a radio station.
Yesterday morning when Annabelle woke she felt hot. I took her temp and it was 101.8. A dose of Motrin, it came down to 99.8 and she was her happy little self until around 5pm when her fever spiked again. We gave her another dose of Motrin and the fever was back up to 101.8 at 8pm. A dose of Tylenol and she was good until the morning. She felt super hot when she woke this morning, and her temp was 102.2
I was worried all night last night because I didn't want anything to have to delay her surgery. I called the pediatrician as soon as the office opened and she saw Dr Lively at 11:30. It was oddly comforting, because his daughter also had hip dysplasia, although I'm not sure if she had to have surgery or not.
He couldn't find a cause for Annabelle's high fever, which was a bit frustrating - I was thinking maybe she had an ear infection or something. He said it could be viral, could be a UTI. But nothing obvious. So, we had to collect a urine sample and he sent her off for some lab work. We're back home now and she's acting a bit more like herself.
More comforting, he reassured me that if for some reason her surgery is delayed due to this (unknown) illness, it's for her health and safety, because the anesthesiologist will want her as healthy as possible prior to intubation - which makes perfect sense. I don't want to send a sick baby into surgery. I'm just so anxious already knowing her surgery is one week away, the prospect of having it delayed and having to wait longer is frustrating.
I'll do what's best for my baby girl though, that's my job.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
here we go again ...
We saw Dr Olney today to follow up with Annabelle's left hip and to see him prior to her upcoming surgery ...
Left hip is still in place! Praise God! He said it looks perfectly normal for her age. Right hip is still dislocated which we knew and expected to hear.
So, in 20 days, she will have her next surgery - an open reduction, in which he will make an incision in the crease of her leg (she can still wear a bikini when she gets older with no visible scar), go into her hip joint, clean the tissue buildup out of the socket that is preventing her hip to be in place, then reduce her hip into the socket, and she will then be put into a spica cast for 6 weeks. After that, she will return to the rhino cruiser.
Deep breath. I am scared beyond belief but know it's one step closer to hearing the words that I so long to hear: Healthy Hips.
Left hip is still in place! Praise God! He said it looks perfectly normal for her age. Right hip is still dislocated which we knew and expected to hear.
So, in 20 days, she will have her next surgery - an open reduction, in which he will make an incision in the crease of her leg (she can still wear a bikini when she gets older with no visible scar), go into her hip joint, clean the tissue buildup out of the socket that is preventing her hip to be in place, then reduce her hip into the socket, and she will then be put into a spica cast for 6 weeks. After that, she will return to the rhino cruiser.
Deep breath. I am scared beyond belief but know it's one step closer to hearing the words that I so long to hear: Healthy Hips.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
I was going to be brave.
I was going to be brave.
We did this before, right? We woke up well before dawn and drove our tiny girl to the hospital for surgery. We carried her down the hallway knowing we would soon have to hand her over to the OR team. We handed her over and watched the OR nurse carry her around the corner to the team that would care for her while under anesthesia. I sobbed as we helplessly took the elevator to the waiting room where I would pace until we got word that she was out of surgery. We waited in angst as we were waiting to hear her name called so that we could meet her in the recovery room. I rocked and held my sedated little girl and longed for the time she'd open her eyes and want to nurse again.
We did this already. So, next time, no big deal, right? That's what I've been telling myself.
I was going to be brave. With this surgery, we have no what-ifs. The outcome is definite: Open reduction, Spica cast for 6 weeks.
So, then why with every passing day that the day gets closer do I get more and more scared?
35 days until we do it again. 35. That's a fewer number of days than she'll actually in the cast. When I think about it, I'm nauseous. I don't want to do this again. I'm scared to death.
I know her condition is fixable. I know eventually this will all be behind us. I know there are far worse case scenarios out there that we could be dealing with. I know all of this.
It doesn't make me less scared.
I can't tell you what a helpless feeling it is to hand your child over to someone and know that you have absolutely no control over what is about to happen. I don't want to do it again. This is what our girl needs, so we will do it again. And again after that if we need to.
I was going to be brave.
So I'm going to try to be.
We did this before, right? We woke up well before dawn and drove our tiny girl to the hospital for surgery. We carried her down the hallway knowing we would soon have to hand her over to the OR team. We handed her over and watched the OR nurse carry her around the corner to the team that would care for her while under anesthesia. I sobbed as we helplessly took the elevator to the waiting room where I would pace until we got word that she was out of surgery. We waited in angst as we were waiting to hear her name called so that we could meet her in the recovery room. I rocked and held my sedated little girl and longed for the time she'd open her eyes and want to nurse again.
We did this already. So, next time, no big deal, right? That's what I've been telling myself.
I was going to be brave. With this surgery, we have no what-ifs. The outcome is definite: Open reduction, Spica cast for 6 weeks.
So, then why with every passing day that the day gets closer do I get more and more scared?
35 days until we do it again. 35. That's a fewer number of days than she'll actually in the cast. When I think about it, I'm nauseous. I don't want to do this again. I'm scared to death.
I know her condition is fixable. I know eventually this will all be behind us. I know there are far worse case scenarios out there that we could be dealing with. I know all of this.
It doesn't make me less scared.
I can't tell you what a helpless feeling it is to hand your child over to someone and know that you have absolutely no control over what is about to happen. I don't want to do it again. This is what our girl needs, so we will do it again. And again after that if we need to.
I was going to be brave.
So I'm going to try to be.
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