Surgery Day

     As I said, on the day of the surgery we were asked to be at the hospital at 6:30. At about 7:30 we put a little hospital gown on Edythe and the nurse brought her some "pre-op meds" to make her drowsy so she wouldn't fight when it was time for them to take her to surgery. She didn't like the meds, and I didn't like her to have them- she's never had any drugs or medication before! But with the pacifier's help we got it in her. Soon she really did look sleepy, but being her busy, inquisitive self she resisted sleep for all she was worth.

     At about 8am we went into the surgery waiting room where we met the surgery team. Each one of the team was so kind. The surgeon, Dr Wang, came in and marked her hand, then I handed Edythe to one of the nurses. Edythe won't usually go to strangers, but she went. We were grateful that she went in someones arms rather than on the hospital bed, and that she went without any crying (though she did look a little solemn).
     I'd felt great peace and calm to this point, but as we left through the surgery unit doors I began to cry. It was frightening. We'd just turned Edythe over to strangers. This was right, wasn't it?
The next few hours were the hardest, but remembering the peace I'd felt helped. And we sat in the big recreation room and read scriptures together, which also helped. "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not".
     After two hours my husband got a phone call from one of the nurses saying that they were now closing things up. All had gone well. We were so thankful! It was still another hour till Dr Wang came in to tell us how things went. She mentioned that Edythe's pinky had been slow to fill with blood, so she would check it before we left. She also mentioned that when they took the breathing tube out of her throat it had some mucous in it, so apparently she really did have a cold or else drainage from her teething was down there.
     Finally a little before noon Edythe's little bed was wheeled in, where she was fast asleep, breathing noisily. So beautiful! So sweet! And it sounded like she needed to cough. Though we wanted so badly to hold her we let her sleep till she was ready to awaken. She awoke a little disoriented, but not too upset. She was even a little interested in the toys. When the doctor came again and checked her pinky, it was pink, and we were relieved. By 2:30 we were discharged and on our way home-- through a snow storm, but going home!
     For the rest of the day, through the drive and after reaching home, Edythe slept most of the time. She didn't seem to be in pain, but it was hard to hear her raspy, croupy breathing. But the first surgery was over! It had gone well. We felt so grateful, and so relieved.