Happy to Be Home

We left this morning for Wake Med at 5 am for Jack's surgery.  Jack had been up since 3 am, desperately wanting something to drink so there was no chance of getting him back to bed.  He was very anxious and nervous in the pre-op and cried throughout the process.  He was beyond exhausted and very unsure as to what was going on.  Nana was able to distract him with toys and he acted like himself at times...happy and sweet.  He didn't like his identification tag and cried every time he looked down and saw it was attached to his leg.  The nurses brought us a dose of Tylenol and a sedative to relax him and make him forgetful. 

This brought the only highlight of my morning.  Jack on "happy medicine" is quite entertaining.  We knew immediately when the meds kicked in.  He began grinning, laughing, making funny faces...Mama and I were in tears laughing at him. The despised ankle tag became a source of entertainment for him and us.  He waved his leg around, trying to catch the tag, laughing hysterically.  He even tried his hardest to put on another tag that the nurse left on his bed.  He made faces, bounced around and was enjoying his "happy medicine" a little too much if you ask me.  

The meds didn't help him when he realized that the nurses were there to wheel him away.  A look of panic and fear flooded his sweet little face and my heart broke into a million pieces.  I gave him a kiss and told him it would be okay and they took him away.  He was crying so hard and I couldn't control my own tears.  Neither could his Nana.  He kept trying to turn around to see me and watching him disappear down the hall, crying and scared was heart wrenching.

The procedure was over quickly and the doctor said he removed a "robust" amount of fluid and "stuff" from both ears. His right ear was still very infected so it will probably drain substantially over the next few days.  We were told that he would be crying and out of sorts when we saw him but that most children calm very easily after seeing a parent.  Some children have a harder time and can act out and be tougher to console.

Well, Jack was the small percentage that has a hard time after surgery.  He was out of control.  Screaming, lunging, throwing his cup, the blankets and the popsicle he was supposed to eat.  He would stop, look at me, feel my hair and know it was me and relax for five or ten seconds.  Then he would begin screaming and fighting all over again.  I could barely hold him and the nurse continued to tell me this was normal and he would be fine once we got him to the car. After 45 minutes of this nightmare, I was exhausted and dying to leave.  My mom described it best when she said he needed a straight jacket.  We got him outside and it took Mama and me holding him down to buckle him in the car seat. He was kicking and beating the window. I took him from his seat and he finally laid his head down and rested.  He realized the ordeal was over and he was safe with Mommy.  

He slept several times today and by this afternoon, our old Jack was back.  He was laughing, dancing and eating like a horse all afternoon.  I am so relieved that this is over and he can finally have some relief.  This experience, minor as it was, really showed me how blessed I am to have healthy children.  There are parents who experience this every day and must watch their children be poked and prodded in hopes of making them better.  What a blessing to have healthy children.  Today reminded me that this is all that matters...

Playing in the lobby before surgery...

What a handsome patient...

Loving the "happy medicine"...

Right before leaving Mommy...this broke Mommy's heart...