Post-Op Update...

Well we survived our first child's surgery. We're happy to report that Corbin is doing well and even returned to preschool this morning.

Just for the family journal's sake, here is the story....
On Friday, October 2, 2009 @ 9:30am Corbin and I arrived at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center (UVRMC) for his scheduled oral surgery; specifically dental rehabilitation with possible extraction and a frenectomy (see previous post).
Dr. Markham of Provo Pediatrics was the surgeon/dentist and all Corbin knew was that he was going to a dentist appointment at the hospital this time to get his "sugar bugs" out of his teeth. After filling out paper work and signing all the necessary waivers we hung out in the waiting room for them to call us back to Same Day Surgery (SDS). Once we were in Corbin had his vitals and measurements taken and then we were assigned a pre-op room where Corbin was given special hospital jammies to change into. He was excited about laying in a hospital bed that went up and down, had rails to play with, and a remote he could operate for the TV. The hospital bracelets were put on too tight and he had to have them relocated to his ankles. Other than that he showed no signs of anxiety about being there....

We were given all the instructions from the nurse about what was coming and what to expect and then were told we'd be waiting about 2 hours because the patient right before us had just been taken back. WHAT? Why do they tell you to be there at 9:30am if they don't take you back until 11:30am? How are you supposed to keep a 3 year old entertained and distracted for 2 hours at that time of day when they can't eat or drink anything? We took pictures, watched cartoons, played toddler I-touch games, read books.... and still had an hour to go.

A kind nurse stopped in, noticing the boredom setting in, and offered for Corbin to take a walk with the wagon. He was all about that! The wagon is used for entertainment and as a tool to help kids drift off to sleep once they get their "happy juice." I pulled Corbin around the circular SDS unit about 20 times (in all my 9-month prego glory) and then he wanted a turn to pull it.... about 20 more times! All the nurses and surgeons sitting and walking around really got a kick out of him. He'd wave and say hi and ask questions about all the hospital stuff everywhere. They were so entertained by him and vice versa. After a while my Braxton Hicks contractions started and I kept telling the nurses that they would soon have 2 patients cause he was going to put me in labor! (Good thing I'm delivering at the same hospital.) Too bad I didn't get a picture of the infamous wagon. He loved it!

At about 11:15am the call came from the OR to give Corbin the "juice." I can't remember the name of it but it's an oral anti-anxiety narcotic that helps calm them down before they're wheeled away for the general anaesthesia and surgery. It didn't take long to kick in for Corbin. He was soon pretty loopy and told me he was tired and wanted the lights off. Next thing we knew the anaesthesiologist was in the room with more papers to sign and more instructions.... and then I kissed him and they wheeled him off. As he was leaving he asked me if he was going for a walk... and then kept trying to ask more questions but kept repeating himself. It was pretty funny. I could tell he was loosing control and was pretty relaxed so it put me at ease. He didn't seem to realize that I wasn't going with him. Dr. Markham stopped in also and reminded me of all the details of the procedure. He was very kind and allowed me to ask all the questions I wanted. As soon as Corbin was gone through the double doors 3 nurses came to my aid with cookies, crackers, and juice. They knew I hadn't eaten anything in front of Corbin and wanted to be sure my blood sugar didn't drop. I read my book and watched the news while I waited.

The procedure lasted about an hour and then Dr. Markham was back and explained how it all went. All 8 of Corbin's molars were filled and resurfaced with new enamel and he got 6 stitches on his upper middle gums/lip where the muscles was cut. He did great and was in recovery and would be brought to me as soon as he woke up. (I was a little scared because the girl who came out right before Corbin screamed and coughed for a good hour before they let her leave. She was inconsolable.) About 30 minutes later Corbin was wheeled into the room looking like this...

He was coughing pretty hard with that barking-dog like cough. The nurses told me it was from the breathing tube they put down his throat and nose. He had a little blood on his lips still and all his IV's and monitors on. They let him have some apple juice and he downed it. He was crying and coughing and a bit irritable so I laid by him in bed and we watched cartoons and he soon calmed down. He held down 2 cups of juice half a Popsicle so they took out his IV.

He kept telling me there was something in his mouth and he could feel the stitches and wanted to take them out. I explained to him what the dentist did and he said, "But why did he have to cut me mom, that's not nice!" Needless to say he has a hard time leaving the stitches alone.... almost like when you loose a tooth and you keep playing with it with your tongue. About 1.5 hours after surgery he was doing great so Jeff and Quinton came to pick us up and we left the hospital at about 2pm. The night before we had stocked up our fridge with Jell-O and pudding, Popsicles, ice cream, soup, spaghetti-O's, applesauce, juice, etc. Corbin was excited to come home and lay on the "sick bed" on the couch and watch all the cartoons he wanted. We thought he'd crash but he kept wanting to get up to play! He had his share of pudding, Jell-O, and Popsicles and a few hours later..... was dying to join his dad/cousins at the weekly BYU tailgate party.

I know.... mother of the year again. He felt good enough to go but he sat in a chair the entire time rather than running around and playing like he usually does. He still wasn't sure what to think of Jeff's cousin "The Blue Man" who has front row tickets and paints his face blue every week... you may have seen him in the Daily Herald in years past...

There was quite a group there this week including the hosts Haley & Cole (and Krew) with their trailer and grill, Dick & Christie, Colton, Cody, Ed & Stephanie, Tammy & John and 3 of their kids, Tom & Sandy, Jared and 2 of his boys...

... and Michelle.

My dad, who had been in town for the AMCAP conference all week, took my game ticket and went to the game with Jeff and I took the boys home. Corbin watched most of the game and then he crashed and slept in until 8am the next morning. We couldn't have asked for things to go any better and we fell lucky that we caught this problem when we did. Corbin-- is such a boy and enjoyed showing off his stitches to everyone. He was on Tylenol with Codeine, so he was a bit out of it still, but Aunt Stephanie got a great picture of the scar...
The BYU win was a good ending to a long day.