We're home. Actually we've been home since around 1200-1230ish. Check in for Reese's surgery was at 645 this morning with surgery starting at 815. We live about 45 min from where the procedures were being done, so Bryan and I were up at 500 to get the ball rolling. When I say we were up at 5, I mean I finally fell asleep sometime after midnight, woke up about ever 30 minutes, and was up for the day at 430. Luckily there was a small nap in my future once we got home. :) Reese began this process very nervous. She didn't want her belly button fixed, she liked it the way that it was... she didn't want anyone to "push it in." I asked her if she was nervous and scared... she said she was. She repeatedly asked me if the doctor was going to cut her open with a sword. :( When we went in for our consult, the physicians and nurses were AMAZING! They gave Reese a Franklin book about Franklin having surgery to fix his turtle shell, they gave us an online tour link to view... where a little girl takes you on a tour of what they can expect when they arrive for surgery. After watching that, Reese was hot to trot. When we arrived this morning, she was answering the docs' questions... and even knew what an anesthesiologist did! There was a dr./child liaison type person who was wonderful! She showed Reese what the anesthesia mask did... how it worked... let Reese play with it. She even let Reese decorate her mouth piece with stickers... it was really great for Reese. You could absolutely tell she felt at ease.
When they took her back, Bryan went with her. I wasn't able to because of the pregnancy and some of the gases they use to put her under. She was playing a cake baking app on one of the nurses' iPhones... until she was out. The ENT clipped her frenulum first. Basically the frenulum is the small flap of skin in your mouth that connects the bottom underneath part of your tongue to the bottom jaw. Instead of starting in say the middle of her tongue likes ours, Reese's basically started at the tip of her tongue. She had a time and a half latching on to nurse and we've recently noticed some speech sounds that were being stalled due to it. It was quick and easy and honestly seems to be giving her far more hell than her hernia.
She's been unable to eat anything since coming home. Bryan just managed to get her to each a couple of small spoons of a Frosty, but that's it. Liquid intake has been minimal as well. We're slowly picking it up, but you can tell it's uncomfortable for her. She cries every time we ask her to drink some. She has gone potty for us a few times, so that's keeping us hopeful on avoiding dehydration.
As far as the herniated belly button... this is what we were working with...
We'd been told since her umbilical cord fell off that it may close on it's own. If it didn't close by the time she turned 4 or 5, surgery would be inevitable. Basically the risks are that her intestine would get stuck in between her muscle... causing serious issues. So here we were... she was 4/5, and it was not going to close on it's own. Surgery time. The procedure was about an hour and a half long, she did wonderfully. Everything went as planned. She even came out of anesthesia much more pleasant than the last time. The staff was wonderful... we really couldn't have asked for a better experience. We now sit and wait 2 days to take her bandage off... there will still be a couple of butterflies on there... they come off on their own when they are ready. The procedure was done laproscopically (sp), so we shouldn't see much if any scarring... and the stitches will dissolve. She's unable to play on the playground at school for 2 weeks, so drop off and pick up will be affected, but that's no biggie. She should be back at preschool Monday or Wednesday. We're so proud of her... so so so so proud. She's kind of a bump on a log right now. See...
But I know tomorrow will be better. I'll for sure post an "after" photo once she's all healed up. :) Thank got for modern medicine!
