This week was still a recovery week for me, but was also a time for all of us to remember where we were just a year ago. How easily you forget about the anxiety you have about hospitals until you have to go back like we did this week for Shawn's ultrasound. Even though Shawn was less than a year old (8 months) when he had his surgery to repair his "Shawn's Urethra", you could see it in his face that he knew where he was as soon as the double doors opened up. He immediately tensed up and started to cry.
I knew what he was thinking, but I also knew that I would not be able to explain to him that he was not going to be here very long. As we checked him in you could see that he was very hesitant to be there, but immediately found his favorite toy to play with for a while with a new found friend while we waited for the ultrasound:
Shorty after that video, Shawn was called back for the ultrasound. I picked him up and took him back to the room. As soon as we got in the room, he would not let me go so I could place him on the table. Of course, I knew that they would not be doing anything to him except running the ultrasound wand around his torso, but he did not know that. He was so afraid he was about to have another surgery. He screamed and cried so much and there was nothing I could do about it. Rachel and I had to restrain him so they could get the pictures needed, and Rachel sang to him, but nothing really helped. He was remembering the last time someone in that hospital had touched him...
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| Shawn after getting his IV before surgery |
March 2010, was not the start of his surgeries, but I do believe that it was the start of him remembering them. He was admitted the night before his surgery because they had to make sure that his gastrointestinal tract was clear for his morning surgery. At first he was having fun, playing with his toys, and being a normal little boy. All of that changed when they came to get him to start an IV so they could administer the GoLYTELY (Go Lightly) Laxative. Let me just explain to you that there is nothing light about this laxative. None of us really got much sleep that night because he was constantly needed his diaper changed, you could tell that his stomach hurt, and he was so tired. Most of the night Rachel and I took turns holding him while the other slept. Shawn, unfortunately did not not get much sleep at all. I felt so bad for him because I knew I could fix a lot of things, but I could not fix this.
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| Waiting for surgery |
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| Waiting with Gammy |
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| Visit from Nanna Haley |
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| In PreOp with Mommy |
The morning could not come faster for all of us, and it finally did, but there was very little relief. The rise of the sun meant that our son was about to undergo and unprecedented surgery to repair something that had never been diagnosed before. We were all nervous including Rachel's mother (Marsha aka Gammy) and Shawn's nanny at the time, Haley. They finally called us to the surgery prep room where Rachel and I took turns holding and praying over our son until the doctors came to take him back about 10:30am. We were both left with feeling like a piece of our heart was being torn away. and we were not sure if we were going to get it back. Our plan was to try and get some sleep during the planned 3 1/2 hours of the surgery, but soon realized that our stress would keep us from doing that.
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| In PreOp with Daddy |
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| PICU after Surgery |
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| PICU After Surgery |
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| Recovering with Blue Beary |
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| Awaking happy and hungry |
The first part of the surgery was done without any problems and it took longer than expected. The surgery was broken up into two phases. The first phase involved removing the multi-cystic dysplastic kidney on his left side and was to take about an hour. The second phase involves taking the two urethreas and turning them into one. The second part should have lasted about another 2 1/2 hours. Both took a lot more time than expected, and when 2:00pm came and past, we all started to worry a little even though we would not talk about it. Finally about 4:30, Dr. Wesson (One of the doctors assisting Dr. Cisek) came out to see us to let us know that they surgery was wrapping up and they would be taking him to PICU. It was finished and he was doing very well. We were all relieved, but we also knew that we still had a lot of recovery to go.
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| Getting Bored After Surgery |
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| Going Home |
I am not sure what came over Shawn, maybe it was the pain or maybe it was God just talking to our son, but he barely moved in the first 24 hours after surgey. We we all worried about that, but it never became a problem. After getting a lot of rest and recovering over the first 24 hours after surgery, Shawn woke up hungry and we could not get him bottles fast enough. Later that day you could tell that he was really starting to get bored, so I brought the old trusty DVD player and Baby Einstein Videos. Of course that only worked for a while before he started driving the nurses, like Starley, nuts. It was not soon after that we were able to stroll Shawn around the floor and let him get a good look around. We were all relieved that he was doing so well. Finally, Shawn was sent home 2 days later. We contributed his quick recovery to being at the best hospital for children (Texas Children's Hospital), the prayers and support of friends and family, and the will of our son. It was not soon after that surgery when I decided to undergo my own impossible journey in honor of his recovery and started training for the Ironman...
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| Sporting his bandages from his blood tests before going home |
Shawn had a lot to remember this week in the hospital, but after finishing up giving blood for his test, we were heading back home. You could see the relief on his face. We were all relieved considering that we received good news that Shawn was healing very well, and it looks like the surgery is still deemed a success. Of course we are not completely out of the loop yet. Once we start to potty train, we will know if he has bladder control. Dr. Cisek said it best, we will just have to wait to see if he can "Sink the Cheerio!"
