Yes, Samuel is ready! He was approved for the surgery a few weeks ago... and our day is here! At 7am on Thursday Samuel will head to the OR to get his g-tube and his nissen... yea! (I suppose I could have titled this "g-tube or bust", but fundoplication is such a fun word!)
Crazy that we're excited about surgery. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a mom and therefore worried sick and a little panicked... but this is one of our last big hurdles before bringing Samuel home. We are staying focused on the big picture - the ultimate goal - and that is HOME!
The surgery could take up to 3 hours... unfortunately they won't really know until it begins. They will try to do it laparoscopically, if that works it will be relatively quick, if not then it will take a bit longer. It's really interesting, they can't determine whether or not they can do it laparoscopically until they get a good look because every stomach is different. Samuel will also get a bronchoscopy - a look at his airway - while he's under anesthesia. They don't anticipate any issues with his airway - it's always looked good before - but it's a routine thing they do with babies on traches. He'll get the bronchoscopy once per year as long as he's on the trache... if all goes well, this one could count as his discharge bronch! WOW! (We're still shooting for some time in January to come home - but just to hear the word discharge kind of takes my breath away :) )
Here we go!
Crazy that we're excited about surgery. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a mom and therefore worried sick and a little panicked... but this is one of our last big hurdles before bringing Samuel home. We are staying focused on the big picture - the ultimate goal - and that is HOME!
The surgery could take up to 3 hours... unfortunately they won't really know until it begins. They will try to do it laparoscopically, if that works it will be relatively quick, if not then it will take a bit longer. It's really interesting, they can't determine whether or not they can do it laparoscopically until they get a good look because every stomach is different. Samuel will also get a bronchoscopy - a look at his airway - while he's under anesthesia. They don't anticipate any issues with his airway - it's always looked good before - but it's a routine thing they do with babies on traches. He'll get the bronchoscopy once per year as long as he's on the trache... if all goes well, this one could count as his discharge bronch! WOW! (We're still shooting for some time in January to come home - but just to hear the word discharge kind of takes my breath away :) )
Here we go!
Samuel doesn't look very worried... but then again, neither do I in this picture! ha ha!
Nope - definitely not worried :)
George and Olivia did their homework on the upcoming surgery... The Playful Fairy is not the book you might think it is :)
**Just a quick recap :) The g-tube is the feeding tube - Samuel will have this until he learns to eat with his mouth. The nissen is a procedure in which they "wrap" the stomach in order to prevent Samuel from refluxing and possibly aspirating... this is the bigger deal. They have to use CO2 for the procedure, which is what Samuel was having a tough time getting rid of, but now they think he is strong enough! His CO2 will be measured closely after the procedure.**
3 comments:
I hope all went well! You all will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Love (and a happy bleated Birthday B!)
Rikki
Oh my goodness!!! I can only imagine how nervous, excited and ready you are for this day to be here!!! One step closer to him coming home!!!
Wishing Samuel, his doctors and nurses, and your family all the best today and as he recovers!!!
so glad to get your text today!!! cannot wait to hear the full story!! i love you all so so much and i am sending up prayers from the west coast!!!!!! love love love!
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