Eye Surgery Part Two

Adeline's surgery went well.  She was at the hospital by 7:15 and home by noon.  That is pretty good considering the hospital is almost an hour away.  It was hard for me not to be there but Alex kept me updated via text and pictures.

To begin her morning, there were various pre-op meetings and during all of those, Versed was always pushed.  It is a drug that causes drowsiness and helps relieve anxiety.  I feel that it is unnecessary and just one more layer of drug that Adeline has to come out of.  Alex held his ground and refused Versed multiple times.  When meeting with anesthesia, Alex explained that we tell Adeline she has to get her nebulizer mask before the doctor can fix her eye.  He requested that all things medical wait until she was under.  Adeline reminded everyone that she didn't want a "gum" mask.  I guess they put smells in it to make it exciting.  Not so exciting for our girl.  She wanted, "regular air."  Later, she told me that they gave her air that smelled like a beach ball and she didn't like it.  While Alex was explaining all this, someone from anesthesia asked if he would like to go back with her while she goes under.  OF COURSE!!  We have never been given that option before.

They pulled on their bunny suits and were soon in the OR.   Adeline laid down on the table with her mask while holding Daddy's hand.  She was in mid-sentence about her school friend, Anthony, when her eyes rolled back into her head.  She was out.  

She doesn't remember anything other than daddy holding her hand while she laid on one of the "cart beds."  She told me she decided to take a little rest while at the doctor and that when the doctor fixed her eye, he got some blood in it.  That is certainly true.  Her eye looks pretty yucky.  I don't really want to know how much manipulation of the eyeball went on in order to get the laser placement correct.

Dr. Forbes felt fairly confident that the surgery worked. We won't know for a week or two.  Her brain is being retrained to talk to a new eye.  It takes some time for everything to get back in sync.  So far, it looks better.  Not perfect but better.

Here she is in post-op completely out.

Before being wheeled out, a nurse asked her if she had a pet.  Adeline said yes and that her cat was named Bobby.  The nurse said, "I have a Bobby at home.  He is my husband."  Adeline asked, "Is he black and white?"  (our cat is black and white)  Anesthesia makes you say wacky things!

For the first time, Adeline slept the whole way home after surgery.  Typically she pukes and pukes some more.  This time she never did!

Here is my favorite video from the day.  Adeline tells me that she loves me and is being brave. It speaks volumes considering this is a girl that has had some very yucky things done to her in ER's and overnight hospital stays.  She really was brave!