Griffin Had Surgery

Our sweet boy had surgery yesterday and he handled it like a champ!  What a day, though.  Whew!  So glad it's over.

It started with our babysitter having to cancel on us and we couldn't find anyone to babysit for us at 0500, so we made the tough decision that I would take Griffin to surgery and Chris would stay home with the girls.  I was so nervous about this decision and really wanted my husband with me, but it just wasn't possible.  Griffin and I got to the hospital before 0600 and signed in.  At 0615, they called us back to the little pre-op room to get him started.  I changed him into a gown and socks and we waiting for a while.  Everyone caring for Griffin was excellent and very kind to him.  I learned that his anesthesiologist adopted a daughter from Russia and has a niece with Down syndrome.  Our OR nurse has two adopted grandchildren.  God really lined up the perfect people for Griffin.

They took our little boy back and put him under general anesthesia.  I think I held my breath for the entire hour that he was gone.  After it was over, they told me that the most difficult part of the surgery was actually getting the IV started.  Thank goodness, they put him to sleep with gas before they started sticking him.  The doctor escorted me to Griffin's bedside in the recovery room.  From a distance, all I could see was a tiny little bump covered with a blanket on a large gurney.  So many people were gathered around him, working on him, making sure he was stable, and I felt a lump in my throat.  I couldn't wait to get him in my arms.  I am so thankful for this little son.

As I stood by his bedside, trying to wake him up, a doctor came up to me and said, "God bless you for doing this."  It caught me off guard... for what?  Getting him ear tubes?  But it clicked that he was talking about the adoption.  It was then that I realized that I don't feel like he's adopted anymore... He's just natural to me.  He's just mine.

I got close to his ear and quietly sang "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", one of his favorites, and I could see his little hands "twinkling"... he was waking up.  I gathered him in my arms and rocked him in the rocking chair that they brought over to me.  Once he was fully alert, we were taken back to the same little room that we started in and they continued to observe him.  And that was that!

He's been pretty fussy.  The breathing tube irritated him a lot and his breath if very raspy.  The nurse called to check on him today and she said that he should be fine and that it sounds like the anesthesia.  However, if he doesn't get better within the next couple hours, I plan to take him to the ER.  I don't feel comfortable putting him to bed like this.

I'm keeping him home from school for the remainder of the week.  Thank you so much for praying for our little boy!  So glad this surgery is behind us.  His ears are completely drained of fluid so we are praying that we see some progress in his speech!

Love and Hugs!