Surgery

In pre-op

He fell asleep in my arms right before we had to give him to the anesthesiologist 

In recovery - Don't worry about the mask and bag, just regular old oxygen coming out of there to give him an extra boost. 

Snuggles with Dad after we were admitted 

No more O2 support! 

Headed home!

Grandma who held things together at our house

Well it's all done! Rex got a gtube and an MRI. This little boy is a champ and continues to amaze me. We had to leave at 5 am to make it up to Primary Children's Hospital in time and the night before we had had a super funky schedule because Rex couldn't have any breastmilk after midnight but still needed some pediasure to stay hydrated.

When we got there and got checked into surgery Rexy was being his cute self and talking up a storm in his carseat. They finally took us back and we changed him into his tiny hospital gown and pants. Then it was person after person and history after history. I lost count of how many times I was asked if he is allergic to any medications. Something I really appreciated though was that his pre-op nurse just sat and chatted with us for a while while we waited for the anesthesiologist to show up. Rexy was tired and fell asleep in my arms right before the anesthesiologist came in. When he did we went over lots of paperwork and he explained how he would stay with Rex the whole time, until he was extubated (during sedation he had to have a breathing tube put down and he was on a ventilator). We walked downstairs with Rex and the anesthesiologist to imaging, walked back to the room where they would sedate him, gave him all our hugs and kisses, and then handed him over. I thought this would be really hard for me, and in a way it was. I got a little teary as we walked out to the waiting room. But I was also relieved to be getting this over with and comforted knowing that Rex won't really remember any of this.

In pre-op we were told that his surgeon was not going to be in until 8:30, which was fine because he had an hour long MRI first. While we were in the waiting room she called my phone and just explained that she was sorry she couldn't see us in person, but she would come find us after the surgery. We learned after his surgery that she had gone to yoga class that morning instead of showing up at her regular time! Hahaha she apologized but Charlie and I assured her it was perfectly fine to summon her chi before operating on our son.

While he was in surgery we went down to the cafeteria. While eating a perfectly greasy breakfast sandwich the intercom came on and said, "Will the parents of Rex Young please call the hospital operator." When  your son is in surgery and they have to page you over the intercom it doesn't bring warm fuzzies to your heart. We chucked the rest of our breakfast and started speed walking to the surgery waiting room while I called the operator. The operator said, "Go to the surgery waiting room." The surgery waiting room receptionist said, "I don't know why they want you here." (face palm) Then she called somebody who called somebody......turns out the surgeon's nurse just needed to ask us if he was allergic to any medications, again. But looking back I'm just laughing because even with all the medical and hospital experience we have had with the twins, we are still pretty inexperienced.

We got to go and see him in recovery at about 10:30 (we gave him to the anesthesiologist at 7:30). The sweet little boy was still pretty out of it and crying pretty good. The recovery  nurse had stuck a hospital stock binky in his little mouth. He probably would have really freaked out if he wasn't still so out of it since he is so orally averted. I pulled the binky out and tried to comfort him until they gave me the go ahead to pick him up. We sat in recovery and rocked him and talked to him until they had a room ready for us upstairs.

When we got upstairs we met our floor nurse who was an interesting guy with shaggy, curly hair. In the transitioning and getting settled Rex got really fussy, and the tape holding his IV in his hand peeled halfway off. I told his nurse who ran to grab an arm board to re-secure it. The next thing I know I looked down at the little baby I was rocking and blood was covering his hand, belly, and me! The IV had come out completely and he was bleeding everywhere. Charlie ran out into the hall and grabbed someone to help. Then the next two hours were filled with the IV team trying to put a new IV in Rex, Rex screaming in pain, more oxygen support, and finally some morphine.

At this point he was still needing oxygen support and so they finally got him a nasal cannula instead of the blow by oxygen that he had had up till then. I know we are so blessed that neither of the twins have needed oxygen since they were discharged, but I still don't like seeing my baby on oxygen. At this point we expected to be there two nights since he was needing the extra support.

That night Charlie had to head back home so that he could work the next morning. They gave me ear plugs and a mask and I think I almost slept more than I do at home. Rex's night nurse was very sweet and I didn't wake for his nighttime cares. When I did wake around five am, his nurse said "he's off!"His saturations were a little rocky for the next few hours. The PA on the floor came and checked him out and said he was good to go, a PA from surgery came and looked at his tube, he also signed off on Rex's discharge.

I went to a g-tube care class that morning and learned about everything that can go wrong with g-tubes. They gave me an emergency kit to keep in my diaper bag so that we have it with Rex 24/7. I also got a catheter to put in the car in case we don't have the emergency kit with us. G-tubes can get pulled out accidentally and if they do the stoma (hole in his stomach) can close quickly, so you need an extra g-tube or spare catheter to insert into the stoma in an emergency. After doing g-tube cares at Rex's bedside and having lunch with my friend who works up there, my mom and Ellie came up to pick us up. About 15 minutes before they got there Rex got so fussy so I just walked him up and down the hallway by our room. I think the poor guy was sick of being cooped up in one room for so long.

Since then things have gone well. We started back to feeding therapy today. He has made such an improvement in his willingness to put things in his mouth since the NG has been out. We saw his surgeon last week and she was pleased with how his g-tube site is healing. I know that g-tubes might seem scary and complicated to some people, but for us it has been the best thing.